Criminal Law: The Basics, Second Edition

Balancing theory and practice, this dynamic text features:

• appropriate coverage that focuses on the basic building blocks of substantive criminal law
• a thematic framework that sheds light on the legacy of England's common law in the United States and the role of federalism in shaping American criminal law
• clear explanations of basic theory
• exercises in identifying the elements of many substantive criminal offenses
• carefully edited, high-interest appellate opinions, with discussion of key principles, to elucidate both the what and the why of criminal law
• judicious use of statutory material that reflects how the legislature, not the courts, primarily defines what is criminal and determines sentencing options
• clear and concise writing that doesn't oversimplify the topic or overwhelm the reader
• experienced authorship reflecting Frank A. Schubert's rich experience as a practitioner and professor
• an Appendix that includes a procedural primer that explains the differences between bench trials to the court and jury trials, and each of the stages of a criminal trial
• a companion website featuring additional cases, statutes, opinions, and more for each chapter in the printed text

Criminal Law: The Basics skillfully combines timely cases, statutes, text, and a rich pedagogy written with students in mind.