Great Prosecutions

VOYA

The Crime and Punishment series attempts to shed light on the American criminal justice system by examining crimes, investigative procedures, and trial methods used to determine guilt or innocence. These two entries achieve the goals of the series with varying success. Great Prosecutions by Nancy Peacock examines five trials in which the prosecution was successful, including the Nuremberg trials and the Manson case. These trials were chosen because of their complex nature and because they set legal precedents. Their complexity, however, requires detailed background as well as trial analysis, which in such a brief book is not possible to provide. The overview of each trial offers an introduction to the crime and the court case but does not provide enough information for reports. A short list of further reading will help lead students who are interested to titles with more in-depth coverage. The Insanity Defense by Richard Worth is more successful in fulfilling the mission of the series. This title examines the history of the insanity defense and uses case studies to examine the ways the argument is used. In discussing cases to illuminate this legal defense, Worth also examines how public reaction has impacted the laws and the use of an insanity plea. There is enough information in these books to satisfy basic curiosity, and the list of Web sites and bibliography will lead to further searching. Overall, the series merely provides introductory information that can pique interest. Additional series titles include Juvenile Crime, Defense Lawyers, and White Collar Crime. Illus. Photos. Biblio. VOYA CODES: 3Q 3P M J (Readable without serious defects; Will appeal with pushing; Middle School,defined as grades 6 to 8; Junior High, defined as grades 7 to 9). 2002, Chelsea House, 108p. PLB
— Mary Ann Harlan