Law and Contemporary Corrections

The first true text on the subject of corrections law and prisoner's rights, this book is an accessible yet comprehensive introduction to the subject. Rather than relying exclusively on cases to illuminate the content, Smith discusses and briefly excerpts case material to aid students not intimately familiar with legal language. Extensive pedagogy further aids in comprehension. Bringing both a legal and academic background to bear, Smith both writes for the needs of the student and the illumination and clarification of legal issues.

Noting that the prisons and other areas of the corrections field have increasingly come under the rule of law since the 1960s, Smith (Michigan State U.) explains aspects of relevant law for current and future corrections officers, students of criminal justice, and citizens and voters interested in how their tax money is used and the mechanisms designed to keep the prisons operating in accordance with constitutional standards. He excerpts from cases and draws on news reports as well as legal material. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

Christopher E. Smith is Professor of Criminal Justice at Michigan State University. Trained as a lawyer and social scientist, Professor Smith is the author of twenty books and more than 100 scholarly articles on law, the courts, and criminal justice policy. His books include three Wadsworth first editions, including CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS: MYTHS AND REALITIES, LAW AND CONTEMPORARY CORRECTIONS, and CRIMINAL PROCEDURE. He is also the co-author of CRIMINAL JUSTICE IN AMERICA (with George F. Cole).