- Email: [email protected]
The police and pretrial release
474
CURRENT
PUBLICATIONS
needed to conduct such an investigation, and a later chapter develops further insights into this area by focusing on such matters as how skid mark formulas are derived from Newton’s Second Law of Motion and the Pythagorean Theorem. Further chapters give information about traffic supervision, management of unusual collisions, traffic enforcement techniques, and specialization in traffic management. A final chapter includes projects for classroom use. Four appendices present tables for squares and square roots, comparison of metric and inches and feet measurements, kilometers and miles per hour. A bibliography and index complete the book. (OSB)
Making Jury Instructions Understandable by Amiram Elwork, Bruce D. Sales, and James J. Alfini. The Michie Company (Post Office Box 7587, Charlottesville, Virginia 22906-7587), 1982, 396 pp., hardcover-$35. This book is about writing comprehensible instructions for a jury. Long a dilemma in the legal realm, failure of juries to carry out their legal obligation because of their lack of understanding of the law and their inability to understand the instructions given them by the judge sometimes results in miscarriage of justice. To enable development of more comprehensible instructions, the authors developed a complete manual. Divided into two parts, each serves a different function. Part I provides background information that supports the need for and effectiveness of the recommended assessment and rewriting techniques. Part II presents all of the information needed actually to carry out these techniques. Although it is recommended that the entire volume be read, portions can be used selectively. Part I contains three chapters. Along with an historical overview, and discussion of problems in presenting and writing jury instructions (Chapter l), this part contains a chapter on how the present approach to the problems was chosen and developed, as well as a chapter on whether the methodology
ABSTRACTS
works. This information provides a better understanding of and appreciation for the techniques described in Part II. Four chapters make up the second part: an orientation to the suggested methodology, how to get started, how to assess already written jury instructions and how to rewrite them. Three appendices provide additional information in the form of questionnaires, rewritten instructions, and computer programs. Minor modifications will make the material usable for numerous practitioners. An index is given. (OSB)
The Police Feeney.
and Pretrial
Release
by Floyd
Lexington Books (D.C. Heath and pany, 125 Spring Street, Lexington, sachusetts 02173), 1982, 211 pp., cover-$22.95.
ComMashard-
misdemeanor Police citations for offenses-summonses issued by police that enable the prompt release of arrested persons in certain classes of cases as soon as possible after arrest and that require subsequent appearance of the arrestee-is an important part of the bail reform movement. Little attention has been paid to misdemeanor cases, because individual detention times are low although the total number of individuals involved, as well as the total detention time, is large. Thus, cases are disposed before an investigation into whether the defendent will appear can occur. The feasibility of using the station-house releases for misdemeanants was initiated in the 1964 Manhattan Summons Project, and a number of studies since have suggested increasing the use of police citations. This volume is an authoritative source for establishing and managing police release procedures. Divided into three parts, it contains 19 chapters, three appendices, and a number of figures and tables. Part I provides an historical overview of the topic of police citations for misdemeanor offenses-current use of citations, historical extent of use, results and development, benefits of use, and the legal framework.
CURRENT
PUBLICATIONS
Chapters 7 through 11 (Part II) present methods for instituting and using the procedure, give case examples, specific implementation steps, the citation form, and the relationship to other agencies. The final part discusses issues such as use of the citation procedure for felonies, juveniles, and warrants; the role of the individual officer; police bail-setting authority; the possibility of a constitutional right to citation release; use in other countries; and the need for more research and statistics. Future directions and recommendations are included. The appendices detail the statutes and court rules relating to nontraffic citations, guidelines for initiating a citation procedure, and a checklist for a good citation procedure. An index is included. (OSB)
Developments in the Study of Criminal Behavior: The Prevention and Control of Offending (Volume One) and Violence (Volume Two) edited by M. Philip Feldman. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Somerset, New Jersey pp., hardcover-$41.95 pp., hardcover-$44.95
(One Wiley Drive, 08873), 1982, 238 (Volume One); 254 (Volume Two).
In these volumes Feldman combines selected papers from researchers, academics and professionals in the area of criminal behavior. Volume I, through eight selected articles, examines approaches to juvenile offender care. The first three chapters place current programs in a framework established by politicians and civil servants, examine the prevention and intervention techniques in the police/juvenile relationship, and discuss the behavioral approach more recently developed and of interest in the field. The remaining five chapters look at individual behavioral approaches or case studies. These include an article on establishing an institution for particularly difficult young offenders, a social skills training program, community approaches, and a long-term program for sex offenders. A final article by the editor brings together key themes concerning intervention and discusses the possi-
ABSTRACTS
475
bility of prevention through large- and small-scale social plannings. Violence, as a part of recent developments in the study of criminal behavior, is the area of interest of Volume II. As in the first volume, selected articles of eight individual contributors develop the theme. The first three chapters deal with violence between individuals: parents against their children, violence between couples, and sexual violence against women. Violence in public settings-vandalism, psychiatric hospitals, and prison-is covered next. The mentally abnormal violent offender is covered in the last two chapters. One chapter deals with a special link between violence and mental disorder, and the other concerns “dangerousness.” Again, in the final chapter the editor brings together key themes and implications for both accurate explanations and effective social action. Both volumes have author and subject indexes. (OSB)
The Criminal Investigator’s Guide by Steven T. Kernes and Lowell L. Kuehn. Charles C. Thomas, Publisher (2600 South First Street, Springfield, Illinois 62717), 1982, 160 pp., softcover-$16.75. This is a resource for law enforcement officers. Not intended to be interpreted as giving directives, this guide offers specific investigative steps applicable to circumstances and evidence characteristics of certain crimes. Although individual officers are advised to exercise their own discretion and judgment in deciding upon the proper response in each factual situation, checklists offered by the guide provide a refresher for all investigations. There are three sections. Investigative Steps for Crimes, Section A, covers thirteen offenses, including crimes against person and property. Each checklist delineates elements of the crime and penalty for the crime. The Required Action section gives detailed, specified activities for evidence collection. The Follow-Up/Optional section provides additional investigative techniques to be carried out once the on-the-scene
CURRENT
PUBLICATIONS
needed to conduct such an investigation, and a later chapter develops further insights into this area by focusing on such matters as how skid mark formulas are derived from Newton’s Second Law of Motion and the Pythagorean Theorem. Further chapters give information about traffic supervision, management of unusual collisions, traffic enforcement techniques, and specialization in traffic management. A final chapter includes projects for classroom use. Four appendices present tables for squares and square roots, comparison of metric and inches and feet measurements, kilometers and miles per hour. A bibliography and index complete the book. (OSB)
Making Jury Instructions Understandable by Amiram Elwork, Bruce D. Sales, and James J. Alfini. The Michie Company (Post Office Box 7587, Charlottesville, Virginia 22906-7587), 1982, 396 pp., hardcover-$35. This book is about writing comprehensible instructions for a jury. Long a dilemma in the legal realm, failure of juries to carry out their legal obligation because of their lack of understanding of the law and their inability to understand the instructions given them by the judge sometimes results in miscarriage of justice. To enable development of more comprehensible instructions, the authors developed a complete manual. Divided into two parts, each serves a different function. Part I provides background information that supports the need for and effectiveness of the recommended assessment and rewriting techniques. Part II presents all of the information needed actually to carry out these techniques. Although it is recommended that the entire volume be read, portions can be used selectively. Part I contains three chapters. Along with an historical overview, and discussion of problems in presenting and writing jury instructions (Chapter l), this part contains a chapter on how the present approach to the problems was chosen and developed, as well as a chapter on whether the methodology
ABSTRACTS
works. This information provides a better understanding of and appreciation for the techniques described in Part II. Four chapters make up the second part: an orientation to the suggested methodology, how to get started, how to assess already written jury instructions and how to rewrite them. Three appendices provide additional information in the form of questionnaires, rewritten instructions, and computer programs. Minor modifications will make the material usable for numerous practitioners. An index is given. (OSB)
The Police Feeney.
and Pretrial
Release
by Floyd
Lexington Books (D.C. Heath and pany, 125 Spring Street, Lexington, sachusetts 02173), 1982, 211 pp., cover-$22.95.
ComMashard-
misdemeanor Police citations for offenses-summonses issued by police that enable the prompt release of arrested persons in certain classes of cases as soon as possible after arrest and that require subsequent appearance of the arrestee-is an important part of the bail reform movement. Little attention has been paid to misdemeanor cases, because individual detention times are low although the total number of individuals involved, as well as the total detention time, is large. Thus, cases are disposed before an investigation into whether the defendent will appear can occur. The feasibility of using the station-house releases for misdemeanants was initiated in the 1964 Manhattan Summons Project, and a number of studies since have suggested increasing the use of police citations. This volume is an authoritative source for establishing and managing police release procedures. Divided into three parts, it contains 19 chapters, three appendices, and a number of figures and tables. Part I provides an historical overview of the topic of police citations for misdemeanor offenses-current use of citations, historical extent of use, results and development, benefits of use, and the legal framework.
CURRENT
PUBLICATIONS
Chapters 7 through 11 (Part II) present methods for instituting and using the procedure, give case examples, specific implementation steps, the citation form, and the relationship to other agencies. The final part discusses issues such as use of the citation procedure for felonies, juveniles, and warrants; the role of the individual officer; police bail-setting authority; the possibility of a constitutional right to citation release; use in other countries; and the need for more research and statistics. Future directions and recommendations are included. The appendices detail the statutes and court rules relating to nontraffic citations, guidelines for initiating a citation procedure, and a checklist for a good citation procedure. An index is included. (OSB)
Developments in the Study of Criminal Behavior: The Prevention and Control of Offending (Volume One) and Violence (Volume Two) edited by M. Philip Feldman. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Somerset, New Jersey pp., hardcover-$41.95 pp., hardcover-$44.95
(One Wiley Drive, 08873), 1982, 238 (Volume One); 254 (Volume Two).
In these volumes Feldman combines selected papers from researchers, academics and professionals in the area of criminal behavior. Volume I, through eight selected articles, examines approaches to juvenile offender care. The first three chapters place current programs in a framework established by politicians and civil servants, examine the prevention and intervention techniques in the police/juvenile relationship, and discuss the behavioral approach more recently developed and of interest in the field. The remaining five chapters look at individual behavioral approaches or case studies. These include an article on establishing an institution for particularly difficult young offenders, a social skills training program, community approaches, and a long-term program for sex offenders. A final article by the editor brings together key themes concerning intervention and discusses the possi-
ABSTRACTS
475
bility of prevention through large- and small-scale social plannings. Violence, as a part of recent developments in the study of criminal behavior, is the area of interest of Volume II. As in the first volume, selected articles of eight individual contributors develop the theme. The first three chapters deal with violence between individuals: parents against their children, violence between couples, and sexual violence against women. Violence in public settings-vandalism, psychiatric hospitals, and prison-is covered next. The mentally abnormal violent offender is covered in the last two chapters. One chapter deals with a special link between violence and mental disorder, and the other concerns “dangerousness.” Again, in the final chapter the editor brings together key themes and implications for both accurate explanations and effective social action. Both volumes have author and subject indexes. (OSB)
The Criminal Investigator’s Guide by Steven T. Kernes and Lowell L. Kuehn. Charles C. Thomas, Publisher (2600 South First Street, Springfield, Illinois 62717), 1982, 160 pp., softcover-$16.75. This is a resource for law enforcement officers. Not intended to be interpreted as giving directives, this guide offers specific investigative steps applicable to circumstances and evidence characteristics of certain crimes. Although individual officers are advised to exercise their own discretion and judgment in deciding upon the proper response in each factual situation, checklists offered by the guide provide a refresher for all investigations. There are three sections. Investigative Steps for Crimes, Section A, covers thirteen offenses, including crimes against person and property. Each checklist delineates elements of the crime and penalty for the crime. The Required Action section gives detailed, specified activities for evidence collection. The Follow-Up/Optional section provides additional investigative techniques to be carried out once the on-the-scene