Judge M.T. Thompson, Jr and Professor Monica R. Nuckolls Presents:
Making Choices
Facing Consequences
Only $30.00
How The Criminal Justice System Works In Michigan
Most people who come face-to-face with the criminal justice system are like deer caught in the headlights of a fast approaching train. They have no idea of what’s about to happen to them or how to get out of harm’s way. Many of them will end up as road kill. Run over by a criminal justice system they did not know how to deal with.
To reduce your chances of being run over and becoming road kill, you need certain basic information. Dealing with the police or going to court without knowing how the courts work, what your rights are, how to assert your rights or what the basic rules of the court system are is like trying to play basketball without knowing what a foul, double dribble or three point shot is. It’s like trying to play baseball without knowing what a foul ball, strike or home run is.
To participate in the game, you need to know its basic rules, its language, how to score and how to play defense. How Criminal Justice Works In Michigan is designed to give you that basic information about the criminal justice system.
How Criminal Justice Works In MI is designed to familiarie the reader with the following things:
(1) The organizational structure of both the federal and state court system and what each court does;
(2) The Bill of Rights with special emphasis on the Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, Eighth and Fourteenth Amendments and the special rights and protections they provide to criminal defendants.
(3) The different steps in a criminal case and what happens at each step.
Once you have a basic understanding of (1) what each court does, (2) your basic constitutional rights and how to assert them, and (3) the different steps in a criminal case, we use a set of real life stories to bridge the gap between the classroom and courtroom. We show the reader the mechanics of how our criminal justice system actually works. Our stories function as critical thinking exercises which allow the reader to apply the substantive materials covered in our book to real life situations. The book also exposes the reader to certain legal concepts and terms that will help them understand and effectively participate in the court and criminal justice system.
HOW CRIMINAL JUSTICE WORKS IN MICHIGAN
Understanding Our Courts, Criminal Justice System
& Bill of Rights
