Advanced Introduction to U.S. Criminal Procedure

Elgar Advanced Introductions are stimulating and thoughtful introductions to major fields in the social sciences and law, expertly written by the world’s leading scholars. Designed to be accessible yet rigorous, they offer concise and lucid surveys of the substantive and policy issues associated with discrete subject areas.

In this Advanced Introduction, Christopher Slobogin covers every significant aspect of U.S. criminal procedure. Focusing on Supreme Court cases and the most important statutory rules that provide the framework for the criminal justice system, he illuminates the nuances of American criminal procedure doctrine and offers factual examples of how it is applied. Chapters cover police practices such as search and seizure, interrogation, and identification procedures, as well as the pretrial, trial and post-conviction process.

Key features include:

• A clear and engaging writing style, with key terms defined and relevant examples provided

• An examination of the competing goals and values that have influenced doctrine

• Coverage of all key Supreme Court cases as well as important federal and state statutes and rules

• Empirical studies examining the realities of the criminal process

• A logical flow design in each chapter to facilitate analysis of every significant criminal procedure issue


This Advanced Introduction will be invaluable reading for all students of U.S. law and undergraduate students of constitutional criminal procedure. It will also be useful to those in disciplines such as criminology, public policy, and political science, as well as to policy makers who are looking for an overview of the topic.