Florida's Criminal Justice System

Florida's Criminal Justice System focuses on the problem of crime and the responses the "Sunshine State" has implemented. Written by a professor who also served as a municipal law enforcement officer for 29 years, this book provides readers with both an academic perspective and a practical orientation. The book opens with an examination of civic health in the state, exposes some shortcomings of the Florida educational system, and then addresses the need for college students to focus more intensively on the state's criminal justice system.

After introducing students to the major features of the Florida State Constitution, the book presents several ways of examining the state's crime problem. It then proceeds to describe how the law enforcement community is structured, discusses selected features of Florida criminal law, paints a picture of how the court system is organized and illustrates how cases move through the halls of justice, before visiting the corrections system to see how that sector is contoured and some of the difficulties with which it grapples.

There is a separate chapter that explores the Florida experience with the death penalty and visits some of the solutions the state has crafted to ongoing problems. Another chapter is devoted to the problem of juvenile delinquency, how that system is structured, and some of the ongoing challenges it faces. Last, but not least, the book looks at crime victims and how Florida strives to safeguard their interests. Anybody contemplating a criminal justice career in Florida will find this book informative and thought-provoking.

PRAISE FOR THE FIRST EDITION:

"William Doerner complements more than thirty-five years of experience as a faculty member in one of the nation's premier criminal justice/criminology graduate programs with three decades of patrolling the streets of Tallahassee. The integration of his scholarly assessments with his observations as a practitioner provides Professor Doerner with a unique perspective on the history, traditions, successes, and failures of the Florida criminal justice system. The product is this excellent text, which is a 'must-read' for scholars, students, practitioners, and citizens who are interested in the structure and operations of their system of justice. — Ronald D. Hunter, Ph.D., Past President of the Southern Criminal Justice Association and Past President of the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences

"Professor Doerner's knowledge, extensive practical experience in the criminal justice system as a sworn law enforcement officer, and stellar academic career teaching and researching at a premier criminology and criminal justice program have resulted in an excellent text that will benefit students immensely. As Professor Doerner notes, most criminal justice books describe a generic criminal justice system, which all too often leaves students in the dark about the specific characteristics, structure, and challenges regarding the state criminal justice system in which they will work. Most of our students grew up in Florida, live here, were educated here, and will ultimately decide to pursue a career in Florida. Therefore, it is expedient for these students to learn about the unique nature and issues related to the Florida criminal justice system and crime in the state. This text will make a great contribution." — Matthew S. Crow, Associate Professor and Assistant Director of Justice Studies at the University of West Florida

PowerPoint slides are available upon adoption. Sample slides from the full 678-slide presentation are available to view here. Email bhall@cap-press.com for more information.