An Introduction to Criminal Justice

A contemporary guide to the criminal justice process, the broad scope of this book means it will be a trusted companion throughout a Criminology and/or Criminal Justice degree.

The contents of An Introduction to Criminal Justice include:

• 23 chapters spanning all that’s involved with, and fully contextualising, the criminal justice process: the agencies, institutions and processes and procedures that deal with victims, offenders and offending
• A detailed timeline of criminal justice since 1945
• Consideration of victims and witnesses, complaints and misconduct
• A comprehensive review of policing, prosecution, the courts, imprisonment and community sanctions
• A focus on community safety, crime prevention and youth justice
• A review of the effectiveness of the criminal justice process
• Exploration of global and international dimensions as well as the futures of criminal justice 
• Lots of helpful extras including further reading suggestions, case studies, self-study questions and a glossary of terms.

The accompanying website to An Introduction to Criminal Justice has:

• A podcast interview with a police officer
• Practice essay questions
• Multiple choice questions 
• Suggested website resources to explore
• Videos.

Jamie Harding received his PhD from the Department of Sociology and Social Policy at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne.  He has been employed at Northumbria University since 1995, first as a lecturer in Housing Studies and more recently as a Senior Lecturer in Research Methods in the Department of Social Sciences.  Before moving into higher education he worked for a number of social housing organisations.

Jamie’s main area of interest is qualitative and quantitative research methods, which he teaches at undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral level.  He also lectures on criminal justice – an area where he has edited a textbook – and homelessness, a subject on which he has written two monographs.  He is programme leader for the Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship, which is run in partnership with Northumbria Police.

Jamie is married with two adult children and two grandchildren.  He enjoys running and was delighted to win the highly prestigious Claremont Road Runners summer club handicap race in 2021.

Professor Pamela Davies′ research interests coalesce around gender, crime, harm, victimization and justice. Combining her interest in victimology and social harm with a critical/feminist infused approach she has explored a range of contemporary social problems – both visible and hidden. Her early research explored female offending and the inter-play between women’s offending patterns and experiences of victimization. More recently she has examined tensions around social and environmental justice adopting a case study approach. She has lead a number of research projects and evaluations of multi-agency innovations that tackle gendered forms of harm including interpersonal violence, domestic abuse, the policing of serial perpetrators and support for victims. The ways in which gender mediates our life experiences continues to provoke new areas of inquiry and she is currently working with colleagues on ‘gendering green criminology’.
Pam has published widely on the subject of victimization and social harm and on how gender connects to matters of community safety, public protection and well-being. Her most recent books are Crime and Power authored with Tanya Wyatt and Victimology Research Policy and Activism edited with Jacki Tapley. She is the series editor of the Palgrave Macmillan ‘Victims and Victimology’ book series (with Associate Professor Tyrone Kirchengast, University of New South Wales, Sydney).

George Mair is Professor of Criminal Justice and Head of the Department of Social Science at Liverpool Hope.  Previously (1995-2012), he was Professor of Criminal Justice in the School of Law at Liverpool John Moores University; and prior to that (1979-1995) he was a member of the Home Office Research and Planning Unit, latterly as Principal Research Officer leading a team carrying out research and policy-advice on community penalties.  He has been a member of the Merseyside Probation Board (2001-2007), and a member of the Liverpool Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership (1999-2006).