Justabouteveryoneistouchedinsomewaybyourcriminaljusticesystem.You,arelativeorafriendmaybearrestedandchargedwithacrime.Orperhapsyou'vebeenthevictimofone.Maybeyou'reateacher,socialworkerorcounselorwhoneedsclearanswerstopressingquestionssoyoucanhelpothersunderstandhowthecriminaljusticesystemworks.Thisbookisforallofyou,andforanyoneelsewhowantstounderstandalittlemoreaboutsuchgrippingmodern-daydramasastheO.J.Simpson,MenendezbrothersandTimothyMcVeightrials.
Thebookusesaneasy-to-understandquestion-and-answerformattoexplainthecriminaljusticesystem,insideandoutsidethecourtroom.WhencanapoliceofficermakeanarrestIsitagoodideatotalktothepoliceWhodecideswhethertochargesomeonewithacrime,andwhatcrimetochargeIsself-representationeveragoodideaincriminalcasesShoulddefendantsconcealtheirguiltfromtheirattorneysWhatfactorsmightconvinceajudgetoreleaseajailedpersononlowbail—orwaivebailaltogetherTheseareamongthehundredsofpracticalquestionsthebookaddresses.
1.WhoCanBenefitFromThisBook
Manypeoplecanbenefitfromtheinformationinthisbook:
Ifyouareaccusedofacrime.Ifyouarefacingcriminalcharges,youshouldbecomeveryfamiliarwiththeinformationinthisbook,evenifyouhavealawyer.Yourcasebelongstoyou,nottoyourlawyer,andyouwillwanttobesavvyenoughaboutwhat'sgoingontointelligentlyparticipateinimportantdecisionsthatarelikelytoaffectitsoutcome.Themoreyouknow,themorelikelyitisthatyouwillreceivehighqualitylegalservices,becauseyouwillbeinapositiontoinsistthattheybeprovidedtoyou.
Defendants'familymembersandfriends.Ifsomeoneclosetoyoufacescriminalcharges,you'llwanttoknowwhatishappeningandhowyoucanbeofhelp.DoesitmatterwhetheryouarethereinthecourtroomwhenyourfriendorrelativeisarraignedWhatfactorsshouldyouconsiderifyouareaskedtopostbailorsignabailapplicationforsomeoneelseHowshouldyourespondifaskedforyouropinionbyyourfriendorrelativeonwhetherheorsheshouldpleadguiltyoraskforajurytrialWhattypesofsupportorcounselingcanyouproperlyofferafriendorrelativethroughouthisorhercriminalcaseKnowingtheanswerstotheseandmanyotherquestionswillmakeyouabetterhelper.
Crimevictims.Untilrecentyears,crimevictimswerelargelyshutoutofthecriminaljusticeprocess.Nowvictimsoftenplaymoreactiveroles,forexample,byaddressingthejudgeatthetimeadefendantissentenced.Thus,ifyouareavictim,youtoowillwanttounderstandhowtheprocessworksandwhereintheprocessyoucanexpecttohaveanimpactonhowthecaseisprosecuted.
Concernedcitizens.HaveyoueverwatchedatrialonTVandwantedtoknowwhatallthemumbo-jumboisaboutComplainedaboutthecostsassociatedwithcrimeBeencalledforjurydutyWhateverpromptsyourinterest,thecriminaljusticesystembelongstoyou.Youhavearighttoknowhowitworks.Theinformationinthisbooktellsyouwhatyouneverlearnedinhighschoolcivics.
本节常用法律术语：
1、criminaljusticesystem刑事司法系统
2、arrestvt.n逮捕
3、chargewith控告
4、crimen.犯罪,犯罪行为
5、victimn.受害人,受害者
6、counselorn.顾问,法律顾问
7、trialn审讯,审判
8、courtroomn.法庭,审判室
9、policeofficern.警官,警员
10、self-representation自己辩护，自我辩护
11、defendantn.被告
12、attorney[简明英汉词典]n.<美>律师,（业务或法律事务上的）代理人
13、judgen.法官,审判员,裁判员
14、bailn.保释,保证金,保证人
15、lawyern.律师
16、legaladj.法审,传讯,责难
18、pleadguilty服罪，认罪
19、jurytrial陪审团审判
20、prosecute起诉
2.IsThisBookaStep-by-StepGuidetoSelf-RepresentationinCriminalCases
No.Thebookisinnowayintendedasadetailedguidetoself-representation.Itis,however,intendedtoempowercriminaldefendantsbyhelpingthemunderstandeveryphaseofthecriminaljusticeprocessandwhattypesofdefensesandstrategiesareavailabletothem.
Exceptforthosewhoarechargedwithveryminoroffenses,defendantsalmostalwayswillbenefitfromtheadviceandcounselofattorneysknowledgeableaboutthelawandtheinsandoutsofthecourtwherethecasewillbeheard.Thebasicreasonswhyself-representationisusuallynotadvisableincriminalcasesinclude:
·Incriminalcases,defendantsareupagainstthepowerandresourcesofthegovernment.Individualdefendantsarenomatchforthepoliceofficersandprosecutorswhoworkinthesystemeveryday.
·Thestakesareoftenhighincriminalcases.Aconvictionmayentailastifffine,imprisonment,lossofemploymentandotherpenalties,suchasdeportation（ofanoncitizen）andthelossoftherighttovoteandpossessafirearm.
·Judges,prosecutorsandjurorsarelikelytobeprejudicedagainstself-representingdefendants.Suchdefendantsarelikelytobeseenasguilty''headcases''whoareaddingtotheirsinsbytryingtodisruptthejudicialsystem.
·Lawsandcourtpractices,theknowledgeofwhichisrequiredforasuccessfuloutcome,oftenare"hidden"inappellatecourtrulingsandunwrittenpolicieswhichcannoteasilyberesearched.
Whiletheinformationinthebookwillnodoubtassistthosedefendantswhochooseself-representation,theauthorsassumethatthosefacingcriminalchargesforwhichjailorprisonisapossibilityarerepresentedbyanattorney,eitherprivatelyretainedorappointedatgovernmentexpense.