How does the general overview of court structure in the United States (Figure 1.2) apply to your local community? Are there any aspects of the court structure that do not apply in your area, or that you share with another area? (An example would be one court district that covers more than one county).

How does the general overview of court structure in the United States (Figure 1.2) apply to your local community? Are there any aspects of the court structure that do not apply in your area, or that you share with another area? (An example would be one court district that covers more than one county).
Apply the list of actors in the courthouse (Table 1.2) to your local community. If you live in a rural area, how does your list differ from that of someone who lives in a larger community? If you live in a large metropolitan area, how does your list differ from that of someone living in a more rural area?
Nearly all non–English-speaking industrial democracies use the inquisitorial system rather than the adversary system. In this system, the judge, not the prosecutor and not the defense attorney, calls witnesses and questions them. Would you prefer being tried under the adversary system or the inquisitorial system? Would you have confidence in the willingness of the judge to search out equally evidence for conviction and evidence for acquittal?
Use newspapers, radio, and criminal justice discussion lists or chat groups to monitor discussions concerning the criminal justice system. Do citizens make distinctions among police, courts, and corrections, or do they lump everything under the general rubric of the criminal justice system?
Chapter 2
To what extent are contemporary debates over the role of the federal government similar to, but also different from, the debates in the late 18th century?
How would the criminal justice system be different today if the founding fathers had decided not to create a separate system of federal courts and instead allowed federal laws to be enforced in state courts?
How would you reduce the federal court caseload? In considering where you would reduce federal court jurisdiction, also consider where you might increase it. What do your choices reflect about your political values?
Federal law enforcement is limited in scope but subject to considerable public attention. Why?

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