Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #705350 in Books
• Published on: 2001-12-19
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 944 pages

Synopsis
By following the format of a textbook, but also giving the reader extracts from important original materials (both cases and academic articles), Clarkson and Keating is designed to fulfil the roles of both textbook and source book. The text's approach to the study of criminal law is to explain and evaluate the main principles and rules by reference to the objectives of the law. It seeks to provide a social context to the law rather than a mere analysis of the rules. This edition has been updated to include extracts and analysis of leading decisions such as Woollin, Hinks, B v DPP and Smith (Morgan) as well as an evaluation of reform proposals such as those relating to sentencing and sexual offences.

Customer Reviews

Difficult, but Essential
Criminal law, whilst interesting, is not always easy. It is a subject which is closely linked to human psychology and philosophy, as such the legal undercurrents are often much deeper than in, say, the law of contracts.

When I first read 'Criminal Law' by Clarkson and Keating, it was the first time I was reading a real textbook of law. As such, I was rather taken aback at the difficulty of the text. The book used terms that were foreign to me and, rather than spell out the answer to legal questions, it would give extracts from cases - leaving the student to figure it out. It was thus not long until I switched to another textbook.

However, as my studies progressed and I grew more accustomed to reading cases and to the legal jargon, I returned to 'Criminal Law' by Clarkson and Keating to find that it was not nearly as difficult as it had been a few months before. In fact, I found it to be one of the best criminal law textbooks (and by that time I was using three other textbooks). It was the only textbook that managed to explain the philosophical and political undercurrents in an understandable and concise manner and it was the only textbook that gave the entire answer to questions and only the relevant extracts from cases.

Compared to the other textbooks on criminal law, this one has a lot more to read (where a chapter on a subject would be 20 pages long in one textbook, the same subject would take up 50 pages in Clarkson and Keating's textbook) but it will give the student a complete answer and all the tools to answer both essay as well as problem questions.

In conclusion, I would advise students new to criminal law to buy the book alongside another textbook, and to switch to Clarkson and Keating as soon as they feel comfortable with the legal vocabulary and the cases.

Perfect textbook
One of the best law textbooks I used on my law degree - a perfect combination of text, commentary and case material, attractively presented.

informative
book was very useful and informative. having the texts separate was a disntinct advantage. lots of information but easy to handle