Understanding Criminal Law

by Joshua Dressler

This comprehensive and clearly written Understanding treatise is frequently cited by scholars and courts in their analysis of substantive criminal law, and has been a popular source of assistance to criminal law students for the past quarter century. Understanding Criminal Law is designed to be taught in conjunction with any casebook. The topics covered are those most often raised in criminal law casebooks, and coverage of these subjects is meant to complement professors' classroom discussions. The text focuses on the basic elements of, and defenses to, all crimes; provides in-depth coverage of such crimes as homicide, rape, and theft; and covers other important topics covered in a criminal law course, such as accomplice and inchoate liability. Understanding Criminal Law also covers theories of punishment, sources of the criminal law, and overarching principles such as legality and proportionality. The common law is emphasized with extensive comparisons to the Model Penal Code and modern statutes. This edition offers the most significant updating ever, including coverage of quickly changing legal areas, such as sexual assault and self-defense law. Recent revisions to the Model Penal Code are also covered.

Genres: Law, Nonfiction, Textbooks, Legal, School

656 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 1993

Reviews

[Valerie Sherman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this to be a helpful overview of criminal law rules.

[Drew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not sure if I've got the right edition here but whatever.

Solid read, very useful supplement to the Boyce/Dripp/Perkins casebook we were using in Criminal Law. Certainly saved me a lot of trouble, I only wish I had gotten it sooner.

Probably could stand to be a little better organized, which is a weird thing to say because it was so meticulously outlined. I didn't find the organization scheme satisfying, though.

[Caleb · Rating 4 out of 5]

The best law book I have read thus far; concepts are articulated well and illuminated by memorable examples. I would give it 5 stars, but that may be a bridge too far.

[Dylan Kochan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dressler's book is a solid reference for a criminal law course, especially for courses taught by modern criminal law professors integrating the Model Penal Code (MPC) (Personally, I am all for that). Dressler touches upon both common law rules and MPC standards, striking a nice balance in his discussions. This is sure to benefit any (lowly) law student seeking to understand the mismatch and overlap of MPC rules and common law rules within modern jurisdictions.

[Colleen]

dressie ❤️

[Nick]

Dressler really knows how to compile these legal supplements via the Understanding series. This version does not disappoint.

[Christian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Scrumptious

[Victoria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect for my criminal law exam

[Ray · Rating 3 out of 5]

Had to read this at the same time as another textbook, it wasn't horrible, it was just a textbook lol

[Michael I · Rating 4 out of 5]

elite supplement, so helpful when thinking about criminal law. Has all the interesting cases.

[Ian · Rating 5 out of 5]

(Really 4.5 stars). Effective. Every topic tracked with the topics covered in class, but Dressler effectively weaves the concepts and crimes together so I can see how they interact. It's going to save my butt tomorrow for the final exam. He also more clearly explained Tort Law than my Tort casebook ever dreamed it could.

The demerited 0.5 star comes from an organization issue. I am not sure why Dressler introduces the specific crimes of murder, rape, and theft AFTER the inchoate crimes. If I hadn't already attended a semester's worth of classes, that order would have been confusing. Reverse those chapters and it would strike me as a perfectly executed supplement on criminal law.

[Joe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Solid introduction to criminal law. This is one of the first books I read cover-to-cover when I started law school, and it was a big help in learning how to analyze legal issues. Just a couple complaints: the discussions on the Model Penal Code were exhausting, and I think the author spent a disproportionate amount of time on issues that are only of academic interest (maybe not critical to know as a lawyer).

[Daniel Morgan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the first book I ever read about the legal system, and I thought it was really easy to understand. The author goes into an enormous amount of detail about the nuances of different crimes and juridical concepts without being dry. In addition, I appreciate the tremendous amount of footnotes, citations, and cases that are cited on literally every page.

[Alice · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is awesome. If you have a clueless prof like I did, study this book and you'll be set!

[Konfou2002 · Rating 5 out of 5]

nice

[Cary S · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bit more opinionated than I would have hoped for, but a good survey on the whole!

[Courtney · Rating 5 out of 5]

This treatise saved my life.

[Sean · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is THE supplement on Criminal Law.

[Cristina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent supplement for criminal law class. Well organized and easy to digest.