Selected cases and materials are likely to evoke the interest of students. The book contains factual situations that are likely to spark emotional responses--and students must then filter through the requirements of the law and its underlying rationales. Authors have given preference to recent cases and have taken account of the development of new crimes such as identity theft, carjacking, and home invasion. The new edition includes relevant significant discussions of substantive criminal law issues by the U.S. Supreme Court. Selected material reflects the criminal law's impact on women, as reflected in the "battered person" aspect of self-defense and contents of the crime of rape or sexual assault.