How does Criminal (In)Justice approach injustice while remaining accessible and inclusive?

Sage author Aaron Fichtelberg wanted Criminal (In)Justice, 2nd Edition, (2022) to be as accessible as possible for all students and instructors — even for those who might disagree with his approach. Not only was the language and material changed to be more inclusive, but he also used a tone that was conversational (not preachy or condescending) yet critical. 

“In writing it, I was trying to achieve something both very specific and, I believe, unique in the world of criminal justice textbooks,” he wrote. “I wanted to provide a critical take on criminal justice, one that didn’t treat deeply troubling aspects of the American criminal justice system as though they were accidental to the overall functioning of the system. Protecting an unequal social order is an essential function of American criminal justice at every level, and I wanted this book to reflect that reality.”  

“ If he were a young undergraduate pursuing a career in law enforcement, this book would have broadened his perspective and made him more aware of some of the systemic problems in the criminal justice system. ”

“On the other hand, this book is intended as an introductory textbook and is meant to serve as a gateway to understanding a very complex set of interlocking institutions. Toward this end, a lot of this book discusses criminal justice in a more traditional fashion.” 
 
“In my experience, some of my best students are often those who are my ideological opposites. Once they understand that they will be treated with respect by their professor, I find that they open up and are far more willing to consider other views in the long run. This book was written with this in mind, raising questions and issues for the student to think through rather than forcing a perspective on them.” 

Since publishing the book, Aaron has been very gratified to talk with professors at all kinds of schools, including those with more traditional “cop shop” criminal justice programs, who have enjoyed the book and found value in a more critical approach. One of those more traditional professors told him that even though he didn’t always agree with Aaron’s approach, the professor felt as though if he were a young undergraduate pursuing a career in law enforcement, this book would have broadened his perspective and made him more aware of some of the systemic problems in the criminal justice system.