Description
Book SynopsisThe book shows, through volumes of quantitative data and the voices of judges, prosecutors and defence lawyers, how the party-state continues to influence and control both the process and outcome of criminal trials through an elaborate system of audit and sanction, the result of which is a system of aggregate rather than individual justice.
Trade Review[T]his is an outstanding piece of scholarship. . . This remarkable book is a great contribution to our understanding of this tension and how it plays out in the criminal process in China. --Susan Trevaskes, The China Journal
In conclusion, I have little doubt that the book will be warmly received not only by students, practitioners, and academics specializing in Chinese law, especially in criminal justice and sociology of law, but also by those interested in comparative law and general China studies. --Jianfu Chen, Asian Journal of Criminology
This book is an extensive survey and appraisal of Chinese criminal justice by Mike McConville and five colleagues. It should interest not only specialists in Chinese law but any reader seeking insights into China's political culture. It is distinguished by the depth of its empirical approach, displayed notably by extracts from interviews. Its publication is timely. --Stanley Lubman, The China Quarterly
Table of ContentsContents: 1. Introduction 2. Sources of Police Cases 3. Police Powers in Relation to Detention and Arrest 4. The Construction of the Police Case 5. Pre-Trial Preparation of Prosecutors 6. Pre-Trial Involvement of Judges 7. The Construction of the Defence Case 8. Trial Procedure, Rules, Setting and Personnel 9. The Trial: Case File Analysis 10. The Prosecution Observed 11. The Defence at Trial Observed (1) 12. The Defence at Trial Observed (2) 13. Trial Outcomes Observed 14. The Process and the System 15. Conclusion Appendices Bibliography Index