This book provides an overview of the various entities within the state that make up what is commonly called "the criminal justice system." This text will serve as a guide for those individuals interested in the various components that make up the Missouri criminal and juvenile justice systems. It addresses various issues and reviews numerous processes and procedures involved in the Missouri justice system. The discussions in this book include information about every step of the justice process: crime in Missouri; police and law enforcement in Missouri; the courts of Missouri; the process of defense and prosecution in Missouri; the emergence of problem-solving courts in Missouri; corrections in Missouri— both community-based and institutional; reentry back into the community; restorative justice models in Missouri; and the juvenile justice systems of Missouri—both the local juvenile courts and the state system of juvenile corrections, the Missouri Division of Youth Services.

Missouri has many programs that are considered model programs in the nation, and their descriptions are proudly presented in this book. Overall, this book provides, in detail, all aspects of the Missouri criminal justice system and is a valuable resource for anyone interested in learning how one state's system of criminal justice works.