In Punctuations Michael J. Shapiro examines how punctuation—conceived not as a series of marks but as a metaphor for the ways in which artists engage with intelligibility—opens pathways for thinking through the possibilities for oppositional politics. Drawing on Theodor Adorno, Alain Robbe-Grillet, and Roland Barthes, Shapiro demonstrates how punctuation's capacity to create unexpected rhythmic pacing makes it an ideal tool for writers, musicians, filmmakers, and artists to challenge structures of power. In works ranging from film scores and jazz compositions to literature, architecture, and photography, Shapiro shows how the use of punctuation reveals the contestability of dominant narratives in ways that prompt readers, viewers, and listeners to reflect on their acceptance of those narratives. Such uses of punctuation, he theorizes, offer models for disrupting structures of authority, thereby fostering the creation of alternative communities of sense from which to base political mobilization.

William Bernhardt' s bestselling novels featuring Oklahoma defense attorney Ben Kincaid capture the bare-knuckles reality of high-stakes criminal defense, as lofty ideals of justice clash with power, corruption, and wealth. In Capitol Murder, Bernhardt' s hard-charging hero takes on his most shocking, headline-making case yet. Kincaid' s legal success has earned him a dubious reward: a journey through the looking glass into the Beltway. Here, in the heart of the nation' s capital, a powerful U.S. senator has been caught first in a sordid sex scandal, then in a case of murder. Senate aide Veronica Cooper was found in a secret Senate office beneath the Capitol building, on Senator Todd Glancy' s favorite couch, blood pouring from the knife wound in her throat. The young woman' s death comes on the heels of the release of a sordid videotape depicting her and Senator Glancy in compromising positions. With the senator' s reputation in tatters, the evidence against him- as a sexual predator and possibly a killer- mounts. By the time a nationally televised murder trial begins, Kincaid and his team know they' re facing the challenge of a lifetime. According to public opinion, and even in Kincaid' s most private thoughts, Glancy is one more politician who cannot admit his own culpability. But while a dramatic trial unfolds in the courtroom- loaded with pitfalls, traps, and an astounding betrayal- another trial is taking place on the mean streets of D.C., as Kincaid' s investigator pursues a young woman who was a friend of Veronica Cooper' s, plunging Kincaid into a bizarre world of Goths, sadomasochists, and a community of self-proclaimed vampires. Somewhere in this violent underworld lies the secret behind Veronica Cooper' s demise . . . and the crux of Senator Glancy' s innocence or guilt. In a case that pits Kincaid and his freewheeling partner Christina McCall against the brutal machinery of Washington politics, the answers they seek are hidden in a murderous maze of lies and hidden motives.

Why do so many people voluntarily consent to searches by have the police search their person or vehicle when they know that they are carrying contraband or evidence of illegal activity? Does everyone understand the Miranda warning? How well can people recognize a voice on tape? Can linguistic experts identify who wrote an anonymous threatening letter? Speaking of Crime answers these questions and examines the complex role of language within our criminal justice system. Lawrence M. Solan and Peter M. Tiersma compile numerous cases, ranging from the Lindbergh kidnapping to the impeachment trial of Bill Clinton to the JonBenét Ramsey case, that provide real-life examples of how language functions in arrests, investigations, interrogations, confessions, and trials. In a clear and accessible style, Solan and Tiersma show how recent advances in the study of language can aid in understanding how legal problems arise and how they might be solved. With compelling discussions current issues and controversies, this book is a provocative state-of-the-art survey that will be of enormous value to legal scholars and professionals throughout the criminal justice system.

The SAGE Guide to Writing in Criminal Justice Research Methods equips students with transferable writing skills that can be applied across the field of criminal justice—both academically and professionally. Authors Jennifer M. Allen and Steven Hougland interweave professional and applied writing, academic writing, and information literacy, with the result being a stronger, more confident writer, researcher, and student in criminal justice. Focused on teaching students how to write in the academic setting while introducing them to a number of other writing tools specific to research methods, such as writing literature reviews, abstracts, proposals, and more. The perfect companion for any criminal justice research methods course, this brief text focuses on key topics that will benefit students in their classes and in the field.