Examining different types of criminal justice systems and the legal models that shape them, this text uses specific examples to highlight five basic legal foundation models: continental, common law, Islamic, Marxist, and mixed. The book explains how these legal models dictate the roles of the police, courts, and corrections systems in various countries, how the roles differ from place to place, and how these differences are justified under respective national philosophies. Each chapter features a case study, includes tables delineating the action and rationalization of each system under each topic, and concludes with a summary and discussion questions.