Contemporary Criminal Law: Concepts, Cases, and Controversies

Now in its sixth edition, Contemporary Criminal Law by Matthew Lippman remains the benchmark text for undergraduate criminal law courses. Rather than presenting doctrine as settled and inert, Lippman designs each chapter to draw students into active legal reasoning, challenging them to wrestle with the same ambiguities and tensions that practitioners confront in real courtrooms. The text addresses the full range of criminal law with both precision and depth, covering established principles alongside emerging issues including constitutional rights, consent, arson, identity theft, and hate crimes. Offenses and defenses are explained in language that is rigorous yet genuinely accessible, and carefully chosen cases ensure that abstract doctrine stays grounded in human reality. Discussion questions push students past surface-level understanding toward genuine critical engagement. Each chapter is structured around a consistent pedagogical framework, cases, case notes, Model Penal Code references, and discussion boxes, giving students clear footholds through complex material while encouraging the kind of analytical thinking the law demands. A comprehensive teaching and learning package accompanies the text, supporting both instructors building their syllabi and students preparing for careers in law, criminal justice, or public policy.