The Prisoner at the Bar: Sidelights on the Administration of Criminal Justice

"The Prisoner at the Bar: Sidelights on the Administration of Criminal Justice" by Arthur Train is a detailed look into the criminal justice system of the early 1900s. It uncovers the steps from when someone is arrested all the way through their trial, while also shining a light on what the police, lawyers, and those accused experience. The book starts by explaining the tricky idea of crime itself, pointing out how the media can sometimes twist the truth. Train argues that many people's ideas about crime are too simple and often wrong. He then goes on to define what a crime actually is, and how complicated legal words can be, showing there's more than one type of crime, all with consequences. Overall, he gives a full picture of how people end up being labeled criminals and what that label means for society.