Book excerpt: Fundamentals of Criminal Law: Caught in the Act offers an accessible, comprehensive and contemporary survey of the field. With a focus on the current state of the law and on contemporary problems that matter to students, all presented in way that piques curiosity and interest, this book will cover topics such as hate crime, free speech, human trafficking, firearms possession and use, self-defense, cybercrime, and Internet stalking. Author Daniel E. Hall has written engaging content to help students think critically about how criminal acts are defined, defended, and determined. Built around a conversational narrative, the concepts and optional case studies connect to real life. There is also a clear emphasis on cases and examples that are relevant to criminal justice majors and future practitioners, such as litigation against police and correctional officers, terrorism, the death penalty, corporal punishment in prisons, etc.