This book examines the criminal justice decisions of the Rehnquist Court era through analyses of individual justices' contributions to the development of law and policy. The Rehnquist Court era (1986-2005) produced a period of opportunity for the U.S. Supreme Court's judicial conservatives to reshape constitutional law concerning rights in the criminal justice process. It was an era in which the Court produced many hotly-debated decisions concerning such issues as capital punishment, search and seizure, police interrogations, and prisoners' rights. The Court's most conservative justice, William H. Rehnquist, ascended to the key leadership position of Chief Justice and he was joined on the Court by two new appointees, Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas, who were equally supportive of both greater authority for police and limited definitions of constitutional rights for suspects, defendants, and criminal offenders. The Rehnquist Court era decisions refined and narrowed many of the rights-expanding decisions of the Warren Court era (1953-1969). However, the Supreme Court did not ultimately eliminate the Warren era's foundational rights concepts in criminal justice, such as the exclusionary rule and Miranda warnings. As the leading liberal voices of the Warren era, William Brennan and Thurgood Marshall, retired early in the Rehnquist era, the Court experienced continued advocacy of broad conceptions for many rights through the increased assertiveness of Republican appointees Harry Blackmun, John Paul Stevens, and David Souter as well as the arrival of new Democratic appointees Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Stephen Breyer. In many important cases, the justices advocating the preservation of constitutional protections could prevail, even on a generally conservative Court, by persuading one or more of President Ronald Reagan's appointees to support a particular right for suspects and defendants. Sandra Day O'Connor and Anthony Kennedy, in particular, shaped outcomes within a divided Court as they determined which of the Courts wings with which they would align in a particular case. The contributors to this volume identify and highlight the unique perspectives and influential decisions of individual justices as the means for understanding the Rehnquist Courts imprint on criminal justice.

Christopher E. Smith is professor of Criminal Justice at Michigan State University.Christina DeJong is associate professor of Criminal Justice at Michigan State University.Michael A. McCall is associate professor of Sociology at San Diego State University.

1 Preface2 1. Introduction: The Rehnquist Court3 2. William Brennan and Thurgood Marshall: The Mediator& the Absolutist4 3. Byron White: The Overlooked, Moderate Swing Voter5 4. Harry A. Blackmun: Counterweight to a Conservative Court6 5. William H. Rehnquist: Leadership& Influence from the Conservative Wing7 6. John Paul Stevens: A Liberal Leader& His Roles on the Court8 7. Sandra Day O'Connor: Influence from the Middle of the Court9 8. Antonin Scalia: Outspoken& Influential Originalist10 9. Anthony Kennedy: Conservatism& Independence11 10. David H. Souter: Unexpected Independent12 11. Clarence Thomas: Consistent, Conservative,& Contrarian13 12. Ruth Bader Ginsburg: Careful Defender of Individual Rights14 13. Stephen G. Breyer: Judicial Modesty& Pragmatic Solutions15 Case Index16 Subject Index17 About the Contributors