In this text, Cole follows the teaching approach that criminal justice is an interdisciplinary social science, involving aspects of criminology, sociology, law and political science. Cole's Eagle has an outstanding reputation for providing the most solid overview of criminal justice from this four corners teaching perspective. Cole is effective at displaying how politics and policy fit into the criminal justice system. Material is presented in a way to encourage students to think critically about aspects of crime and justice and to understand that, whether or not they are employed by the criminal justice system, they have a role in how it works.