This four part guide provides secondary students with information about Maryland laws, courts, and legal system. The first section examines the nature and causes of increasing involvement of youth in crime, and identifies those crimes most commonly committed by juveniles. A special section on shoplifting is included. Section II examines the nature of the police force, procedures followed by the police and the constitutional limits of police power. Students are directed to analyze television crime drama, answer a self-rated quiz, "Would You Make a Good Police Officer?" and conduct fingerprint tests. In section III students are asked to compare juvenile court with adult court and consider the effectiveness of the juvenile system. In one activity students role play police officers and decide appropriate action for hypothetical juvenile cases. In section IV the types, purposes and impact of correctional facilities upon youth and the family are analyzed. All sections stress the gathering and interpretation of information and statistical data. Suggestions for field trips, resource speakers, simulations, films and books are included. Student resource sheets and pre- and posttests are provided. (KC)