This book offers critical analysis for jury instructions in the United States. Supported by court decisions, careful interpretation of the United States Constitution, and jurist's arguments, Hisham M. Ramadan thoroughly examines the mental elements in crime, the burden of proof in criminal trials, and the doctrine of reasonableness.

This handbook is based on a study, funded by the National Institute of Justice and the National Institute of Mental Health, which showed showing the inadequate average comprehension rate of jurors in criminal trials. The work presents a method of testing the comprehensibility of presently used jury instructions.