Hundreds of the most ridiculous rules lawmakers have ever put into writing, drawn from actual city, state, and federal statute books. Find what has been forbidden about keeping pets (cats require tail lights in Sterling, Colorado), fishing and hunting, marriage, going to school, and much more. 128 pages, 75 b/w illus., 5 3/8 x 8 1/4.

Presents a collection of silly laws, ridiculous court decisions, and strange government statutes that in many cases are still on the books.

In this “excellent book for people who like to start sentences with ‘Did you know that…’” (The New York Times), discover the most bizarre ways you might become a federal criminal in America—from mailing a mongoose to selling Swiss cheese without enough holes—written and illustrated by the creator of the wildly popular @CrimeADay Twitter account. Have you ever clogged a toilet in a national forest? That could get you six months in federal prison. Written a letter to a pirate? You might be looking at three years in the slammer. Leaving the country with too many nickels, drinking a beer on a bicycle in a national park, or importing a pregnant polar bear are all very real crimes, and this riotously funny, ridiculously entertaining, and fully illustrated book shows how just about anyone can become—or may already be—a federal criminal. Whether you’re a criminal defense lawyer or just a self-taught expert in outrageous offenses, How to Become a Federal Criminal is “an entertaining and humorous look at our criminal justice system” (Forbes).

You're probably breaking the law right now-and don't even know it. Did you know... ? Naples, Italy, enforces laws for what constitutes real pizza, and "pizza police" visit restaurants to crack down on unlawful pies? ? In West Virginia it is a crime to display or possess a red or black flag? ? It is illegal to sell stuffed articles depicting female breasts within a thousand feet of any county highway in California? ? Spherical fishbowls have been banned in Rome since 2004? There are hundreds of bizarre laws that we could be breaking at any moment. What exactly are we doing that we shouldn't be doing, and what happens if we get caught? In this engaging and insightful collection, Nathan Belofsky takes us on a journey of eclectic, unexpected, and bizarre laws from around the world. Written by a practicing lawyer with an eye for his profession's most unusual quirks, The Book of Strange and Curious Legal Oddities offers a delightful look at the legal system's peculiarities through the ages. From laws that crack down on how we eat, look, and have sex, to real legal battles involving litigious chimpanzees, you'll start wondering whether you're really the law-abiding citizen you claim to be.

It is against the law in Brooklyn, New York, for donkeys to sleep in bathtubs. In Idaho you are not allowed to fish while sitting on a giraffe. In California you must not keep slugs as pets. Yes, it’s the law—says so right on the state or city books. Some of the most ludicrous laws in the history of our country come to light in this funny and fascinating book for young citizens . . . citizens who have a special appreciation for the tyranny of silly rules.

British Columbians are well known for being a laid-back population, but you'd better mind your Ps and Qs, or you might be headed to jail. Read about these strange and wacky laws and more in Weird British Columbia Laws: * From 1947 to 1986, it was illegal to sell stoves on a Wednesday in Vancouver * Kelowna once permitted nude bathing in any public waters, but only between 9:00 pm and 6:00 am * In Port Coquitlam, it is against the law to own more than four pet rats or to allow your cattle to roam the streets * One of Esquimalt's first bylaws prohibited the throwing of snowballs within city limits * From 1916 until 1977, you couldn't buy any booze on Election Day in British Columbia * An Oak Bay bylaw requires its residents to keep their noisy parrots quiet * And so much more.

How strange it is! Kids will go crazy over every wacky, sometimes icky, always entertaining fact in this brand-new Little Giant compilation. The topics range from food to customs, animals to history, nature to sports. For example, in Marostica, Italy, an immense chess board is built into the public square: the pawns and all the pieces are human beings, and the knights sit on real horses! Or how about this: Maine actually has a law that prohibits anyone from stepping out of a plane while it's in the air. From weird worms that stop island natives in their tracks to 4000 year old bathrooms with modern drainage systems, each tidbit of information is truly a treat.

Contains hundreds of interesting trivia questions and answers on a variety of subjects.

America’s criminal codes are so voluminous that they now bewilder not only the average citizen but also the average lawyer. Our courthouses are so clogged that there is no longer adequate time for trials. And our penitentiaries are overflowing with prisoners. In fact, America now has the highest per capita prison population in the world. This situation has many people wondering whether the American criminal justice system has become dysfunctional. A generation ago Harvard Law Professor Henry Hart Jr. published his classic article, “The Aims of the Criminal Law,” which set forth certain fundamental principles concerning criminal justice. In this book, leading scholars, lawyers, and judges critically examine Hart’s ideas, current legal trends, and whether the “first principles” of American criminal law are falling by the wayside. Policymakers, academics, and citizens alike will enjoy this lively discussion on the nature of crime and punishment, and how the choices we make in formulating criminal laws can impact liberty, security, and justice.

This book explores twenty-five facts about crime and criminal justice that the author has learned in his quarter century of working in the fields of criminology and criminal justice. The book lays out each fact, one at a time, and then presents research in support of that fact. The facts pertain to issues of crime, justice, policing, courts, corrections, the drug war, and the death penalty. Though the book is scholarly in nature, it is written for the layperson and novice student. Using humor where appropriate, but also utilizing a “tell it like it is” approach, the book will captivate readers and keep their attention throughout. This book will be occasionally funny, as well as consistently interesting, timely, and engaging.