It's frequently said that, if people saw how sausage is made, they wouldn't eat it.

Randy Schaffer's memoir, Tales as Old as Crime, posits that, if people knew how criminal cases are made, they wouldn't trust the system.

Criminal defense lawyers must resolve their clients' problems in the most hostile work environment imaginable, contending with a fair share of police officers who will say and do anything to make a case, prosecutors who hide evidence, and witnesses who lie.

Moreover, many defense lawyers don't represent their clients effectively, and there are judges who issue rulings intended to help the prosecution obtain or keep a conviction. Nonetheless, there are occasional moments of joy and humor sprinkled in with all these shortcomings.

The author exposes both the dark side of the criminal courthouse and the gratifying moments that enable defense lawyers to get through the day - and continue to fight for clients. These are the backstories that the criminal injustice system wants to hide.