...University of Phoenix Criminal Justice System Paper Desmond E. Eason CJS/200 June 24, 2012 Harold Rankin Introduction There are three core components of the criminal justice system. The three consist of the law enforcement agencies, the criminal courts, and the correctional agencies. Within the criminal justice system, these three components function cohesively under the legislation and uphold social control within society. Consequently, the system deters crime and punishes individuals who violate laws by serving them with criminal penalties and correctional efforts. However, the criminal justice process consists of a series of procedures starting with an investigation and possibly concluding with the discharge of a convicted criminal from a correctional facility. During the system’s process many determining factors and rules are at the center of the progress. Components of the Criminal Justice System Law Enforcement Agencies The first component of the criminal justice system is the law enforcement agencies. These agencies consist of multiple levels which are city, county, state, and federal levels. Their duties involve the enforcement of the legislation of each jurisdiction. When a crime is committed, it is their obligation to investigate the crime and apprehend the offender or offenders who are responsible. Reduction and prevention programs are developed and executed by these agencies in order to maintain public order and ensure community safety. Two other essential...
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...Write a 350-700-word paper in which you explain the components of the criminal justice system and the criminal justice process. Include how the structure of the government relates to the criminal justice system. Format your paper consistent with APA guidelines. Post your paper as an attachment. Criminal Justice System Paper The phrase criminal justice system refers to a collection of federal, state, and local public agencies that deal with the crime problem. These agencies process suspects, defendants, and convicted offenders and are interdependent as the decisions of one agency affect other agencies. The basic framework of the system is provided by the legislative, judicial, and executive branches of government. Criminal justice is a process, involving a series of steps beginning with a criminal investigation and ending with the release of a convicted offender from correctional supervision. “In the United States the criminal justice system are divided into three categories: federal, state, and military” (Theresa Smith, 1999-2012). There are two goals in the criminal justice system; the “first step the need to enforce the law and to maintain public order and the second step; is the need to protect individuals from injustice, especially at the hands of the criminal justice system” (Schmalleger, 2011). The criminal justice process is taking several steps taken to process a criminal case beginning with an investigation and arrest. The police do and investigation while...
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...Criminal Justice System Paper Steve Hunter CJA/204 February 6, 2011 Gary Howard Criminal Justice System Paper A crime is which one breaks the law, meaning an individual or a group partakes in an event to do something wrong and one is accused in which a crime was committed. A crime (1981-2005), according to The Free Dictionary is defined as “A violation of a law in which there is injury to the public or a member of the public and a term in jail or prison, and/or a fine as possible penalties. There is some sentiment for excluding from the "crime" category crimes without victims, such as consensual acts, or violations in which only the perpetrator is hurt or involved such as personal use of illegal drugs.” The laws are structured in such to protect Americans against harm or harm’s way in the event of various crimes and to protect one’s property, animals, people, rights, etc… against one’s violence. Laws are structured to maintain order in the United States; it would be chaotic without them. Regardless, of an individual’s relationship to one’s career or statute, when a crime is committed the law has standards and is structured in which the accused is to be punished or released. The police, courts, and corrections are three components that make up the criminal justice system. Within the criminal justice system, there is a process which takes place. “Whether part of a system or a non-system, the agencies of criminal...
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...Criminal Justice Trends Joann Harris CJA/484 September 17, 2012 Robert Metzger Criminal Justice Trends This paper is on criminal justice trends. In this paper, past, present, and future trends in law enforcement will be discussed. Also, the budgetary and managerial will also be discussed. These things are important in all areas of criminal justice. The way that the criminal justice system changes from the past to the present has had a big impact on the way the criminal justice system is. Changes that were in the past had an impact on the present as changes in the present will have an impact on the future. The changes that will be in the future will also have a big impact on the criminal justice system. With changes, no matter how big or how small always has impact to the upcoming years. When it comes to the criminal justice system, it does not matter if it is in law enforcement, (police, detectives, or any other), courts (judges or lawyers), or even corrections, they are all important. They all have a big impact on the criminal justice system and how it is ran. There are different types or jobs of law enforcement. Some of these jobs are: * Uniformed police officers * Sheriffs and deputy sheriffs * State police, also known as state troopers or highway patrol officers. * Detectives Just to name a few. They are all important to the past, present, and future of the criminal justice system. They all had important jobs in the past and they still...
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...The criminal justice system and the criminal justice process has shaped the laws of this country into what they are today from the concerns of politicians and government leaders as far back as the 1800s with crime control. (Wilt, Harman, 2012)The criminal justice system consists of three main parts Legislative create laws adjudication courts corrections jails, prisons, probation and parole. In the criminal justice system, these distinct agencies operate together both under the rule of law and as the principal means of maintaining the rule of law within society. Crime is conduct in violation of the criminal laws of a state, the federal government, or a local jurisdiction for which there is no legally acceptable justification or excuse. This can be an action or an instance of negligence that is deemed major to the public welfare or morals or to the interests of the state and that is legally established. Crime is any specific act by law for which the society has provided a formal use upon each person punishment. This can include the failure of a person to perform an act specifically required by law. Crimes relationships to the law are several of them such as, criminal laws. The criminal laws pertain to crimes and punishment; however this justifies the relationship between crime and the law. The two most common models of how the society has determined what acts are criminal by what society itself considers normal. This is defined by how society interacts within itself. This leads...
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...Criminal Justice System Paper Pablo Zausa CJA/204 September 25, 2012 Professor Brent Kagawa Criminal Justice System Paper In CJi module interactive learning, crime is defined “ a conduct in violation of the criminal laws of the state, the federal government, or a local jurisdiction, for which there is no legally acceptable justification or excuse.” There are many points of view and controversies in defining what crime is, it is complex and very difficult to agree upon. From a sociological standpoint, it suggests that the concept of crime should include many behaviors that are not defined by laws or the political process. It views crime as any antisocial act the needs to be repressed to maintain society. In psychological standpoint, it suggests that the crime is an individual’s way of expressing the inability to follow the social norms. The psychological view does not care about the traditional elements of crime, if a person cannot respond appropriately or effectively to the demands of the environment, then the individual is criminal or maladaptive. Other people define crime that any wrongdoing and action against the law of God whether as revealed in the Bible, the Koran, or the Torah which naturally recognize as against God’s will irrespectively of what the State of law say it is still a crime. My definition of a crime is any unethical behaviors, actions that a person committed against the law whether it is the State, Federal government, local jurisdictions...
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...Criminal Justice Trends Paper Dwight Blackshire September 9, 2013 CJA/484 Mr. James Herring Criminal Justice Trends Paper New philosophies to aid in the future progress of corrections are being developed as a result of past and current trends. The issues and concerns surrounding the corrections component of the criminal justice system are overcrowded prisons and their decreasing budget. If these issues and concerns are not address, they will continue to affect the effectiveness and future operations of corrections. Restorative and community justice programs are options being considered for the future of corrections as administrators, legislators, and activists debate philosophies to address these issues and concerns resulting from past and current trends. In the past, the national political climate favored the “get tough” approach against crime. It was believed that treatment programs could not reduce recidivism. Furthermore, it was also believed to keep the national crime rate low and protect the public, offenders of crime must be punished to deter crime. As a result, reforms such as truth-in-sentencing and three-strike legislation were implemented into the law. These...
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...Criminal Justice Models Paper Matthew Harper CJS/220 Harvey Smith June 3, 3012 Criminal Justice Models Paper There are three different models used to describe the Criminal Justice Process. Those three different models are the wedding cake, funnel, and net models. (Meyer & Grant, 2003) Each model shows the three components of the criminal justice system which are police, courts, and corrections. They do not technically go into detail of the three components, but show about how many cases are serious crimes to the ones that are small misdemeanors and that shows the effects of the police, courts, and corrections and how they are involved. The wedding cake is a very basic model and is actually pretty accurate as well. It is layered into four different sections, and it is ironic how the top layer is smaller just as the cases that fit into that category are small in numbers compared to the one on the bottom layer which is the biggest. The top layer is considered the celebrated cases. The cases that would fit into this category or “layer of cake” would be the ones that make the media on a large scale and everyone around the nation hears about it and usually gets involved by letting everyone know their opinion on the case. The next layer which is a little smaller is labeled serious felonies. There are more of these cases than there are the celebrated cases, but there still aren’t just outrageous numbers of these either. Serious felonies do not get are the ones that do not...
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...Criminal Justice System Paper According to the dictionary, Crime is “An action or an instance of negligence that is deemed injurious to the public welfare or morals or to the interests of the state and that is legally prohibited. (Lexico Publishing, 2012) ”. Any act that is considered to be unlawful and where society has agreed upon a just punishment for such actions when these acts have been performed is considered to be a crime. These crimes may be violent crimes, white collar crimes, motor vehicle violations, even jay- walking or littering. One of the most common models of how society determines which acts are criminal is the crime-control model, which is a perception that stresses the efficient arrest and conviction of criminal offenders. In the late 1960’s, this model was first brought to the attention of the academic community in Stanford University law professor Herbert Packer’s incisive presentation of the state of criminal justice. This model is sometimes referred to as Packer’s crime-control model. The other most common model of how society determines which acts are criminal is the due process model which is a criminal justice perspective the stresses individual rights at all stages of justice system processing. This process is intended to make sure that innocent people are not convicted of crimes. This is an essential part of the justice system in America. Facts are individually and carefully considered for each case to be determined. The police are required...
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...Criminal Justice Systems Paper Tarin Wales Axia College of the University of Phoenix There are five stages of our criminal justice system; they are investigation and arrest, pretrial activities, trial, sentencing, and corrections. Each of these five stages has various steps and processes to them in order to ensure that each person’s right to due process is met. While each person has a right to be protected from crime, each person also has a right to be considered innocent until proven guilty in the court of law. The criminal justice system is set up in order to make sure the rights of individual are being met and respected. In the first stage, Investigation and arrest, there are two main things that occur which is warrant and booking. During this time, the police and/or detectives will gather evidence and try to reconstruct the events that occurred. The warrant is issued by a judicial officer to protect the police officer who performs a search from damages. Booking is more of an administrative process that shows who was arrested, the place and time of the arrest, the reason for arrest, and the arresting authority. During the pretrial activities there are four things that happen, the accused make a first appearance. This first appearance is when the judge will review the charges and advise the accused of their rights, and set bail if asked. Then there is the preliminary hearing. This is when it will be established that there either is or is not enough...
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...Introduction The criminal justice system in the United States is multifaceted and is best understood when dissected into individual parts. There are the components of the criminal justice system, classifications for crime, due process, types of punishment and the process of the criminal justice system, all of which only scratch the surface. When studying and working in the criminal justice field it is important to remember that without each part of this system many of the freedoms and rights citizens take for granted every day could not be enforced. Even more important to remember, as annoying as it is sometimes, no law is too infinitesimal to be enforced because without even the smallest law, the society so many Americans love and cherish would not function. Components of the Criminal Justice System Though the criminal justice is complex, when broken down into its individual components is easily dissected and explained. The major components of the criminal justice system are the police, the criminal courts and corrections (Schmalleger, 2008). These components work together to provide safety for the community as well as punishment and rehabilitation for criminal offenders (Schmalleger, 2008). The first component of the criminal justice system is the police. The police enforce the law, investigate crimes, apprehend criminals, reduce and prevent crime, maintain public order, ensure community safety, provide emergency community services and protect the basic rights and freedoms...
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... Reflection Paper Law Enforcement: Modern law enforcement is based on established guidelines to maintain trust and peace. Our early history was marred with civil unrest and growing crime. In 1965 President Johnson “officially launched the establishment of the President’s Commission of Law Enforcement and Administration of Justice” (Hendrix, 2013, p. 7). Much of the law enforcement practices we use today are “closely modeled after British counterparts” (p. 116). As stated in our “Biblical Principles of Criminal Justice” article, “the more self governing we are … the more freedoms we will possess” (Fisher, 2015, slide 20). There have been many enhancements made to our modern law enforcement, such as the use of DNA, fingerprints and scientific technology. The Courts: 1 Corinthians 6:1states, “If any of you has a dispute with another, do you dare to take it before the ungodly for judgment instead of before the Lord’s people?” (NIV). Originally courts were the established location to gather the most up to date information on events in the local communities. Additionally, the court “served as a meeting place for religious services, dances … as well as fulfilling its primary function as a place for the dispensation of justice” (Hendrix, 2013, p.199). As the towns grew larger, the role of the courts became more specialized to meet the needs of justice. This separation has not always produced...
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...Criminal Justice Trends Joann Harris CJA/484 September 17, 2012 Robert Metzger Criminal Justice Trends This paper is on criminal justice trends. In this paper, past, present, and future trends in law enforcement will be discussed. Also, the budgetary and managerial will also be discussed. These things are important in all areas of criminal justice. The way that the criminal justice system changes from the past to the present has had a big impact on the way the criminal justice system is. Changes that were in the past had an impact on the present as changes in the present will have an impact on the future. The changes that will be in the future will also have a big impact on the criminal justice system. With changes, no matter how big or how small always has impact to the upcoming years. When it comes to the criminal justice system, it does not matter if it is in law enforcement, (police, detectives, or any other), courts (judges or lawyers), or even corrections, they are all important. They all have a big impact on the criminal justice system and how it is ran. There are different types or jobs of law enforcement. Some of these jobs are: * Uniformed police officers * Sheriffs and deputy sheriffs * State police, also known as state troopers or highway patrol officers. * Detectives Just to name a few. They are all important to the past, present, and future of the criminal justice system. They all had important jobs in the past and they still...
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...Criminal Justice System Paper Patrick Revoir 2/9/2014 CJS/200 As crimes are being reported throughout America, when someone decides to disobey the law, they are burdened to suffer their fate whether it be time behind bars or probation. A crime can be defined as an action or omission that constitutes an offense that may be prosecuted by the state and is punishable by law. As more crimes are being reported, one must rely on the criminal justice system in order for justice and restore peace among the community. Our criminal justice system today is divided by a state basis, in which every state is divided by five components. Most states handle adult and juvenile crimes in various ways depending on the crime. Law enforcement, the Court, Corrections, Prosecution, and Defense Attorneys help make our criminal justice system how it is today. First, the law enforcement is made up of thousands of men and women officers and detectives to help protect the citizens of the United States. These officers help manage by taking reports of crime that occur in their jurisdiction. Law enforcement officers manage protecting any evidence at the crime and help investigate what crime was occurred. They have the authority to arrest any criminals, provide testimony during court, and if necessary conduct a follow-up investigation. Second, the court system is made up of judges, juries, prosecution, and defense lawyers to make sure the criminal gets a fair trial and is not violated by any of their...
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...I work in the criminal justice system and every decision requested needs balancing concern. Our concern is prosecuting the guilty and respecting the right of the accused protecting the victims and creating a safe community. I work with my partner where we handle the majority of homicide cases in our town. A woman who was walking alone in the city was brutally raped, beaten and left for dead. After the attack the women was in coma. In that part of the city a young gang had been terrorizing people committing different types of crimes. Early that evening, a young man was seen in the area assaulting and threatening others, who were passing by where the attack took place. The respondent officials picked up two young men 14 years old near the location of the crime after they fled the scene and they were held for questioning by the police. My partner and I have been assigned to this case. We already apprehended the two male 14 year olds. They have previous criminal records for robbery and assault and are members of a gang. The law states that minors must be informed of their legal rights to have their parents present during the interview and the proper use of videotape during the interviews. In spite of this, my partner decides to push aside his ethical obligation and precede the interview alone with them without following the correct procedure. Our responsibility as law enforcement is to follow the guiding principle and moral standards of our police department and do what is right...
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