...Crime Evaluation In the United State the criminal justice system is comprised of agencies. The justice system is established to protect people and to impose penalties on those who violate laws. There are several different agencies within the criminal system in the United States. Agencies are similar but different, because each county, state and federal or military installation has their own jurisdiction. Each jurisdiction has different levels of managing criminal justice processes. Military has their own jurisdiction but depending on the crime they are still part of the two main systems: State criminal justice systems handle crimes committed within their state boundaries and Federal criminal justice system handles crimes committed on federal property or in more than one state. In the criminal justice system there are five components law enforcement officers, prosecution, defense attorneys, courts, and corrections. Each of the five components plays a key role in the criminal justice process. Far more importance is how victimization affects the roles of the prosecutor, defense attorney, criminal and victim. Prosecutor is to prosecute criminal within their jurisdiction. They are the administrator of justice, an advocate, and an officer of the court who representing the people in a trial. Prosecutor works with their local law enforcement agencies to prosecute criminals and to provide legal advice on functions and duties in a criminal matter. If there is any conflict of interest...
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...Is the U.S. Criminal Justice System a true system? William H. Watson IV University of Maryland University College Is the U.S. Criminal Justice System a true system? The criminal justice system in the United States (U.S.) is not a true system; or at least not a true functioning system. A true system is a fine tuned process, where all participants involved work towards a common goal. Every transition in a true system, is a smooth change, where no participants in the system will do anything to jeopardize the proper functionality of the next process in that system. This is not the case of the U.S. criminal justice system. The U.S. criminal justice system is comprised of numerous individuals, groups, organizations, and agencies funded by both government and non-government sources. Because, the U.S. criminal justice system is funded from different entities, there are several different agendas being carried out. There are three major components to the administration of the U.S. criminal justice system: the police, the courts, and corrections. In a perfect criminal justice system the police would arrest violators of the law, the courts would prosecute all law violators, and corrections would punish and rehabilitate violators, to integrate them back into society. While this is the formula the U.S. criminal justice system governs itself by, reality shows us that this quite often this is not the case. Only ten percent of court cases ever go to trial, with almost...
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...Paper Victims and Crime Evaluation Paper This paper will describe roles and functions of individuals in the criminal justice system and how victimization affects each role. The roles that will be discussed are prosecutor, defense attorney, criminal, and the victim. Then discuss the goals of sentencing associated with each role and alternative sanctions. Finally, identify any recommendations that regarding victims’ rights. The criminal justice system protects individuals and their property from harm. It allows governments to collect taxes and provides a peaceful way for individuals and institutions to resolve conflicts. The criminal justice system also punishes offenders and attempts to rehabilitate them. A prosecutor is responsible for representing legal actions in criminal proceedings. The prosecutor works for the state and the local community regarding complaints against criminal defendants. The prosecutor must convince the jury that the evidence being presented is enough to find the defendant guilty of the crimes he or she has committed. Prosecutors are searching to give the guilty a ruthless sentence that they try to find the defendant guilty after the evidence is presented to the courts and are able to drop or reduce charges during the case (Prosecutor, 2012). A defense attorney is an attorney that the defendant can hire to represent them in a criminal preceding or a lawsuit. They represent the defendant in his or her interest. What defense attorney’s do first is...
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...Introduction to Criminal Justice 100-105 Case Study Research Paper DRUG DISTRIBUTION March 09 2014 Introduction In today’s world many people are convicted for lots of different crimes and face the consequences for those crimes. For example, Unless a longer term of imprisonment or death is the prescribed penalty and notwithstanding any provision that establishes a shorter term of imprisonment, a person who has been convicted of committing or attempting or conspiring to commit any violent or aggravated felony and who has previously been convicted on separate occasions of two or more violent or aggravated felonies not committed on the same occasion shall be sentenced to imprisonment for life and is not eligible for suspension of sentence, probation, pardon or release on any basis except that the person may be eligible for commutation after the person has served at least thirty-five years. Also a person convicted of a first or second offense for the personal possession or use of a controlled substance must be placed on probation unless the person is also convicted of a violent offense. Incarceration may not be imposed as an initial condition of probation for a first offense. If a person convicted of a first offense is found to be in violation of probation or an act in violation of an order of the court related to drug treatment, the person may be incarcerated upon reinstatement of probation. Participation in an appropriate...
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...Myia M. Hardy CJA/204 Introduction to Criminal Justice Instructor: Ron Furtado November 1, 2011 The criminal justice system is a set of legal and social institutions for enforcing the criminal law in accordance with a defined set of procedural rules and limitations. In the United States, there are separate federal, state, and military criminal justice systems; each state has separate systems for adults and juveniles. Criminal justice systems include several major subsystems, composed of one or more public institutions and their staffs: police and other law enforcement agencies; trial and appellate courts; prosecution and public defender offices; probation and parole agencies; custodial institutions ( jails, prisons, reformatories, halfway houses, etc.); and departments of corrections (responsible for some or all probation, parole, and custodial functions). Some jurisdictions also have a sentencing guidelines commission. Other important public and private actors in this system include: defendants; private defense attorneys; bail bondsmen; other private agencies providing assistance, supervision, or treatment of offenders; and victims and groups or officials representing or assisting them (e.g., crime victim compensation boards). In addition, there are numerous administrative agencies whose work includes criminal law enforcement (e.g., driver and vehicle licensing bureaus; agencies dealing with natural resources and taxation). Legislators and other elected officials...
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...committed and who has done it. Where does one go from here and what is going to happen? This will give the resources to follow the procedural justice process from beginning to end under normal and under unusual procedures. Regardless of the verdict there will be options along the way that may result in different outcomes throughout the process and some are unexpected. It all depends on the individual and how each case is handled by the police, the prosecutors, and the judges. Perhaps this will shed some light on the procedural process of the criminal justice system and how it really works. Introduction: What happens now? This annotated bibliography shows the procedural process of justice and how it progresses under normal circumstances for some and unusual circumstances for others. In the United States the accused is presumed innocent until proven guilty. In a felony criminal case, the accused is “normally” investigated, arrested and booked, placed in a jail cell until the accused can be brought before a magistrate judge for the initial hearing called an arraignment, where the Miranda rights as well as the charges against the accused are read. Bond is discussed and granted or denied at this hearing. There is a Grand Jury hearing to discuss the merits of the case and it is “true billed” or dismissed. If it is true billed the prosecutor may offer a deal or it will proceed to District Court for a “plea hearing” and if it is dismissed then it is over. If the defendant pleads guilty...
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...Victims and Crime Evaluation Paper Criminal Law/CJA/354 An alarming amount of innocent people become victims of crime every year, and the victim’s rights are every bit as important as the offender’s rights. There are certain tendencies that appear within patterns of crime and victimization, such as adolescents are most likely to be victimized, men become crime victims more often than women, and African Americans experience more crime than other racial groups (Newmark, 2008). Victims of crime suffer from physical, emotional, psychological, and financial issues. Some of the issues victims of crime face are physical injury, fear for personal safety, medical expenses, counseling expenses, feelings of fear, grief, shame, and anger, and lost income. Victims of crime needing assistance may believe they are overlooked or even revictimized by the criminal justice system, a system that may appear to be more concerned with the criminal’s rights than with the needs and rights of the victim. This paper will address the role the prosecutor, defense attorney, criminal, and victim play within the criminal justice system and how victimization affects each. The Prosecutor The prosecutor plays a critical role in the criminal justice system and serves many functions throughout the criminal justice process. Some of these functions are as follows: * Investigating * Helping the police build a case against the person(s) * Bringing charges against a person(s) * Arranging...
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...Week Three Read Me First criminal courts INTRODUCTION This week focuses on the criminal court system. Courts are typically limited in geographical jurisdiction and in the cases that they can hear. The United States has a dual court system in which the courts closely resemble and complement one another. The courts also have what is known as a courtroom work group that consists of the judge, prosecutor, defense attorney, baliff, clerk, and court reporters. The roles of the courtroom workgroup will be discussed at length this week. This Week in Relation to the Course This week, you explore what happens after arrest. All offenders must go through a series of steps following arrest and detention. This process involves the court system and a number of players who have an integral role in the criminal justice system, such as mental health workers, probation officers, jurors, and so on. The defense attorney, prosecutor, and judge are three of the most important positions involved in this process. The roles of the prosecutor, defense attorney, judge, and other members of the court are examined. You learn about the options that judges consider when determining punishment. You also explore the premise of determinate and indeterminate sentencing and how it affects the actions of the court. The differences between the federal and the state courts and between adult and juvenile court systems are another important aspect of this week. You discuss the various steps during...
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...the Criminal Justice System Discretion in the criminal justice system is becoming a rising problem. Criminals aren't being arrested when they should, police are using deadly force when it may not have been needed, prosecutors have too much leeway when it comes to which cases they prosecute, judges are given lots of room when it comes to bail and sentencing, and corrections aren't given enough guidelines and rules when it comes to correctional decisions. There needed to be a change to control the overall discretion and there was. Numerous factors played into this change and it proved to be mostly effective. Discretion issues have decreased since the new changes. The issues came in many shapes and forms. Discretion is used by police, prosecutors, and judges. Police use it to decide whether to make an arrest or not. Prosecutors can either accept or reject a case given to them. Judges decide on sentences of convicted criminals. All three of these put together make the entire justice system based on discretion. Police have the most influence discretion wise on the justice system. Goldstein stated in "The Criminal Justice System: Politics and Policies" that "the police define the ambit of discretion throughout the process of other decision makers." Discretion is also stated as "the means by which actors of the criminal justice system substitute their own judgments, interests, or objectives for formally specified statutory punishments in order to influence criminal justice outcomes...
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...Defense Dustin Stevens CJS/220 Introduction to Criminal Court System January 19, 2014 Mark Rosenfield Prosecution Verses Defense There are two major differences between the defense counsel and that of the prosecutor. The prosecutors mainly have to complete a balancing act that strikes fair between the competing interest of convicting the guilty, freedoms and rights as well as protecting the public from criminals. Prosecutors are here not to be bias or racist they are here to be fair. Prosecutors to do represent any special interest group nor do they simply work to get convictions, as well as not acting as lawyers for victims of crime. In general prosecutors represent the public interest of all to ensure that prosecutions are conducted in a diligent, competent and fair way that respects the rights of all citizens. The defense counsel can be considered the checks and balances of the criminal justice system, or the law enforcers. Since the defense counsel is representing a lone individual against all the power of the state, the defense counsel must “police the police” meaning that there has not been a violation of the defendants’ rights such as an unconstitutional search, coerced confession, or unlawful suggestive lineup, and even fabrication of his, or her testimony. The defense counsel must ensure that the prosecutor is adhering to the professional requirement not merely to convict, but to do justice and comply with the prosecutors obligations to the public. The most difficult...
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...Courtroom Workgroup Paper The courtroom work group consists of the defense attorney, the state attorney, prosecutor and the judicial officer. And the purpose of this work group is to hold meetings prior to official court room trail hearings for a case, in which they assume that the defendant is guilty and negotiate and discuss potential pre trial plea bargains for the defendant. The purpose of these meetings is to save time in closing the case, because all of these procedures are done before the trial and court hearings, so that whatever is decided in the meeting can be negotiated with the defendant to see if the dispute can be settled without there being a need for a full fledged trial. But unlike most people think these work groups are not like they are depicted in the movies or in television, these work groups are actually very familiarized with each other and are not necessarily mortal enemies. Courtroom work groups actually interact with each other daily since there role in the criminal justice system is actually the same; to make sure that justice is served and that the defendants rights are not violated and/or ignored. Me personally, I wouldn't change anything in the way the courtroom work group system works right now. And this is because, to my perspective it is great that all the people involved in solving criminal cases in a specific jurisdiction have such a close relationship with each other, since it most likely help create a better flowing dynamic between all...
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...The Components of the Criminal Justice System Michael Jinkerson CJS200 2/28/2014 Craig Levins The criminal justice system is made up of the various different organizations and processes created by State and Federal Governments in an effort to control crime and inflict penalties on individuals who break the laws. A single universal criminal justice system does not exist in the United States. What we do have are many similar, individual systems. The criminal justice system works differently in each area depending on the jurisdiction that is in charge. These systems vary from city, county, state, federal or tribal government or military installation. The different jurisdictions have various laws, agencies, and processes of managing criminal justice procedures. The main systems are comprised of the State system and the Federal System. The state system is responsible for handling crimes committed within their state borders. The Federal System is responsible for handling crimes committed on federal property or occurring in more than one state. Most criminal justice systems are made up of three major components being Law enforcement, the courts and Corrections. They also have two other components being Prosecution and Defense Attorneys. The first major component and the front line defense against criminal activity is Law Enforcement. Law enforcement officials are responsible for recording reports on crimes that happen within their jurisdiction. Investigators review data...
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...The Criminal Justice System American InterContinental University CRJS101 - Criminal Justice 3 May 2013 Abstract The Criminal Justice System is an unchanging organization that has been established from the dawn of times to guarantee the wellbeing, and civil liberties of society. Our economy would have ended, if there were not a Criminal Justice System set into place. The Criminal Justice System observes the social order in ensure its wellbeing. The Criminal Justice System is made up of numerous special main branches. Lacking these branches functioning as one the Criminal Justice System would have an arduous moment supporting itself. This paper will elaborate the different tasks related to different sections inside of the Criminal Justice System. The Police officers tasks are to apprehend the accused, and receive warrants and seek out those that are being indicted. They are the first line of defense within the Criminal Justice System. Police are to ensure the well being of society and to aid society at all times whether it is minor offenses like jay walking and major offenses like rape. Varying on the gravity of the offense, the police officer may issue you a warning, or read you your Miranda Rights while taking you into custody. There are in some instances where a police officer may be called in to testify on a situation that they were involved in. A prime case of a police officer having to testify...
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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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...in the criminal justice system. It can be defined as the cases that are diverted, rejected, or sent to other jurisdictions (Meyer & Grant, 2003). Less than a half of all felony cases will be convicted. The prosecutor must have enough evidence and information to feel confident enough to bring the case to trial. They want to believe that they can win the case to a jury. Cases that are more important usually have the most priority to the prosecutor because it helps get the more dangerous people off the streets first and keeps the community safe (Meyer & Grant, 2003). Case attrition can happen anywhere in the criminal justice process, between the arrest and the trial. If there isn’t enough evidence to convict the accused of a crime, they have to let the person go. Case attrition affects the criminal justice process by making it difficult to convict everyone that commits a crime. Sometimes it can lead to smaller charges or no conviction at all. When there are bigger cases the prosecutor usually pushes the smaller cases to the bottom of the pile. It also interrupts the criminal justice process by making it difficult for the process to get through each step quickly. If someone is arrested, and then police officers are going to investigate the crime they were arrested for. If there is no evidence to link the accused to the crime, it can interrupt the criminal justice process. References Meyer, J. F., & Grant, D. R. (2003). The Courts in Our Criminal Justice System....
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