Premium Essay

Criminal Justice Problems

In:

Submitted By cfaz2427
Words 4821
Pages 20
Problems within the Criminal Justice System
In the United States

Abstract:
This research paper explores some problems faced within the criminal system justice in the United States. Larry J. Siegel’s book “Criminology” gives us a history of the criminal justice system, how it operates, and some of the problems we experience with this system. Some of the problems detailed in this paper include the right to equal justice; which he explained the different kind of judgment that people receive based on their race, gender and class, the criminal justice system spends more money on criminals instead of improving technology for the police apprehending them, the criminal justice system lacks of sentencing disparity, reliance on eyewitness and modern technology can lead to conviction of innocent citizen, and finally the rehabilitation model which is set up to educate criminals and eventually let them free because of the belief that they are changed people and have been rehabilitated.

According to the definition from the text “Criminology”, the term criminal justice system refers to “the components of government charged with enforcing law, adjudicating criminals, and correcting criminal conduct” (Siegel, 2009, p. 558). According to Siegel, the criminal justice system is essentially “an instrument of social control: society considers some behaviors so dangerous and destructive that it either strictly controls their occurrence or outlaws them outright” (Siegel, 2009, p.558). Therefore, the essence of criminal justice system is “maintaining social control, protecting the public, preventing crime, preserving order, enforcing the law, identifying transgressors, bringing the guilty to justice, treating criminal behavior, and administering justice in a fair and even-handed manner” (Siegel, 2009, p. 556).

Similar Documents

Premium Essay

Criminal Justice System Problems

...Andrea Muschette English 1010 Problems in the criminal Justice Nearly three out of four (74%) of Americans personally know someone who is or has been a victim of domestic violence. 30% of Americans say they know a woman who has been physically abused by her husband or boyfriend in the past year. (Allstate Foundation National Poll on Domestic Violence, 2006. Lieberman Research Inc., Tracking Survey conducted for The Advertising Council and the Family Violence Prevention Fund, July – October 1996) The criminal justice field have a lot of problems with it as many people can see. I guess it just really depends on police department, and what state. Look at West Virginia, CTO Kyle Schafer who recently steps down from office because of money lawdering. The three problems with the field of criminal justice is domestic violence, prisons and adversarial The problem with domestic violence cases is that the police won’t arrest anyone unless they have buses or mark on them. Sometimes it’s the same way with child abuse they won’t do anything. It they see fighting as they arrive on the scene or the buses somebody can be arrest. According to Diane Wetendorf, Many police officers still express frustration when victims call for intervention and then plead with the officer not to arrest the abuser. Police are discouraged by the number of cases in which the victim drops criminal charges. Over time, and with education on the dynamics of domestic violence, most police officers have come...

Words: 744 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Policing

...Ethics in Criminal Justice Administration Analysis Perla M. Flores CJA/484 Criminal Justice Administration Capstone March 10, 2014 Fran Hart Ethics in Criminal Justice Administration Analysis Ethics in criminal justice administration is a very important aspect because professionals within the criminal justice system make important decisions every day that involves critical thinking, and the choices they make will have an impact in society; therefore, it is important that these professionals be unbiased to everyone they come in contact with. This paper will analyze the relationship between ethics and professional behavior in the administration of criminal justice. It will also explain the role of critical as well as a seminar proposal on ethics that will include five areas of ethical conduct. The reader will be informed why these areas were chosen and what the benefits of this training will do for the officers and the community. Ethics and Professional Behavior in the Administration of Criminal Justice “Ethics, also known as moral philosophy, is a branch of philosophy concerned with the study of questions of right and wrong and how we ought to live. Ethics involves making moral judgments about what is right or wrong, good or bad. Right and wrong are qualities or moral judgments we assign to actions and conduct” (Singer, 1995). Furthermore, the criminal justice agencies have code of ethics to follow in every organization...

Words: 1058 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Organizational Behavior

...primary purpose is to review and report in the ever expanding study in criminal justice organizational behavior areas in the workforce. This discussion focuses on the forces of change and the approaches to managing organizational change in criminal justice agencies, including identifying observable aspects of organizational cultures (Robbins & Judge, 2013). What social, political, and organizational behavior can influence change in criminal justice agencies? The criminal justice field is an ever evolving field. As today’s technology changes so does the way the criminal justice field interacts with that technology. As our society changes the technology that we use will also be altered to fit the situation. The barriers that come along can affect how the criminal justice field interprets what to do next. The basis of the criminal justice system is to protect and serve the community as a whole. Keeping up with the changes in society in our social, political, and organizational behavior is a vital part of our criminal justice system. There will be fewer barriers as it relates to females in the criminal justice field as well as minorities in particular roles in the different departments because of the social, organizational, and political behavior changes in the criminal justice system and these barriers are being torn down consistently. Statistically there will be more women and minorities in the criminal justice field by the year 2020 than white males (Schmallager, F., 2011)....

Words: 1401 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

Research Process

...Research Process and Terminology Paper Name CJA/334 - RESEARCH METHODS IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE Date Instructor Research Process and Terminology When I hear the word research, I usually think of scientists in a lab wearing white lab gowns but, this is not always the case in the Criminal Justice field. Research can be used to fight crime, prove evidence in court or even help improve police response without the city. There are many terminology’s that has to be known to be successful when working in the field. How will this new terminology and knowledge apply to a career in criminal justice? There are hundreds of jobs within the criminal justice field. This new terminology will help throughout the research and will and aid in whichever branch or specialty the person is undertaking. The Terminology will help the person understand the different performances of the research and how it can be applied to his or her performance in job duties. This will give anyone a better understanding for research and how it should be carried out to assist them How will not knowing the proper terminology affect you as you conduct criminal justice research? Anyone that works in the criminal justice field knows that at any time people rely on the system to help them when needed. The system basically has control of all our lives and can determine what may happen next. Not knowing the proper terminology can have a huge effect on someone’s life, safety, and can even death...

Words: 1106 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Policing Developements and Operation Trends

...Criminal Justice Trend Evaluation Terry Milton CJA/394 June 25, 2012 James Beeks Criminal Justice Trend Evaluation To keep up with the criminal problems in society, functions and components of the criminal justice system has to evolve in order to be able to detect and keep up with growing trends in society. New laws need to be created to help keep up with the evolution and its new trends. In this paper the evaluation of past, present, and future trends that connect to societies and the components of the criminal justice system will be discussed. It will also assess the recent and future contemporary issues that affect the criminal justice system. The purpose of this paper is to show that the criminal justice system has a major role in an ever changing society. Recent and future trends have always and will always affect the criminal justice system. New trends in technology, law, terrorism, gender and diversity will always effect the functions of the criminal justice system. Technology in the 21st century is one of the legal issues that have caused controversy. New technology devices such as hand geometry biometrics and the use of retina and iris devices have the ability to gain information not only on people’s health but also their medical history as well. When it concerns the criminal justice system, many of these new technology devices are being used to detect drugs and concealed weapons that are sneaked into prison facilities. They help prevent illegal activities...

Words: 1723 - Pages: 7

Premium Essay

Criminal Justice Issues Paper

...American Criminal Justice system which considers the system as a failure to its people. We must ask ourselves, what are the problems with the criminal justice system? How can we resolve those issues? In this article some of the issues of the criminal justice system are being addressed and some solutions to those issues are given as well. Many problems foreseen in the criminal justice system are, laws that criminalize behaviors that should not be criminal, client populations at every stage who are disproportionately mentally ill, drug-dependent, or both and are often dealt within appropriately or inhumanely, pretrial detention systems that are over used and undermine the already disadvantaged lives of the mostly poor and minority people they hold,...

Words: 432 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Criminal Justice System Paper

...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...

Words: 865 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Criminal Justice Trends Evaluation

...Criminal Justice Trends Evaluation Anthony Tomlin CJA/394 May 1, 2014 Professor Ken Jones Criminal Justice Trends Evaluation The American criminal justice system serves as a means for retribution and rehabilitation for criminals. In the early inception of the criminal justice system juries held the sentencing powers – convicting most criminals to death. Over the years sentencing powers shifted to judges. In this paper we will discuss the problems and changes in the criminal justice processes. The criminal justice system is not perfect but over the years there has been an continued improvement in the process. There are issues with the system that are being addressed such as prison overcrowding, three strikes rule, the disparity in sentencing for certain drug convictions, and the sentencing of minority groups. There are several future trends, such as training and educating law enforcement personnel, rehabilitating criminals, and law enforcement being proactive versus reactive. There are changes in the criminal justice system occurring and changes being lobbied by politicians. The future of criminal justice is constantly evolving with time but the full extent of how the changes will affect the system is not fully known. Some suggest laws of the past have been left behind by society and that change to the criminal justice system requires an overhaul to laws. Understand some of the crimes individuals commit warrant the sentencing received because...

Words: 1394 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

Criminal Justice Trends

...Criminal Justice Trends Evaluation John Doe CJA/394 January 21, 2012 Criminal Justice Trends Evaluation There is no discrepancy that crime has continued to hinder society. It was at the urging of the Social Commission that the actual number of crimes became a priority so that facts and statistics could be developed. These first statistics were recorded and began nearly sixty years ago. The results show a continuous increase in crime. When the first studies were conducted the crime trends included larceny, physical assaults, and homicide. As time progressed, the studies broadened to include organized crime from street gangs to mafia’s, and trafficking of illegal drugs as well as humans. The only significant difference from the crime of the past and criminal elements society contends with today is that the illegal activity of organized crime groups is not as blatantly obvious as it once was (Economic and Social Council, 2011). The following information will discuss crime trends and the impact they have within the criminal justice system. The criminal justice system is an intricate part of society and it is essential that this system remains capable of adequately dealing with the latest crime trends. One large difference between yesteryears crimes and today’s are the involvements of human lives and the World Wide Web. The trafficking of people from all age groups from city to city and even between countries has become easier with the utilization of the internet. Robberies...

Words: 1411 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

Criminal Justice Application Essay

...I have always been interested in crime, criminal justice, and how the system works. My passion for the system began around 3rd grade after watching “Spy Kids” and wanting to be a spy or a cop. I knew then I wanted the bad guys to be put away and find justice for all. This obsession grew and developed into something more in high school when I took Law and Society and Forensics my junior and senior year. These classes had me more interested in the legal side of the criminal justice system, and questions criminals motivates for their crime. After high school I decided that I would be the first in my family to go to college and that criminal justice would be my career path. I am now a senior at The University of Alabama as a Criminal...

Words: 398 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Accountability Has Become Hostage of Plea Bargain. Does Plea Bargaining Undermine the Criminal Justice System? Legal and Social Impacts on Society.

...Accountability has become Hostage of Plea Bargain. Does Plea Bargaining Undermine the Criminal Justice System? Legal and Social Impacts on Society. Student’s Name Institution Contents 1.1 Background to the Study...............................................................................................4 1.2 Purpose of the Study.....................................................................................................5 1.3 Research Objectives......................................................................................................5 1.4 Research Questions.......................................................................................................6 1.5 Significance of the Study..............................................................................................6 2.0 Methodology/ Research Design.....................................................................................6 2.1 Sampling Design............................................................................................................7 2.2 Sample Size....................................................................................................................7 2.3 Data Collection and Analysis.........................................................................................7 2.4 Validity and Reliability..................................................................................................8 2.5 Skills Required......................

Words: 1643 - Pages: 7

Premium Essay

Restorative Justice Empowerment

...Restorative Justice Empowerment* Charles Barton** *Acknowledgements Versions of this paper have previously appeared in print as detailed below. The author acknowledges and thanks the relevant Editors for their permission to re-produce the article on the VOMA Web-Page: 1. The Australian Journal of Professional and Applied Ethics, vol. 2, no. 2, 2000. 2. Just Peace?: Peace Making and Peace Building for the New Millennium. (Proceedings of a Conference held 24 – 28 April 2000, at Massey University, Albany, Aotearoa/New Zealand) Edited by Warwick Tie. Massey University Centre for Justice and Peace Development. (pp. 50 – 62). **Biographical Note Charles Barton is a professional philosopher and conflict resolution specialist who lectures and trains in Law and Morality, Professional and Applied Ethics, and Restorative Justice. He is a Lecturer in the School of Policing Studies, and a Research Fellow in the ARC Special Research Centre for Applied Philosophy and Public Ethics, at Charles Sturt University, Australia. He is also a former Research Fellow of Massey University (NZ), and a current Visiting Fellow in the Key Centre in Ethics, Law, Justice and Governance at Griffith University, Queensland, Australia, and a Visiting Professor at the University of Colorado at Boulder, USA. Charles Barton is the developer and author of the Empowerment Model of Restorative Justice, which is based on a unified and comprehensive philosophy and theory of conflict resolution that makes Empowerment...

Words: 7571 - Pages: 31

Premium Essay

Criminal Justice Trends Evaluation

...Criminal Justice Trends Evaluation The interface between components of the criminal justice system and criminal justice connections with surrounding society is always changing. For this assignment the writer will evaluate the past, present, and future trends. In addition she will discuss the recent and future trends and contemporary issues affecting the criminal justice system, and the value of the criminal justice system in a changing society. For instance there has been a trend in new technology that is used by criminals that the criminal justice system has to comply with and combat. Past Trends In the past the criminal justice system had it easier, sure they dealt with rapes, robberies, murders, fights, and many of the same things they do today but on a much smaller scale. In the past law enforcement which was more involved with the communities due to the fact that officers walked the streets on patrol. They talked with the citizens and got to know the people within their communities. The result of this was a community that was not fearful and that was trusting of their justice system. Years ago there was not the forensics to aid in a case, at the same time there was not the technology that we have today. As for the forensics this was a hindrance because it made figuring out who the criminal actually was much harder. In the same right they did not have the technology of the criminals today, which at times can make it easier for law enforcement agencies to find the criminals...

Words: 1034 - Pages: 5

Free Essay

Racial Disparity in Sentencing

...Racial Disparity in Sentencing Racial disparity in sentencing in the criminal justice system is a problematic issue. Individuals often believe that racial disparity in sentencing does not exist; however, substantial proof in the criminal justice system proves otherwise. According to statistics of Marc Mauer, “unprecedented rise in the populations of prisons over the past three decades is a six fold increase, resulting in the incarceration of nearly two million Americans.” The breakdown of statistics is as follows: “One in every eight African-American male groups between 25-34 year old is a result of incarceration and 32% of African-American males born to society can expect to spend a term in a federal or state prison if the current racial disparity continues” (Mauer, 2004, p. 79). Four reasons of Racial Disparity The four reasons for the flourishing continuance of racial disparity in the criminal justice sentencing process are ineffective assistance of procedural bars, and council, jury selection and venue, prosecutorial discretion, and juror racism (Tabak, 1999, p. 6). Research documenting states like New York and California prosecutions have board spectrums concerning discretion seeking capital punishment; however, these four reasons apply to cases, which capital punishment is sought. “Capital punishment can be sought for intentional murders which individual may commit during the course of a felony and the intent to commit murder can be formed instantaneously before the...

Words: 1914 - Pages: 8

Free Essay

Restorative Justice

...Restorative Justice Rose Stevens CJA/224 June, 16th, 2014 Restorative Justice Restoration is one of the goals of the criminal justice system. The idea of restoration is to restore the criminal and the community affected by the crime. Restorative justice stems from the idea of restoration. Restorative justice is different than retributive justice. In this essay I will discuss the restorative justice process, the difference between restorative and contemporary justice, and how restorative justice worked for the RJ city case study. Restorative Justice Process Restorative justice deals with "the need to compensate victims, the need to place appropriate responsibility on the criminal offender, and the need to attempt the reintegration of the offender with the community" (Schmalleger, Hall, & Dolatowski, 2010, Chapter 14). The way we used to view crime was like a violation against the state. We now understand that crime also violates an individual. The idea of restorative justice is to restore the victim and the criminal instead of just the criminal. There are three main processes involved in the restorative justice system. There are restorative circles, restorative conferencing, and victim-offender mediation. Restorative Circles Restorative circles are meetings that include the offenders, victims, friends and families, interested members of the community, and some representatives of the justice system. ("Restorative Justice Online", 1996-2014). There is a facilitator...

Words: 1315 - Pages: 6