The Criminal Justice System
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Transcript of The Criminal Justice System
The Criminal Justice System
An Introduction
Focus QuestionBased on what you already know, what makes up the United States criminal justice system?
The PoliceThe Court System
Corrections
Focus QuestionKnowing now what makes up our criminal justice system, what would you say the goals of our system are?
Goals of the US Criminal Justice System
Doing Justice 3 Principles
Offenders held accountable Rights of the accused protected Like offenses treated alike
Controlling Crime Arresting, prosecuting,
convicting, and punishing within framework of the law
Preventing Crime
The Criminal Justice SYSTEM
System: A complex whole consisting of interdependent parts whose actions are directed toward goals and are influenced by the environment within which they function.
Made up of several parts
Each action causes a reaction from the other parts
Criminal Justice AND Federalism
Federalism: system of government in which power is divided by federal and state governments
Federal Not a part of the Constitution US Gov’t is involved….how??
FBI, US District Courts, Federal Prisons
Crimes across state lines Increase in federal involvement
Criminal Justice AND Federalism
States Most criminal laws
written by the state and enforced by the state
Many states refer to local agencies to fight crime i.e. LPD, Lancaster
County Sheriffs
Percentage of CJ Employees at each level, 2001
Characteristics of the Criminal Justice System
Four characteristics of the workings of our system: 1. Discretion (authority to make decisions w/o
referencing rules) Why? Can’t treat all situations the same & More effective
than rigid rules How…Police? Prosecutors? Judges? Corrections Officers?
2. Resource Dependence Do not generate own resources, so must maintain quality
relationships with political powers 3. Sequential Tasks
Highly interdependent 4. Filtering
A screening operation; process where officials screen out some cases while advancing other cases forward
Operations of Criminal Justice Agencies
Police: 4 major duties Keeping the Peace
Protecting rights Apprehending Violators and
Combating Crime Most often associated with
Police Preventing Crime
Educating public about threats Providing Social Services
Traffic, emergency response, etc
Operations of Criminal Justice Agencies
Courts Dual-court system: both
federal and state courts Causes inconsistency with
how laws are interpreted Reflects social and
political differences of each region
Responsible for adjudication Process of determining
innocence or guilt
Operations of Criminal Justice Agencies
Corrections Seven million
American adults under supervision
Less than 30% of convicted offenders are in prison or jail