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