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There are three different impotent to the American criminal justice system. The police, correctional agencies, and the criminal courts which make up the three major parts of the system that believes everyone is innocent until proven guilty. These components work together to achieve a common goal. The police are the first line of defense. They are the enforcers of the law. They do their best to reduce and prevent crimes but when they are needed, they will investigate crimes as well. Police protect rights and freedoms of individuals to ensure a safer community.
The next key player in this trio is the criminal courts. The criminal courts protect the rights of any person facing charges by the justice system. They decide if a party is innocent or guilty and the sentence that follows. They also make sure that it is a fair and impartial trial. In the end it is up to the courts to uphold the law and make sure anyone who breaks the law is brought to justice. Lastly there are the correctional agencies that house offenders to provide a safe and supervised living condition for its occupants.
These facilities protect the community from wrong doers while rehabilitating he criminals back to effective members of society. The first step to the criminal justice process is to investigate and arrest suspected criminals. During an investigation the scene of the crime is usually recreated to get a better idea of what actually took place. Evidence is then gathered at the scene when possible which provides a legal basis for a judge to issue a warrant. Once a warrant has been issued police will then arrest or take into custody any person or persons they feel is substantial for the case at trial.
After the arrest suspects are then booked. Booking involves a number of things such as taking your finger prints, having picture taken, and the logging of basic information about the individual. The suspects will then attend a preliminary hearing in which any and all evidence against them is brought to the table. The evidence will be reviewed by a judge to decide if the activities are actually a crime and if the suspect being question could have possibly committed it. If there is enough evidence to make a case, a trial will be held and the defendant will plead his or her case.
Once the trial starts comes to an end and the defendant is found guilty, that person will be issued a sentence. A sentence can be anything from prison time to supervised probation depending on the decision of the judge. This next section will explain what crime is and its relationship to the law. A crime is “an act or the commission of an act that is forbidden or the omission of a duty that is commanded by a public law and that makes the offender liable to punishment by that law” (“Crime”, n. D As we can see a crime is the act of breaking a law and law is a ale or guideline set forth by the people or government.
If a person decides to break the law they are committing a crime. The criminal justice system has a three part government structure of federal, state, and local. The basic framework of the justice system is provided by the judicial, legislative, and executive government branches. The United States federal government is the central body of government and it exists to create and enforce the laws of society. The state is in place to maintain order and the local government has the responsibility provide balance.