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The main systems are: State: State criminal justice systems handle crimes committed within their state boundaries. Federal: The federal criminal Justice system handles crimes committed on federal property or in more than one state. System Components Most criminal Justice systems have five components-law enforcement, prosecution, defense attorneys, courts, and corrections, each playing a key role in the criminal justice process. Law Enforcement: Law enforcement officers take reports for crimes that happen in their areas. Officers investigate crimes and gather and protect evidence.
Prosecution: Prosecutors are lawyers who represent the state or federal government (not the victim) throughout the court process-from the first appearance of the accused in court until the accused is acquitted or sentenced. Defense Attorneys: Defense attorneys defend the accused against the government’s case. Courts: Courts are run by Judges, whose role is to make sure the law is followed and oversee what happens in court. Corrections: Correction officers supervise convicted offenders when they are in Jail, in prison, or in the community on probation or parole.
How the Criminal Justice Process Works Below is a basic outline of the sequence of events in the criminal Justice process, beginning when the crime is reported or observed. The process may vary according to the Jurisdiction, the seriousness of the crime (felony or misdemeanors), whether the accused is a Juvenile or an adult, and other factors. Entry into the System Report: Law enforcement officers receive the crime report from victims, witnesses, or other parties (or witness the crime themselves and make a report). Investigation: Law enforcement investigates the crime.
Arrest or Citation Prosecution and Pre-trial Charges First Court Appearance Bail or Bond Grand Jury or Preliminary Hearing Arraignment Adjudication (Trial Process) What Is The Criminal Justice System By ender Trial Post-Trial Sentencing Probation or Parole The Police Motto: To protect, serve and to reassure. The police are law enforcement officials who are sworn to uphold the law, keep social order, and preserve public safety. Police operate within specific Jurisdictions; they exercise discretion- they are the gatekeepers of the criminal Justice system.
A police force is a constituted body of persons empowered by the state to enforce the law, protect property, and limit civil disorder. Their powers include the legitimated use of force. The term is most commonly associated with police services of a state that are authorized to exercise the police power of that state within a defined legal or territorial area of responsibility. Police forces are often defined as being separate from military or other organizations involved in the defense of the state against foreign aggressors; however, gendarme are military units charged with civil policing.