Criminal justice Essay

I will include how crime has a relationship to the law and the government structure as it applies to the criminal justice system. Components of the Criminal Justice System: In the United States, the criminal justice system has three categories: Federal, State, and Military. In addition to the three categories the state has separate divisions that deal with adult and juvenile cases which are comprised of three major components. 1) Law Enforcement perhaps the most important and dangerous. The responsibilities of the Law Enforcement include finding/capturing individuals who break the laws. They are responsible for bringing new changes against perpetrators and for ensuring the cases are strong enough to stand up in court. 2) Courts include prosecution and defense lawyers, judges and juries. The responsibility of the courts is to ensure offenders are given a fair trial; all laws are followed while the cases are being tried. Guidelines for a fair sentencing are being followed. 3) Corrections are to uphold and administer sentences handed down. The Corrections system which is intertwined with Law Enforcement and the courts is a very important and large piece of the criminal justice system because t includes jails, prisons, correctional officers, probation officers, and parole officers which ensure that a defendant’s punishment and all of its stipulations are carried out. (Smith,  1999). Components of the Criminal Justice Process: My understanding of the criminal justice process is that a police officer will arrest you because he or she has reason to believe that yo u committed a felony, misdemeanor, or violation. If charged with a felony or a misdemeanor, the officer must file a complaint in criminal court. You are held for twenty four hours until you are able to appear before a judge. (west,  1999). If you are charged with a violation you will be released and asked to appear in court at a later date and time. A prosecutor will meet with the police officer to determine if there is sufficient evidence to charge you with a crime. If enough evidence is found to charge you with a crime, then you will meet with a representative from the court to decide whether to set bail, release you from jail without bail, or hold you in jail without bail. If there is insufficient evidence found than you will be released from jail immediately. After this is done and you are found to have sufficient evidence saying you committed a crime you will then be brought to court for an arraignment a prosecutor will inform you and an attorney if you have one what kind of charges will be brought against you and you have at that time the opportunity to settle your case without a trial. Your attorney can now negotiate a plea bargain; if you plead guilty. My definition of the word crime: Crime is an act prohibited by law an offence against a public law, a violation of the law in which there is injury to the public or a member of the public. It is also a consensual act or violation in which only the perpetrator is hurt or involved such as personnel use of illegal drugs. A failure to act as required by law, considered morally wrong, a shameful, unwise, or regrettable act. 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; especially: a gross violation of the law. It is a foolish or disgraceful act. This is just my opinion on the definition of the word crime. Its relationship to the Law and Government Structure as it applies to the Criminal Justice System: The relationship to the law and government structure as it applies to the criminal justice system is that there must be unity of act and intent to commit a crime. The structure of the law and government of a crime committed is punishment. All systems must respect the rights of individuals set forth in court interpretation of the U. S. Constitution and defined in case law. State constitutions and laws define criminal justice system within each state and delegate the authority and responsibility for criminal justice to various jurisdictions, officials, and institutions. State laws also define criminal behavior and groups of children or acts under jurisdiction of the juvenile courts. Municipalities and counties further define their criminal justice system through local ordinances that proscribe the local agencies responsible for criminal justices processing that were not established by the state. Congress has also established a criminal justice system at a federal level to respond to federal crimes such as bank robbery, kidnapping, and transporting stolen goods across state lines. Conclusion: The criminal justice system and the criminal justice progress have shaped the laws of this country into what they are today.  The criminal justice system has many components that work together to provide justice for criminals and victims of crime. This enables violators of the law to be prosecuted in a fair trial. This is my understanding of the criminal justice system.