By: Victor E. Kappeler, Ph.D. In the United States, crime control and the administration of justice are handled by the criminal justice system. The criminal justice system is composed of three primary and discernible components: police, courts, and corrections. These components are sometimes referred to as subsystems . From this perspective, the components of the criminal justice system are seen as
interrelated, interdependent, and striving to achieve a unified goal. This view of criminal justice often focuses on how cases flow through the system, causing ripple effects as cases move from one component to the next. The actions of police officers on the streets, for example, affect the workload of courts, and the decisions of judges in courtrooms affect the operation of jails and prisons. Police hold a special place in the criminal justice system. Not only do the activities of law
enforcement officers affect the operations of the entire criminal justice system, but police are said to be the “gate keepers” of the system: “They are usually the first to make contact with accused offenders and are in a position to make some very important decisions about what will happen to those individuals. Perhaps the most frequent decision that a police officer makes is . . . to initiate an alleged offender’s journey through the maze of American criminal justice” ( Alpert and Dunham,
1997:11 ). Although most citizens are never arrested or even experience a face-to-face encounter with the police in any given year, police are the most likely component of the criminal justice system to have an influence on their day-to-day lives. More often than not this influence is largely symbolic. People usually see the police while they are carrying out their day-to-day activities or when they are exposed to media depictions of the police. Police far outnumber members of other
occupational groups in criminal justice. There are about 1.8 million public employees in the justice system; more than 1.1 million serve in a law enforcement capacity. The police are not only the most numerous but also the most visible component of the criminal justice system. The vast majority of commissioned personnel in police agencies are uniformed, making them readily identifiable to the public. In addition, the majority of commissioned personnel in police agencies are assigned to
patrol duties, and most work out of marked patrol vehicles and visibility has been a major element in police crime control strategies and practices. Learn more about EKU’s online Police Studies program. January 7, 2020  The US criminal justice system is a huge and complex piece of civic machinery with millions of working parts. Wrapping your head around the scale of a system that provides theoretically fair criminal justice to 327.2 million Americans. While it is a bit of an oversimplification, the criminal justice system can be rendered down into three basic pillars, so if you are interested in a career in the justice system, such as becoming a legal assistant, and want to expand you knowledge of this vital government mechanism, here is our guide to the three pillars of the criminal justice system. Law EnforcementLaw enforcement is the first and most visible pillar of the US criminal justice system. Police, sheriffs, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the (Drug Enforcement Administration) DEA, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and even the Border Patrol are there to enforce the law. Law enforcement in the US is largely split between federal and local law enforcement. Local law enforcement might consist of local police and more state-specific organizations such as the Texas Rangers. Each of these organizations only has a mandate, or jurisdiction, to operate within its own state. Federal law enforcement has jurisdiction that extends across state lines and is made up of a wide range of agencies with different mandates, such as the Department of Homeland Security, the FBI, the ATF, United States Customs and Border Protection, National Park Ranger Service, Veterans Affairs Police and even the law enforcement arm of the Postal Service, the United States Postal Inspection Service. The Court systemThe US court system is split along similar lines as law enforcement. Local state courts handle trials that involve matters such as family law, traffic violations, wills and estates, and most contracts and criminal cases. The federal courts head cases that deal with interpreting the U.S. Constitution bankruptcy, disputes between states and maritime disputes. The federal court system is further split into district courts, who make the majority of judgments; appeals courts, who are there to determine if the law was applied correctly by the district and state courts, and the Supreme Court, which is the highest court in the nation and has the final say on the constitutionality of all laws. The Correctional SystemContrary to what many people believe, the correctional system doesn’t just deal with prison and prisoners, in fact, the correctional system includes a variety of correctional facilities, such as jails, which are used to hold suspects awaiting trial; juvenile detention centers, which hold offenders under the age of 18 and prisons with various levels of security, which depends on the types of crimes offenders have committed. The correctional system is also responsible for programs that deal with the probation and rehabilitation of prisoners, allowing them to readjust to life after a prison sentence and reenter society at a functional level. Qualifying For Your FutureGaining a qualification from our Criminal Justice School puts you in an excellent position to access a variety of employment opportunities as you look for one that suits your skills and interests. At Northwest Career College, our Criminal Justice instructors include licensed, practicing attorneys and degree instructors able to teach, not only the law but also to guide our students in the many ways a criminal justice graduate integrates into a Las Vegas legal profession. As part of our Criminal Justice Program, you’ll visit courts, jails, meditation centers and more to experience first-hand the law in action which will make your criminal justice training applicable to the Las Vegas legal system. Northwest offers a flexible blended program with all criminal justice classes Las Vegas law classes taught on campus by an attorney and general education courses offered online. Our experienced instructors are on-campus to review and support your learning experience at all times. Call us at (702) 403-1592 to speak to one of our enrollment team about joining our Criminal Justice Program today! Written by: Lisa Myers, J.D., L.L.M. What part of the criminal justice system is most important quizlet?The most important components of the criminal-justice system are police, courts, and corrections.
What is the most important goal of the criminal justice system?The criminal justice system is designed to deliver “justice for all.” This means protecting the innocent, convicting criminals, and providing a fair justice process to help keep order across the country. In other words, it keeps our citizens safe.
Which component of the criminal justice system is most valuable?The first component of the criminal justice and perhaps the most important within the system is law enforcement. This aspect of the criminal justice system includes the local police department form each state with their police officers and detective and personal.
What is the major component of the criminal justice system?THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM CONSISTS OF THE POLICE, THE COURTS, AND CORRECTIONS. THE MAJOR TASKS OF THE POLICE INCLUDE SELECTIVELY ENFORCING THE LAW, POTECTING THE PUBLIC, AREESTING SUSPECTED LAW VIOLATORS, AND PREVENTING CRIME.
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