Criminal Justice System Essay

The History of the Criminal Justice System

Caitlin Rohde

Rio Salado College

AJS101: Lesson 8

Ms. Laura Girard

June 17 2023

The History of the Criminal Justice System

The criminal justice system has changed tremendously since the 17th century and continues to change. Firstly, the criminal justice system consists of "the three C's," meaning cops, courts, and corrections, each composed of many different jobs and responsibilities. The "cops" are police, including county sheriff departments, airport police, and college campus police. Their primary job is to enforce state laws and local ordinances. There are also state police, which typically only enforce state laws, monitor highway traffic, and work on investigations. Federal law enforcement

Each person has a different position during a court case, but they are all just as crucial. Last but not least, corrections are the final stage of the criminal justice system; at least, that is what many think. Although probation officers are considered part of the corrections team, they also play a part in the court process. As stated in a Rio Salado lesson, probation officers are responsible for providing the pre-sentencing report (PSR) before a trial, which consists of a long list of the defendant's background (2022a). Sometimes criminals are sentenced to probation, meaning they must meet certain conditions and be monitored by a probation officer. Some other jobs in the corrections field are corrections officers, which monitor inmates in jail or prison; parole officer, which helps to reintegrate inmates back into society after time in prison; inmate counselor, which helps inmates to get their mental health back on track and assistance with drug withdrawal, and many more jobs to assist criminals during their time in prison or jail, and

People in America usually think they are the same, but technically they are not. Defendants can be sentenced to probation during a trial or after a guilty plea. Probation can consist of mandatory counseling, educational classes, GPS monitoring, random drug tests, and frequent visits from probation officers. After a specific time served in prison and good behavior, inmates can be eligible for parole. A parole board typically determines an inmate's eligibility for parole. The conditions of parole are similar to those of probation. The courts assign a parole officer to monitor the behavior of the convicted offender. If the offender does not meet the conditions of release, the courts will place the offender back in prison after a parole violation hearing. He or she will then complete the remaining prison term (Rio Salado, 2023b). In summary, both are opportunities for a second chance in different areas of the criminal justice