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Criminal Justice System

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The criminal justice system is comprised of a myriad of steps for the purpose of bringing those responsible for committing crimes to justice. There are three primary categories which make up the criminal justice system. The first category is the “Police”, who are responsible for determining the type and magnitude of the potential crime and if it did indeed occur. They will begin by investigating to determine who is involved in the crime. Once the investigation reveals the identity of the perpetrator(s) then they will seek out those responsible for the purpose of arresting them for the crimes they are accused of committing. Once arrested the police will enter the perpetrators into the system through a systematic process known as booking …show more content…

The court system is responsible for verifying the facts of the case and deciding whether or not those arrested will be charged or released. If the prosecutor moves forward with charging the suspect, then the suspect becomes identified as the defendant. As a defendant, he or she will now go before a lower-court judge for the purpose of notifying the defendant of the formal charges against him or her, as well as being sure they understand their constitutional rights. In less serious cases, such as those classified as misdemeanors, an immediate trial can be held by the judge. Trials of this type are known as summary trials and do not necessitate the need for a jury. In cases of a more serious nature which are identified as felonies, the defendant will appear at a hearing for the purpose of determining whether they will be released or will be required to have a more formal hearing known as a preliminary hearing. During the preliminary hearing, the judge will decide if enough probable cause exists for the defendant to be bound over for grand jury indictment or arraignment depending on the state in which the proceedings are being conducted. The defendant will then appear at their arraignment hearing in order to enter their plea of guilty or not guilty. In the case of a guilty plea, they may be offered an opportunity to plea bargain. In this phase, they will be provided an opportunity to plead guilty …show more content…

During the trial, evidence will be presented and testimonies will be heard for purpose of determining the guilt or innocence of the defendant, by a judge or a jury. If and when guilt is established, the judge will begin to determine the appropriate sentence for the defendant, who has now become a convicted felon (Bohm & Haley, 2011, p.

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For example, the prosecutor will introduce him or herself “Good morning ladies and gentlemen, my name is Mr. or Mrs. State Prosecutor and I represent the State of California. I am here to prove that the defendant is the man who shot and killed Christopher Wallace. Then the defense will give their opening statement

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This part of the trial method is where the prosecutor shows his or her proof as to why the courtroom desires to continue with a tribulation. The defendant's lawyer has the threat to pass-examine any witnesses and to peer what precisely the proof is that the prosecutor is going to use in opposition to his or her purchaser. a few prosecutors, however, will choose to not conduct a preliminary listening to and could flow instantly into the Grand Jury section of a prison trial. they will pick out this to shield their witnesses and proof in order that this could be delivered out in the front of the Grand Jury. The initial listening to a section of the trial usually takes place five-6 days after an

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This is where the defendant enters a plea (guilty, not guilty or no contest) (Schmalleger, 2015). In this case the defendant plead not guilty until his sentence was carried out and he was electrocuted. It is stated in our text book that, adjudication, or trial by jury, is where it states in the U.S Constitution in the 6th amendment where every criminal offender has the right to a trial by a jury (Schmalleger, 2015). In this case the defendant had a jury trial that lasted five weeks and they found him guilty of the murder of Charles Jr. According to our digital text book, sentencing happens once an offender had been convicted of a crime, the authority of a judge to enforce punishment on the offender happens at this time and a sentence may take many forms upon a judge’s decision (Schmalleger, 2015).

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This means they will be exonerated and let out of jail. DNA evidence has helped a lot in exonerating falsely accused

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There are quite a few things I am not allowed to discuss, due to confidentiality, but the things that I can discuss are the observations of court hearings, pre-trials, and revocation hearings. I found it to be very interesting how the judge informs the offender of his or her rights under the United States Constitution before the offender states whether guilty or not and that if the offender pleads guilty that his or her rights are then taken and would rest in the federal courts hands. Usually when the offender pleads guilty, they are under oath, being recorded, and tend to get the lesser sentence, but that is not always the case. It just depends on the case and what all is involved as far as the crime committed and the offender’s history. If the offender pleads not guilty, then there will be a trial that forms on a later date.

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However, a defendant might accept a plea bargain from the prosecution before trial, because the evidence against them is overwhelming. If that is not the case, the prosecution will have to prove their case to a jury beyond reasonable doubt that the defendant committed a crime, and the defendant should have to serve jail or prison time for their punishment as a result of their crime. In conclusion, many people believe the Texas Judicial Branch needs refurbishing for the 21st century.

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Both sides will carefully weigh the strength of their case and decide whether it is prudent to go to trial. The prosecution may also consider the publicity surrounding the case and whether there is public pressure to prosecute that particular defendant to the full extent of the law. The defense will consider the individual defendant’s desire to go to trial and the seriousness of the potential sentence. The Pros of Plea Bargaining

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There are three components that make up the criminal justice system – the police, courts, and correctional facilities – they all work together in order to protect individuals and their rights as a citizen of society to live without the fear of becoming the victim of a crime. Crime, simply put is when a person violates criminal law; the criminal justice system is society’s way of implementing social control. When all three components of the criminal justice work together, it functions almost perfectly. For a person to enter the criminal justice system, the process must begin with the law enforcement.

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