Since the colonial days when the citizens were subject to the laws and rules of the British, The Criminal Justice System has been established. However, the laws and subsequent punishment were not always fair and just. When U.S constitution was created, it solved many of these problems. This event led to the starting point for setting guidelines for the crimes and punishment that provided protection of rights for the innocent. Today, the Criminal Justice Process involves a series of steps which varies from state to state. However, this process is usually general, starting with investigation and ends with punishment or rehabilitation. This essay is going to outline and describe the steps of the Criminal Justice Process.
Investigation is the first step of this process and is conducted by a law enforcement, usually the police. During criminal investigation, evidence is sought for, collected and gathered to identify the suspect. Before an investigating officer can perform a search where there may be
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During this time, the defendant, or suspect is informed of his rights and the charges made against him. At the end of this stage, the defendant will be asked to plead guilty or not guilty to the charges. When there is a strong case, the defendant may be offered a plea deal to avoid trial, if the defendant committed the crime and pleads guilty. Because the defendant pleaded guilty early, he or she could potentially receive a charge reduction or sentence reduction in exchange, depending on the decision of the judge. Consequently, there will be no trial, however, if the plea agreement is not reached, the trial stage will be proceeded. Defendant will then be held in prison or released until the trial unless he meets the requirements for bail. Bail is an amount of money set by the judge and paid by the a defendant to ensure he or she will show up for