Herbert Packer's Two-Model: Crime Control And Due Process

Herbert Packer believed in a two-model form within the criminal justice system: crime control and due process. With the 1996 film, A Time to Kill, most of society watched this eye-opening and astonishing film and saw nothing but the conflict between races. As individuals studying for the future of criminal justice, it is imperative that we are able to analyze cases in movies and everyday life creating a second nature mindset of the rights and wrongs within cases. Packer explains and introduces to society in his article, Two Models of the Criminal Process, of the idea that crime control and due process are the key elements within the criminal justice system. Furthermore, the film A Time to Kill presents due process but little to no crime control through the court trial

As young students of the criminal justice system, it is important that we are able to pull out and examine cases in the forms of movies, books, and real-life cases. Understanding Herbert Packer is very important when considering these cases. Knowing there are two models, due process and crime control while applying them to cases such as the one in A Time to Kill. There was only one situation where crime control was practiced when the D.A. Rufus Buckley tried to make a deal with the defendant’s attorney Jake Brigance. Since the offer was turned down the case went through the system the proper way and Carl Lee was given all of his human rights that are given to us in the fourth and fifth amendments. Jake Brigance made comments toward the idea of the death penalty and how he believes they deserve to get the chair. It is interesting that Jake Brigance is a strong believer in Carl Lee’s case that due process should be taken into place and he should be set free. Overall the model of due process seems to be the “right” model to practice during any case even though we know that this is not always how the system