Components of the Criminal Justice System

This presentation provides an overview of the components of the criminal justice system in the United States, including law enforcement, adjudication, and corrections. It explains the processes involved in each component, such as pre-arrest investigation, arrests, pre-trial services, arraignment, trial, and sentencing. The presentation also discusses the importance of correction in the criminal justice system and the aim to reform and rehabilitate offenders.

Introduction
The Criminal justice system in the United States is a web of
different criminal systems that are complementary. Unlike other
nations, the United States is divided into various states that have
their own criminal justice system; that is, the system does not
rest in a single or all encompassing institution. The network in the
criminal justice system involves the criminal justice system at the
federal, state, and special jurisdictional levels like in martial
courts and territorial courts. (Goodison, Davis & Jackson, 2015)
Although these criminal laws vary from these levels they are
consistent and based on the US constitution. The criminal justice
system has jurisdiction over various cases ranging from treason
to robbery not to mention criminal misdemeanors. (Pound
&Christenson, 2018)
The criminal justice system comprise of various procedures and
institutions that are aimed at punishing offenders, preventing
reoffending and helping the victims cope through compensation.

Components of the criminal
justice system
The essential components of the
US criminal justice are divided
into three;
Law enforcement
Adjudication
Corrections

Law Enforcement
This is the first step in the
Criminal Justice System and
involve the following;
Pre-Arrest Investigation
Arrests

Pre-Arrest Investigation
To ensure that one is to be
arrested then it is important for
the law enforcement agencies to
carry out the necessary
investigation.
It involves;
The police collecting evidence
Making reports
Application for an arrest warrant

Arrest
After a conclusive investigation, if the
findings are compelling enough the
police will move on to arrest the
suspect.
The arrest made must be legal and for a
probable cause.
The constitution of the United States
protects its citizens from malicious and
random arrest with cause.
On average the police arrest 1 person
after every three seconds.

Arrest Trends

ADJUDICATION
This limp of the criminal justice system is
concerned with the court processes.
After the arrest of Merrihew, it is important
that he brought before a court of law so that
the case may be heard and a pronouncement
made on the matter.
Adjudication involves the following processes;
Pre Trial Services
Arraignment
Trial
Sentencing

Pre Trial Services
This is the preliminary stage in
the court process.
Here the investigation report is
presented to the
prosecution(Green, 2016).
The prosecution exercises his
jurisdiction as to the whether or
not the case meets the bare
minimum requirements in order
to be presented before a court of

Arraignment
After the prosecution is satisfied that
the evidence is watertight and the case
can stand trial, the suspect is brought
before court.
The suspect is brought before court and
the charges read to him in the presence
of his attorney(Dearborn, 2011).
He takes a plea and as common as it is
most suspect often enter a plea of not
guilty.

Trial
The is the stem of the court process in the
criminal justice system in the United
States.
It is characterized by arguments from the
defense lawyer and the prosecution
lawyers.
The verbal exchange is based on the facts,
evidence, and the position of the law.
Present during the trial is usually an
independent jury comprising of citizens of
the United States.

Sentencing
Every state has its own guidelines in sentencing with
regards to specific offences(Hall, 2013).
In maters of armed robbery the court looks at the
surrounding circumstance to ascertain the best
sentence to be awarded to the suspect.
In cases of armed robbery the weapon use is material
when sentencing the offender.
Mitigating factors are also considered because the aim
of the law is to ensure justice is served.
The sentence applicable include: life imprisonment, a
fine of $10,000 and without parole.
Alternatively, the one could be sentenced to life and
granted parole.
This is dependant on the prevailing circumstance

Sentencing
Preferred Sentence
In this case the offender is sentenced is sentenced to life
imprisonment with a fine of $10,000.
He is also denied parole.
This occurs when the prevailing evidence are compelling the
court to take such a stern and harsh ruling on the offender.
Alternative Sentence
Alternatively and depending on the prevailing surrounding
circumstance.
One could be sentenced to life without fining.
He should be awarded parole.
This is aimed at giving second chances to offenders, when
the offender shows remorse for what he had done he could
undergo therapy and be released on certain conditions.

Correction
It is essential that the law does not only punish
without the aim to reform, rehabilitate, and
correct.
Correction in the federal states is gradually
replacing penology.
The main objective is to transform suspects into
persons who can be reintegrated into the society
and do not pose future harm.(Siegel & Bartollas
2013)
Correction has also been aimed at decongestion
prisons by diversion of criminal into other
institutions. The chart shows the number of
persons incacerated in the United States

Conclusion
The weakest link in the Criminal Justice System is the
arrests of individual without a probable cause. These
arrests often happen based on ones gender, race,
socioeconomic status and the community standing
of an individual. The biased nature of the criminal
justice system is not only limited to the police but
extends to the prosecution and the judges.
The strongest link in the Criminal Justice System is
the legal institutions involved has played a crucial
role in ensuring that justice is achieved. The police
carry our investigations and make arrests as the
courts prosecute and sentence than the prisons hold
the offenders rehabilitates and prevent reoffending.

References
Goodison, S., Davis, R., & Jackson, B. (2015). Digital evidence and the U.S. criminal justice
system. RAND Corporation.
Pound, R., & Christenson, R. (2018). Criminal Justice in America. doi:
10.4324/9781351288842
Hesh, K., Hesh, C., & Cho, H. (2016). Introduction to Law Enforcement and Criminal
Justice. Cengage Learning.
Conaway, D. (2014). Arrested: Battling America's Criminal Justice System. Bascom Hill
Publishing Group
Harmon, Rachel, Why Arrest? (2016). Rachel A. Harmon, Why Arrest?, 115 Mich. L. Rev.
307 (2016). ; Virginia Public Law and Legal Theory Research Paper Series 2016-55.
Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2673553 or
http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2673553
Green, Bruce A., Access to Criminal Justice: Where are the Prosecutors? (2016). 3 Texas
A&M L. Rev. 515 (2016); Fordham Law Legal Studies Research Paper No. 2776302.
Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2776302
Dearborn, D. Christopher, 'You Have the Right to an Attorney', but Not Right Now:
Combating Miranda’s Failure by Advancing the Point of Attachment Under Article XII of
the Massachusetts Declaration of Rights (J2011). Suffolk University Law Review, Vol. 44,
p. 359, 2011; Suffolk University Law School Research Paper No. 10-64. Available at SSRN:
https://ssrn.com/abstract=1725546
Hall, M. (2013). There Oughta Be a Law. Hastings Center Report, 43(4), 7-8. doi:
10.1002/hast.185
U.S Constitution 4th Amendment.
Siegel, L., & Bartollas, C., (2013). Corrections Today (2nd edn.). Wadsworth Cangage
Learning.