Criminal Justice System: Police Organizational Structure Report

This report examines the organizational structure of the criminal justice system, focusing on the police force. It begins by outlining the importance of a well-defined departmental structure for effective information dissemination and justice. The report then explores the organizational structure of the police force, emphasizing the hierarchy and flow of authority. A diagram illustrates the structure, highlighting specialized departments designed to combat specific crimes. The report also addresses the challenges of organizational change, emphasizing the need to consider human and political aspects alongside rational and administrative perspectives. A comparison is made between the selected organization and a case study, highlighting differences in departmental specialization. Finally, the report analyzes how various departments within the organization work together, from investigation to evidence presentation in court, emphasizing the symbiotic relationship between the police and the courts in achieving the objective of enforcing justice within the community. The report references several sources to support its analysis.

Running head: CRIMINAL JUSTICE 1
Criminal Justice
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Institution:
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A: Criminal Justice organizational structure
The criminal justice department is one of the most important departments. The departmental
structure helps in synchronization of work and creating a synergy in the system where justice
is seen to prevail. Without a good internal structure, the criminal justice department is bound
to fail in its quest to disseminate information (Davies, Croall & Tyrer, 2010).
Criminal justice consist of mainly three important parts, they include the law enforcement
officials who are the police, courts where justice is given and the correction department
which is a part of the criminal justice system. However, in this case we will look at the
organizational structure within the first part which is the police force or the law enforcement
department.
Organizational structure is important as it sets the hierarchy in which order, authority and
power flows. It is important to make sure that the flow of command especially in this type of
system is orderly to avoid insubordination especially since this is a police department. In
organizational structure, it is important to look at the strength, weaknesses, opportunities and
threats of an organization to ensure that there is free flow of authority and work (Haugen &
Musser, 2009).
B: Criminal justice diagram
Criminal justice department in different geographical areas are based depending on the crime
level and rates in the specific area. Each geographical area is headed by the deputy assistant
attorney general who prosecutes the criminal cases. Below them is a list of departments
meant to fight specific crimes each with its own department eg fraud prevention department,
money laundering, computer fraud, human rights violations and office of internal affairs.

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Source: https://www.justice.gov/sites/default/files/org-charts/orgs/images/2017/12/18/
crm-reorg-chart-approved-ag-signed-high-res.jpg
Whereas it is good to have this structures in an organization, there are also challenges that
come from the structure alignment.
Challenges: Lead a process of organizational change
Always an organizational change requires a political and human look. Concentrating only on
the rational and administrative perspective does not produce the best results. The feeling is

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many times of not knowing where to start. There are too many relevant edges to consider in a
process of change (Inciardi, 2010). Should I start by redesigning the processes, changing the
structure, training people, identifying possible resistances?
However, there are two other additional components of an organizational system that are
often disregarded by traditional administration: these are the human and political aspects of
an organization.
C. Compares and contrasts the selected organization from the organization presented in
the case study
The selected organization has got more specialized departments compared to the organization
presented in the case study. This means that the selected organization can carry out more
specialized investigations unlike the organization presented in the case study (Merino, 2013).
D. Analyzes how each department within the organization works symbiotically to
achieve its mission statement.
The criminal justice departments create a system within their functions that work together for
the same objective. The objective is enforcing justice within the community. The departments
work in different fields to achieve the objectives of delivering criminal justice to the society.
The criminal justice components comprises of police, courts and the correctional facilities.
The police force as the organization for which this paper seeks to analyze and its functions in
achieving this objectives (Parker, 2015).
Within the police organization there are various departments namely: organized crime
department, public integrity, Narcotics department, international criminal investigation,
human rights and special prosecution section department, money laundering section,

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computer crimes and intellectual property section among others. All these departments have
specialized staff to investigate in the best way possible the various activities that are meant to
break the law. Being the initial point in section of the criminal justice system, the police
organization should ensure that proper investigations are conducted to ensure that there is no
loop hole that may bring about miscarriage of justice. Poor investigation may mean that a
felon is not convicted for the crimes they have committed or an innocent person may be
convicted wrongly (Parker, 2015).
The police gather evidence which they present to the court when they apprehend a suspect.
The police is also required to transfer the suspect to the courts. This is where the relationship
between the courts and the police is created. The two components exist to make sure that
justice is enforced in the society. Hence the two departments share information such as
criminal background and evidence to make sure that the judge makes the correct decision.
This is where police depend on the courts in order to achieve their objective (Parker, 2015)
References

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Davies, M., Croall, H., & Tyrer, J. (2010). Criminal justice. New York: Pearson Longman.
Haugen, D., & Musser, S. (2009). Criminal justice. Detroit: Greenhaven Press.
Inciardi, J. (2010). Criminal justice. Boston: McGraw-Hill Higher Education.
Merino, N. (2013). Criminal Justice. Farmington Hills, MI: Greenhaven Press.
Parker, B. (2015). Criminal Justice. Open Road Media Mystery & Thriller.
Reid, S. (2008). Criminal justice. Mason, OH: Thomson.
.