Ariel Parrett
CJA/204
7/7/14
Lisa Corprew
Criminal Justice System The criminal justice system is a complex structure that has grown throughout time. However, what exactly is crime? Are there different reasoning behind why crimes are committed? What goals and process does the system follow to help lower these crimes? Many people have ideas and concepts as to what the system does. One of those concepts is, “the protection of the innocent, the fair treatment of offenders, and the fair play by the agencies of law enforcement, including courts and correctional institutions.” (Schmalleger, 2011, p.14). However, does everything actually run as smoothly as they think? Is the system …show more content…
This means crime an act against a law. However, there are many factors contributing to whether an act is a crime or not. For example, certain drugs are illegal in some states where in others they are perfectly legal. Some people may think playing music too loud is a crime, but in many areas, this is not the case; it can just be annoying.
Theories Behind Crime Studying human behavior and patterns can lead to some great theories as to why people commit crimes, as well as statistics and trends. Figuring out why the crimes are committed will help the criminal justice system lower the crime rates. It could be sociological, social process, biological, psychological, or just classical. Someone can be affected by their surroundings, whether it is the community, they live in or peer pressure. In addition, someone’s genetics can have an influence on his or her behaviors. That person could suffer from a mental illness that causes irrational behaviors. There are also the individuals that just want to do it on their own free will (Schmalleger, 2011, p.