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Criminal Justice System Essay

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Criminal Justice System Essay
1. Briefly outline the components of the CJS system and explain their relationship to each other and to the community. The criminal justice system has four main components, law enforcement, prosecution, Judiciary and corrections. The first of the four which is law enforcement has the duty of upholding the law and protecting the rights of those within the community. Many law enforcement officers don’t necessarily see it that way, primarily because municipalities focus more on infractions rather than on the specifics of constitutionality. Law enforcement officers have a very difficult task as they are the only agents within the criminal justice system who are charged with the triple duty of being judge, jury and executioner in certain situations. …show more content…
These situations are often complicated by the fact that these men and women come into contact many times with individuals who can only be described in terms of pure evil. Criminals commit crimes for many different reasons, some out of necessity, and others out of sadistic pleasure. Once their guilt has been established, these individuals must be housed, clothed and fed. The constitution allows for this however, it also prohibits cruel and unusual punishment so that abuses by those in power could be curtailed. The corrections departments charge to the community is maintain its security from those who would seek to damage society and prey upon the innocent.
2. Explain the origin of common law as presented in class and common law used in colonial America.
Common law comes from the Anglo-Saxon tradition, it was derived by judges, courts, as well as tribunals through a series of decisions. These decisions were then used to establish precedents whereby those who followed in subsequent decisions had a basis upon which they could make determinations on a proper course of action in any given situation. Common law developed with colonial America in very different ways and whereas most American states base their laws on common law, Louisiana based its laws on the Napoleonic code.
3. Provide a brief overview of the Constitution and Bill of Rights, concentrating on amendment’s, 1, 4, 5, 8, & 14. (what each one means to you in a few

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