Criminal Justice Systems Paper

Criminal Justice System Paper The criminal justice system and the criminal justice process has shaped the laws of this country into what they are today from the concerns of politicians and government leaders as far back as the 1800s with crime control. Basically, the criminal justice system was designed to ensure the safety of individuals whom are citizens of this country. Essentially, the criminal justice system is “the structural basis used to maintain social control” (Education Decisions, 2010). The criminal justice system has many components that work together to provide justice for criminals and victims of crimes. This enables violators of the law to be prosecuted in a fair trial. The legal definition of a crime is a wrong doing classified by the state or congress as a felony or misdemeanor, or an offense against a public law. The Merriam Webster Dictionary defines crime as “an act or the commission of an act that is forbidden or the omission of a duty that is commanded by a public law and that makes the offender liable to punishment by that law” (2010). “One of the fundamental theories of the United States criminal justice system is that those on trial remain innocent until proven guilty” (Education Decisions, 2010). For the purposes of this paper, one will examine the criminal justice system and the criminal justice process as it relates to the law. In addition to this, one will discuss the government structure as it applies to the criminal justice system. From here, the reader will understand the various components of law enforcement agencies and how the criminal justice system helps a society maintain social control and order.
The Criminal Justice System and the Law The relationship to the law and the government structure as it applies to the criminal justice system is that there must be unity of act and intent to commit a crime. The structure of the law and government of a crime committed is punishment. Today various forms of punishment exist.

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