The criminal justice system is a complex concept in the society, but every individual recognizes the significant role it plays in their lives. According to Schmalleger et al. (2014), the criminal justice system is the system in which offenders are detected, detained, tried, and punished accordingly. Five primary components make up the criminal justice system, which includes law enforcement, prosecution, defense attorneys, courts, and correction. Each element is important as they work together to prevent and punish the criminals.
Law enforcement: The law enforcement officers investigate the offenses, gather and protect the evidence to build a report for the case (Siegel & Worrall, 2014). The officers are appointed in …show more content…
Prosecutors are the lawyers who represent the federal government or the state. They conduct a substantial review and evaluation of the case from the first stage of the episode, to the executive part of the sentence.
Defense attorneys: The defendants are eligible to be represented by a lawyer in the court. In a situation where the defendant cannot afford to hire a lawyer, the court appoints one for them to process the case (Schmalleger et al., 2014). The prosecutor represents the state’s interest, while the defense lawyer represents the defendant’s interests and rights.
Court: The courts are run by the state judges, whose roles is to oversee the trial and ensure that every person in the court room follows the laws during the trials (Siegel & Worrall, 2014). They listen to the evidence represented by the attorneys from both sides, where they may accept or reject the plea agreement, or sentence the offenders convicted of conducting an offense.
Correction: The primary objective of this component is to correct or punish the criminals. The correction officers oversee and supervise the offenders when they are in prisons or with the community. Again, they may be obligated to prepare a comprehensive report of the offender's behaviors to help the judges to decide the