What is Criminal Justice
William Malyakas
Sociology 234
Dr. Candace Griffith
14 January 2015
What is Criminal Justice? Various information can be added to the discussion when trying to decipher the true meaning that pertains to what criminal justice really is. In a practice sense, one can easily define criminal justice as sanctioning or detaining those who fail to obey the law. Sanctions can be issued out to those who commit minor offences such as receiving tickets for automotive purposes, or as major as arresting someone for murder and placing them in prison for the remainder of their lives. Up to this point, I feel I have a decent grasp pertaining to the true meaning of criminal justice. Criminal justice is meant to prevent crime from commencing for the most part, leading people to believe that there will be consequences for their illegal actions no matter how minor or major they may be. In a sense it’s the way that we deal with crime, and criminals whether it be issuing a citation, or arresting them and setting them up to face more serious charges in the court of law. To make sure the laws are being enforced, there are three levels to the criminal justice system. These three include law enforcement, courts, and finally corrections. In unison, these three prevent and punish illegal or deviant behavior. The law enforcement branch happens to be the one we see on a daily basis and most frequent. Police officers are typically the first line of defense. Officers patrol communities, investigate crimes, and arrest those suspected of committing crimes. Court systems take the responsibility to sentence and punish those accused of breaking the law. Correction officers are those responsible to make sure that everything goes off without a hitch in prisons, and are the defensive unit that break up altercations between inmates if they arise at any moment. Criminal justice is used for upholding social order and control, mitigating crimes, and punishing those who violate laws with criminal
Sociology 234
Dr. Candace Griffith
14 January 2015
What is Criminal Justice? Various information can be added to the discussion when trying to decipher the true meaning that pertains to what criminal justice really is. In a practice sense, one can easily define criminal justice as sanctioning or detaining those who fail to obey the law. Sanctions can be issued out to those who commit minor offences such as receiving tickets for automotive purposes, or as major as arresting someone for murder and placing them in prison for the remainder of their lives. Up to this point, I feel I have a decent grasp pertaining to the true meaning of criminal justice. Criminal justice is meant to prevent crime from commencing for the most part, leading people to believe that there will be consequences for their illegal actions no matter how minor or major they may be. In a sense it’s the way that we deal with crime, and criminals whether it be issuing a citation, or arresting them and setting them up to face more serious charges in the court of law. To make sure the laws are being enforced, there are three levels to the criminal justice system. These three include law enforcement, courts, and finally corrections. In unison, these three prevent and punish illegal or deviant behavior. The law enforcement branch happens to be the one we see on a daily basis and most frequent. Police officers are typically the first line of defense. Officers patrol communities, investigate crimes, and arrest those suspected of committing crimes. Court systems take the responsibility to sentence and punish those accused of breaking the law. Correction officers are those responsible to make sure that everything goes off without a hitch in prisons, and are the defensive unit that break up altercations between inmates if they arise at any moment. Criminal justice is used for upholding social order and control, mitigating crimes, and punishing those who violate laws with criminal