Criminal Justice System Essay

The duties of the police are: enforcing the law, investigating crimes, and apprehending the offenders. They are also responsible for crime prevention and reduction, maintaining order in the public, and ensuring that their communities are kept safe. They are often called upon to assist in emergency situations as well as provide community service. Once the division of police has done its part, everything is turned over to the court system. The court system is now responsible for overseeing the trials and keeping them fair and impartial. The criminal cases are decided in the courts and are given due process. The ultimate responsibility of the court is to determine whether the accused is innocent or guilty of the accusations imposed. Once that verdict has been determined, the court must uphold the law with fairness while protecting the rights of the accused. The division of corrections is responsible for carrying out the sentences that are handed down by the courts. Inside of the correction facilities, the offenders must be provided with a safe and humane environment. This division must provide rehabilitation and reformation so that the convicted can be reintegrated back into society. While in corrections’ custody, the human and legal rights of the convicted must always be respected. The criminal justice process is as follows: Investigation and arrest, pretrial activities, trial, sentencing and corrections. During the investigation and arrest, a warrant is issued by a judicial officer and the local authorities conduct the arrest and booking into the jail. Next comes the pretrial activities, which includes the first appearance, preliminary hearing, indictment