Overview of the Criminal Justice System

Overview of the Criminal Justice System

Danita N Wright

AIU Online

Abstract

The criminal justice system is made up of intricate pieces of a large puzzle. The age of "Law and Order", CSI, and other television program has all but eliminated the real parts of the puzzle that lead to the arrest of the suspect. Before one is educated on how this works, he should be made aware of the roles that each person plays and at what stage they are bought into the scene. Everyone from the policeman to the judge encounters the suspect at different stages and there are many things that happen to maintain the flow of the justice system.

Overview of the Criminal Justice System

Police officers, Judges, District Attorneys, and Prosecutors all play their own part in the criminal justice system. They all have their own different interaction with either the suspect or criminal defendant. There are different things that must happen before each has their chance. The same goes for the suspect, usually his first interaction is with the police officer, and depending on his involvement or (lack of) he will meet the defense attorney, the prosecutor and finally the judge.

The Role of the Police Officer

"The general role of the police officer is to protect and defend". This sounds simple enough. But it gets more complicated when you consider the mechanics that it requires. Usually the police officer is the first person that the suspect encounters. When there is a report of suspicious activity police are called to the scene to investigate. The officer has the task of figuring out if there has been a law broken; find witnesses restore peace to the area even if this means taking the suspect off the street.

The Role of the Defense Attorney

The defense attorney is usually the second person to come in contact with the suspect. If there are charges brought against the suspect he becomes a criminal defendant. The role of the defense attorney is to provide legal representation for the defendant and to speak on their behalf. They investigate to find ways to prove the defendants innocence or discredit what proof the prosecution has against him. The defense job is to also gather evidence and witnesses on the behalf of the criminal defendant. A defense attorney can come in prior to an arrest if the defendant waives any interrogations etc. until he gets to him.

The Role of the District Attorney

The role for the District attorney is to represent the state. It will gather and provide all evidence on the behalf of the state. Their job is to prosecute the defendant and bring him to justice. This