10/27/20
Discussion: Three Branches of Criminal
Justice
There are three branches of criminal justice and the first
one it Law Enforcement. They are in control of making
lawful arrests, executing searches of people or their
possessions and/or properties while also implementing
laws. The Law Enforcement branch is also responsible for
investigating crimes and crime scenes.
The next branch is the Courts Branch which includes
Prosecutors, Magistrates and Judges. The Prosecutors file
charges and indict the defendant, they can also reduce or
drop any charges as they see fit. The Prosecutor’s main
job is proving the defendant guilty beyond a reasonable
doubt. The Judges and Magistrates will ensure the
defendant has a fair trial, and during the trial they will set
bail, impose a sentence and dismiss charges as they see
fit.
And finally, the Corrections Branch. The corrections branch
will assign the offender to a correctional facility, make
sure they do not escape from their facility and verify they
are safe during their incarceration. Once their sentence is
complete, they will establish the specifics of their parole
or probation, oversee them during their parole or
probation and help them re-gain their freedom and
success as they return to their community following their
release.
All the branches complement each other by the way they
work together. When law enforcement arrests a defendant
and completes their investigation, it is forwarded to the
courts, mainly the prosecutor first. It is there they will
indict the defendant and file charges that are then
forwarded to the courts. Once the defendant goes through
their trial, the courts will make the decision on a sentence.
And once the offender is sentenced, the corrections
branch will set up their incarceration at a facility, oversee
them during their entire incarceration to make certain
they aren’t causing any trouble and are safe from others,
and then will help rehabilitate them back into the
community.
If one branch of criminal justice were broken, the criminal
justice system simply would not work. If there were no
courts, how would the defendant be sentenced? Without
the courts, I would imagine the Police Officers would not
arrest a suspected offender and that would lead to chaos
in the community. If they chose to arrest a suspected
offender, they would be taken right to the corrections
branch. If that were to happen, the defendant would not
have a time frame of how long they will be incarcerated,
and they also won’t be aware of what charges they are
being held on. Without the courts, defendants would not
have a quick and fair trial, and they would not have the
possibility of charges being reduced or dismissed.
