Week 2

Comparing Criminal Justice Systems

The cases of Amanda Knox and Michael Fay offer good opportunities to compare criminal justice systems. Both were young US citizens accused of crimes in other countries. These cases illustrated the differences between the US criminal justice system and those of other nations.

Consider such factors as pretrial release, burden of proof, right to appeal, and type of punishment. Prepare a report in a 4- to 5-page Microsoft Word document responding to the following questions:

• What were the alleged crimes involved? Summarize both the cases.
• Did the court system use an adversarial or inquisitorial method? Explain.
• What were the final outcomes of the cases? Provide a legal ground for the outcome and justify your answer with appropriate research and reasoning.
• In what ways did the process differ from how it would have occurred in the United States?
• In what ways was the process similar to that in the United States? Explain with proper reasoning.

Support your responses with examples.

Cite any sources in APA format.