Introduction to Criminal Justice Mid Term Study Guide Crime A function of social control Crimes are determined by legislature Criminal Justice System The law enforcement court and the correctional agencies that work together to affect the apprehension prosecution and control of criminals They re in charge of maintaining order enforcing the law identifying transgressors bringing the guilty to justice and treating criminal behavior Criminology The scientific study of crime and criminals Criminology vs Criminal Justice System Criminology explains why individuals engage in that behavior Criminal Justice explains how the system works and how the system affects behavior NOT MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE Social Control The control of an individual s behavior by social and institutional forces in society Events that Changed Crime Control 1 Civil Rights Movement 1960 s 1970 s 2 War on Drugs 1980 s Just Say No Campaign 3 Rodney King Riots 1990 s Watch the Police 4 Terrorism 2000 s 9 11 What did the Rodney King Riots change about policing Drastically changed policing Instead of focusing on the crime fighting ability they should worry about trying to be helpful build a better community be a role model In presence requirement In order to make an arrest for a misdemeanor a police officer must have witnessed the crime first hand True Bill of Indictment Written statement charging a defendant with the commission of a crime drawn up by a grand jury This happens when the grand jury finds sufficient evidence to support indictment Information Charging document filed by the prosecution that forms the basis of the preliminary hearing Criminal Justice Process The decision making points starting from the initial investigation arrest to the release of the offender the various sequential stages through which the offender passes The formal criminal justice process goes like this Initial Contact Investigation 1 2 3 Arrest 4 Custody 5 Charging 6 Preliminary Hearing Grand Jury 7 Arraignment 8 Bail Detention 9 Plea Bargaining 10 Trial Adjudication 11 Sentencing Disposition 12 Appeal Post Conviction 13 Correctional Treatment 14 Release 15 Post Release Two Models Used to describe the Criminal Justice Process Wedding cake model and criminal justice assembly line funnel Wedding Cake Model At the top it is the so called celebrated cases These are the ones that get a lot of media coverage and most of the time involve celebrities Under that is the serious offenses such as the Index Crimes Then is the less serious offenses usually committed by first time offenders or younger people Finally there is the millions of misdemeanors that get brought to the criminal justice system on a regular basis Crime Control Perspective Crime Control believes that society would rather convict innocent person than let a guilty person go free Due Process Perspective Due Process believes that society would rather let a guilty person go free than convict an innocent person Rehabilitation Perspective View crimes as an expression of frustration and anger created by social inequality The justice system is a means of caring for and treating people who have been the victims of this inequity Nonintervention Perspective Believes justice agencies should limit their involvement with criminal defendants Regardless of whether intervention is designed to punish people or treat them the ultimate effect of any involvement is harmful and will have long term negative consequences Equal Justice Perspective Believes the greatest challenge facing the American criminal justice system is its capability to dispense fair and equal justice to those who come before the law Restorative Justice Perspective Views the efforts of the state to punish and control as encouraging crime rather than discouraging it Mutual aid rather than coercive punishment is the key to a harmonious society Derek Cornish and Ronald Clark Designed rational choice theory Emilie Durkheim Father of Sociology credited with using science to study criminology August Vollmer Was in the IACP required all police officers have University training WANTED TO USE SCIENCE TO HELP W POLICING O W Wilson Was in the IACP change up jurisdictions to beat corruption wrote textbook called Police Administration Henry Fielding Founded the Bow Street Runners Sir Robert Peel Founded the New Police Bobbies This was seen to be the first modern police force Walked around instead of just standing on a street corner Goal was to be proactive and stop crime before it happened Alice Stebbins Wells First female police officer Argued that women are able to provide services to women and children that male officers can t and it also protects the male officers especially when it comes to patting down and searching victims How is Crime Defined 3 views 1 Consensus View 2 Conflict View 3 Interactionist View Conflict View The content of criminal law and the definition of crime are shaped and controlled by the ongoing class struggle between the rich and the poor the haves and the have nots According to this view criminal law is created and enforced by the ruling class as a mechanism for controlling dissatisfied have not members of society It enables the wealthy to maintain their position of power and control the behavior of those who oppose their ideas and values Consensus View Crimes are behaviors that are essentially harmful to a majority of citizens living in society and therefore have been controlled or prohibited by the existing criminal law We as a society believe that these things we deem as criminal hurt the majority of society Interactionist View Criminal law is structured to reflect the preferences and opinions of people who hold social power and use their influence to shape the legal system This view states that many crimes are only illegal because they are in conflict with social norms Moral Entrepreneur They wage campaigns to control behaviors they view as immoral and wrong for example abortion or try to legalize behaviors they consider harmless for example smoking marijuana Crime Statistics Trends Patterns Crime stats provide an overview of criminal activity Decision makers at all levels rely on crime data to analyze and evaluate existing programs fashion and design new crime control initiatives develop funding requests plan new laws and crime control legislation Problems with Crime Statistics and Social Policy 3 main concerns are 1 Social events including crime are complex and difficult to quantify 2 Bias of policymakers 3 Public
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