Criminal justice is the structure of laws, rules and agencies designed to hold criminals accountable for their misdeeds and help them to restore their victims as much as possible.
The three major components of the criminal justice system are as follows:
1. Law enforcement: Criminal justice professionals who enforce laws and apprehend violators. This area also includes the programs and efforts designed to prevent criminal activity. 2. The court system: Courts prosecute criminal cases and defend against those prosecutions, while protecting witnesses and victims who come forward to participate in court proceedings. The court system is also responsible for analyzing and creating new laws that prohibit or penalize behavior. 3. Corrections: Correctional agencies are tasked with the housing, punishment and rehabilitation of law offenders.
Many people are needed to work across these areas.
Accordingly, there are (at least) three types of criminal justice professionals
Law enforcement professionals In law enforcement, officers patrol and report any criminal activity they observe in their areas. They arrest offenders, investigate crimes, gather evidence and provide testimony in court. Common types of law enforcement positions include:
Police officers Sheriffs Patrolmen Police investigators Police detectives Federal agents
Court-related professionals
There are many types of lawyers on both the prosecution and defense sides, including:
City attorneys District attorneys Attorneys general United States attorneys County public defenders Alternate public defenders Federal defenders
Beyond lawyers, many other professionals work within the courts to help uphold the criminal justice system, leading and supporting legal proceedings. These positions include the following:
Judges Paralegals Court clerks Court reporters Court officers Process servers Victim advocates Witness coordinators
Corrections professionals “Corrections” is the term used to describe the network of agencies overseeing incarcerated individuals and those in rehabilitation, parole or probation. Depending on the severity of the offense and the criminal’s history, the individual may be sent to jail or prison, or they may receive some other form of punitive measures.
Corrections officers Probation officers Parole officers Rehabilitation specialists Corrections counselors Wardens
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