The Evolving Criminal Justice System
The Evolving Criminal Justice System
Vanessa Acevedo
Criminal Justice 101
Dr. Crump
12/8/2017
The Evolving Criminal Justice System
The criminal justice system is complex and forever transformationally expanding subject that will most likely never remain static for long. The existing field of criminal justice aids our society and improves it in numerous ways and over the course of over 400 years, the system has changed drastically in order to ensure that society benefits the most out of it. It is not a surprise that over the next 50 years, change will happen again in the criminal justice system. Although, one is not able to exactly predict the changes, they can however, judge them accordingly. These changes may take place within policing, the court system and its procedures on punishment and sentencing, the structure of correctional institutes and the privatization of them. Looking at these individual changes, I will discuss what is currently in place, what effect the changes may have in criminal justice, and whether or not these changes benefit society as a whole.
The literal definition of criminal justice is, “the system or study of law enforcement, often involving police, lawyers, courts, and corrections, used for all stages of criminal proceedings and punishment”. The overall criminal justice system is made up of agencies and processes established by governments to control crime and impose penalties on those who violate laws. In short, there is no single criminal justice system in the United States but rather many similar, individual systems.
Now, to understand the criminal justice system, one must look into the development of the criminal justice system throughout time. The idea and practice of the criminal justice system has been around since ancient times; for example, through the Middle Ages, exile was a common form of punishment. However as society evolved, so did new forms of punishment, added rights for offenders and victims, and policing reforms. These developments have reflected changing customs, political ideals, and economic conditions, and many of these developments can be seen through the history of law enforcement is one that is rich and full of complexity; The origins of U.S. police agencies can be traced back to early English society. Prior to law enforcement agencies, every person living in the villages scattered throughout the countryside of England was responsible for aiding neighbors and protecting the settlement from thieves and marauders. In the 13th century, the Watch System was created to help protect property in England’s larger cities and towns thus creating the Watchmen who were responsible for patrolling at night and helped protect against robberies, fires, and disturbances. As the 18th century began, rising crime rates in cities encouraged a new form of private, monied police, who were able to profit both legally and criminally from the lack of formal police departments. Th...
