Pros and Cons of the Criminal Justice System

Published: 2017-11-03 12:19:07
1130 words
4 pages
10 min to read
Vanderbilt University
Type of paper: 


Criminal justice is established as the system of procedures and institutions keen on maintaining social control, mitigating and deterring crime. It also focuses on apprehending those that violate set laws with rehabilitation and criminal penalties. It is prudent that for any society to thrive there is need for a safe environment which can only be facilitated by personnel and protocols within the criminal justice system.  Criminal justice does not operate alone but also incorporates public participation and trust. The latter can only be achieved through the foundation of thin balance between crime and justice.  To attain this each country has its own set criminal justice policy which capture’s its security and its citizenry’s aspirations.  With the keen interest in this field, there are notable pros and cons that characterize it.

US Legal System

Criminal justice is a field that allows individuals to give back to the society. It provides a platform for individuals that intend to maintain law and order in various capacities. The field is broad enough in that it draws multiple talents such as IT, forensic investigation, criminologists, correctional officers et cetera. It thus enables different people to offer their valuable service to the stability of the community and society in general.

Criminal justice is instrumental in enhancing accurate dispensation of justice. It equips professionals within the field to carry out undue investigations both in the laboratory, crime scenes and interrogation rooms in order to provide an accurate picture. Over the years, criminal justice system has managed to solve difficult cases which in previous decades would have been closed down for lack of sufficient findings and evidence. For instance, forensic science has been integral to placing suspects in crime scenes by the most minor details such as hair strands, saliva, semen, blood et cetera. The field also protects the rights of the suspects too. The system provides an attorney to defend a suspect in the courts of law with the intention of allowing justice to take its full course as the law demands. In the United States, suspects are also protected by the Fifth Amendment. The amendment gives a suspect the right from saying anything or being forced to ask questions which essentially might put him or her into deeper trouble. Such initiatives by the criminal justice system promote justice for all parties involved.

The field further ensures that crime is contained in analytical manner which is informed by past studies, trends and an information-based system. The system is fundamental in ensuring that crime policies are based on problem-oriented and intelligence-led systems. The problem-oriented system looks into   the analysis and identification of distinct disorder and crime problems so as to establish effective strategies. The intelligence-led system is linked to management and assessment of risk through criminal justice tools. All these strategies are termed as non-reactive in that they focus on managing crime through modern surveillance systems and information collecting avenues.

The criminal justice field

Criminal justice creates the needed stabilized environment that is conducive for business and social endeavors. Criminal justice allows the citizenry, corporates and other society members derive benefits of the synergy precipitated by working security and correctional systems. Criminal justice field, for instance, ensures that there are coordinated systems and security protocols that enable law enforcers respond quickly to emergencies. It is these well-laid out systems that ensure the citizenry accesses the relevant security agents easily.  A good example is the CCTV surveillance system that has a number of surveillance cameras in strategic points. Surveillance cameras are key in the apprehension of suspects providing time stamps, facial recognition evidence et cetera. With such surveillance, many businesses can thrive without any worries. An established hotline and online website, for instance, allow the public to contact the law enforcement officials easily. With eased communication and response, security and safety can be improved.

The criminal justice field plays a key role of highlighting the inefficiencies in the set laws. Through analytical and specialized review of crimes, lawmakers can be informed of the rigidities experienced in the enforcement of laws. For instance in America, body cameras were introduced in order to offer enough evidence in prosecuting criminals and also providing the pertinent information needed to establish the conduct of a law enforcement officer.  The criminal justice system is also expanded with input from various experts within it that advise security laws as they pertain to different fields. In America, plea bargaining was adopted by the criminal justice system in its efforts to reduce the overcrowding within the court system. It also focuses on reducing the time needed in dispensing justice.

The cons of the criminal justice system are founded in the costs involved in running and improving it. The criminal justice system in any country takes up much of the public coffers which if unchecked may place a necessary burden to the taxpayers. The costs can also impair a government’s functionalities in other areas.  The cost rehabilitating criminals at times affects the financial status of states and governments. Maintaining incarcerated individuals is a costly affair.  It is thus fundamental for the criminal justice field to pinpoint other cost-friendly measures for rehabilitating criminals.

The criminal justice field has been a key player in advancing ethnic and racial profiling. In the United States, the black lives matter was precipitated by the increased number of black men losing their lives to overzealous law enforcement officers. Many of the minority groups perceive the criminal justice as racist and predominantly in the service of the white community.  A number of court rulings have drawn mixed reactions in the role of the criminal justice department efforts in promoting justice and social stability.

The criminal justice system, in a number of instances, lags behind when it comes to sophisticated criminals such as hackers. Cybercrime is one area that many criminal justice systems have not effectively been to contain. In many cases the criminal justice department plays catch up with many crimes. This is dangerous as it may compromise the security of the public and businesses that rely on the state criminal justice departments and facilities.

In conclusion, criminal justice as a field is integral in the stability of a society and a nation at large. The system, however, requires effective policies in order for it to deliver its mandate. The criminal justice system is fundamental for any country that seeks to facilitate a stabilized environment that not only punishes but also rehabilitates its citizens found guilty of crimes. The system can thus be said to thrive on the delicate balance between justice and crime. It appreciates the rights of every individual but at the same time seeks ways of containing any dissident elements within a society through a due established process.


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