Comparing the Criminal Justice Systems of the US, UK and Japan

2408 Words5 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: The importance of the courts in the criminal justice system

The criminal justice systems vary in each country as far as their policies and procedures go. Each aspect of the criminal justice system has its advantages and disadvantages. The main purpose of the criminal justice system is to sanction criminals, mitigate crime, increase security and uphold a fair system of justice. In some cultures, fairness is not always given as certain laws are expected to be honored. This paper will discuss the criminal justice system in the United States, England and Japan.
The criminal justice system in the United States is made up of three parts: the police, the courts and corrections (Drakeford, 2011). Each one of these parts works simultaneously together and the work of one influences the work on another. All three parts of the US system have been influenced and stem from English law. To start, the role of the police in the US criminal justice system consists of the collection of evidence, arresting offenders, giving testimony in court and performing investigations (victimsofcrime.org, 2008). Officers begin by creating a report with all the information they have gathered. An investigation of the crime then begins and the identification of the suspect is underway. Once the suspect is thought to be found, officers can issue a citation for him/her to appear in court. The case will just remain open if there was not enough evidence collected (victimsofcrime.org, 2008). Next is the role of the courts. The courts decisions are made by judges who also are the key factor in determining sentences and plea bargains. Once an offender is convicted, they are either sent to prison or jail. Prisons are typically for high crimes while jail is usually for those who have committed a lesser offense. It is the courts ...

... middle of paper ...

...approach is often overlooked and could be implemented into other criminal justice systems around the world (Lane, 2004).
The procedures and policies of each of these three countries differ but they still have similarities in certain areas. No government is perfect and most would agree that reform is needed in all of them. In the US and UK criminal justice system, equality is emphasized and most of the time in these systems people are treated equally and fairly. In the Japanese criminal justice system, settling your differences on a personal level is encouraged as harmony among individuals is valued in Japanese culture, however, the Japanese system is viewed as more rigid compared to those in Western cultures. All criminal justice systems vary accordingly around the world but most share one common goal and that is to protect their citizens while controlling crime.

Show More
Related

  • Criminal Law: The Daniel Morcombe Case

    1231 Words  | 3 Pages

    Criminal law attempts to balance the rights of individuals to freedom from interference with person or property, and society’s need for order. Procedural matters, the rights of citizens and powers of the state, specific offences and defences, and punishment and compensation are some of the ways society and the criminal justice system interact.

    Read More

  • Compare And Contrast The Due Process Model And Crime Control Models

    851 Words  | 2 Pages

    When examining criminal justice systems it is important to note two important criminal justice models, the due process model and the crime control models. Most governments function based on several aspects from each criminal justice model; these crime models were initially introduced by Herbert Packer in 1968 (Cole, Smith, & DeJong, 2014). The due process model in the criminal justice system reflects the formal decision making process and highlights the importance of ensuring the criminal justice system works upon reliable knowledge (Cole, Smith, & DeJong, 2014). The crime control model is based on efficiency and ensuring crime is repressed as much as possible; this model promotes bargaining and often encourages defendants making deals with

    Read More

  • The History of the Criminal Justice System in America

    439 Words  | 1 Pages

    The criminal justice system has been evolving since the first colonists came to America. At first, the colonists used a criminal justice system that mirrored those in England, France, and Holland. Slowly the French and Dutch influences faded away leaving what was considered the English common law system. The common law system was nothing more than a set of rules used to solve problems within the communities. This system was not based on laws or codes, but simply that of previous decisions handed down by judges. Although rudimentary, this common law system did make the distinction between misdemeanors and the more serious crimes known as felonies.

    Read More

  • How Does The Fear Of Crime Influence Criminal Justice

    872 Words  | 2 Pages

    This paper will be focusing on the courts as the specific sub-system in the criminal justice system. As said in the book the court system is responsible for charging criminal suspects, carrying out trials, and sentencing a person convicted of a crime. The fear of crime influences criminal justice policies in the court system. One way it does this is with the courts sentencing. Courts are able to give out severe punishments as a method of deterrence. This specific type of deterrence would be general deterrence. The book says that general deterrence theory should work if the punishment is clear, severe, and done swiftly. According to this theory, crime rate should drop because people will fear the punishment. The other way fear of crime influences

    Read More

  • Criminal Justice

    751 Words  | 2 Pages

    The governance of our present day public and social order co-exist within the present day individual. Attempts to recognize the essentiality of equality in hopes of achieving an imaginable notion of structure and order, has led evidence based practitioners such as Herbert Packer to approach crime and the criminal justice system through due process and crime control. A system where packer believed in which ones rights are not to be infringed defrauded or abused was to be considered to be the ideal for procedural fairness. “I would rather be exposed to the inconveniences attending too much liberty than to those attending too small a degree of it.” Thomas Jefferson pg 9 cjt To convict an individual because proper consideration was not taken will stir up social unrest rather then it’s initial intent, when he or she who has committed the crime is not punished for their doings can cause for a repetition and even collaboration with other’s for a similar or greater crime.

    Read More

  • Criminal Justice Trends

    1561 Words  | 4 Pages

    The criminal justice system is a group of institutions that work together to protect a society, prevent and control crime, and maintain justice; enforcing the laws regulated by society. As the years have gone by and society has evolved; so have the criminal justice system and its methods to accomplish its role in society. This short analysis will evaluate the main facts that have been affecting the criminal justice system for decades and have influenced the evolution the justice system is enduring in a changing society (Muraski, 2009). Amongst the changes in the system, we will discuss the effect the changes have had on the citizens and how their perceptions have evolved as well.

    Read More

  • The Penal and Judiciary System: The High Cost of Incarceration

    1857 Words  | 4 Pages

    While there are many problems with the judicial system, there are two major positive aspects that the penal system does well. It does keep serious and violent criminals off the streets for a period of time, and it is less final than the death penalty. Capital punishment is opposed by the United Methodist Church, the largest mainstre...

    Read More

  • Analysis Of 'The Prisoner's Dilemma'

    1019 Words  | 3 Pages

    In Western cultures imprisonment is the universal method of punishing criminals (Chapman 571). According to criminologists locking up criminals may not even be an effective form of punishment. First, the prison sentences do not serve as an example to deter future criminals, which is indicated, in the increased rates of criminal behavior over the years. Secondly, prisons may protect the average citizen from crimes but the violence is then diverted to prison workers and other inmates. Finally, inmates are locked together which impedes their rehabilitation and exposes them too more criminal

    Read More

  • Is Parole Ineffective of Effective in Curbing Recidivism?

    2253 Words  | 5 Pages

    All the laws, which concern with the administration of justice in cases where an individual has been accused of a crime, always begin with the initial investigation of the crime and end either with imposition of punishment or with the unconditional release of the person. Most of the time it is the duty of the members of constituted authorities to inflict the punishment. Thus it can be said that almost all of the punishments are an act of self-defense and an act of defending the community against different types of offences. According to Professor Hart “the ultimate justification of any punishment is not that it is deterrent but that it is the emphatic denunciation by the community of a crime” (Hart P.65). Whenever the punishments are inflicted having rationale and humane factor in mind and not motivated by our punitive passions and pleasures then it can be justified otherwise it is nothing but a brutal act of terrorism. Prison System: It has often been argued that the criminals and convicted prisoners are being set free while the law-abiding citizens are starving. Some people are strongly opposed the present prison and parole system and said that prisoners are not given any chance for parole. Prisons must provide the following results: Keep dangerous criminals off the street Create a deterrent for creating a crime The deterrent for creating a crime can be justified in the following four types Retribution: according to this type, the goal of prison is to give people, who commit a crime, what they deserved Deterrence: in this type of justification, the goal of punishment is to prevent certain type of conduct Reform: reform type describes that crime is a disease and so the goal of punishment is to heal people Incapacitation: the...

    Read More

  • paper

    986 Words  | 2 Pages

    The second component of the criminal justice system is the court system. They court system is composed of lawyers, judges, and juries. Their job is to insure that everyone receives a fair trial, determine guilt or innocence, and apply sentences on guilty parties. The court system will contain one judge, and a jury of twelve citizens. The jury of the court will determine the guilt or innocence of the individual. The jury will also recommend a sentence for the crime the individual committed. Even though the jury makes the recommendation for the sentencing of the crime, the judge will follow pre-determined sentencing guidelines to make a final decision.

    Read More

  • Canada Should Focus More on Rehabilitation and Less on Retribution

    3232 Words  | 7 Pages

    Society has long since operated on a system of reward and punishment. That is, when good deeds are done or a person behaves in a desired way they SP are rewarded, or conversely punished when behaviour does not meet the societal norms. Those who defy these norms and commit crime are often punished by organized governmental justice systems through the use of penitentiaries, where prisoners carry out their sentences. The main goals of sentencing include deterrence, safety of the public, retribution, rehabilitation, punishment and respect for the law (Government of Canada, 2013). However, the type of justice system in place within a state or country greatly influences the aims and mandates of prisons and in turn targets different aspects of sentencing goals. Justice systems commonly focus on either rehabilitative or retributive measures.

    Read More

  • Pursuing a Degree in Criminal Justice

    1751 Words  | 4 Pages

    Today our world is filled with crime. The people committing these crimes must have a consequence for their illegal actions. The system in place to keeping everything fair and safe is called the criminal justice system. This was put in place to ensure there is fairness and justice served to people who break the laws set up by the government.

    Read More

  • The Criminal Justice System

    1478 Words  | 3 Pages

    Schmalleger, F. (2009), Prentice Hall, Publication. Criminal Justice Today: An introductory Text for the 21st century

    Read More

  • The History Of Criminal Justice

    1016 Words  | 3 Pages

    The definition of justice and the means by which it must be distributed differ depending on an individual’s background, culture, and own personal morals. As a country of many individualistic citizens, the United States has always tried its best to protect, but not coddle, its people in this area. Therefore, the criminal justice history of the United States is quite extensive and diverse; with each introduction of a new era, more modern technologies and ideals are incorporated into government, all with American citizens’ best interests in mind.

    Read More

  • The Purpose of Criminal Law

    855 Words  | 2 Pages

    Laws serve several purposes in the criminal justice system. The main purpose of criminal law is to protect, serve, and limit human actions and to help guide human conduct. Also, laws provide penalties and punishment against those who are guilty of committing crimes against property or persons. In the modern world, there are three choices in dealing with criminals’ namely criminal punishment, private action and executive control. Although both private action and executive control are advantageous in terms of costs and speed, they present big dangers that discourage their use unless in exceptional situations. The second purpose of criminal law is to punish the offender. Punishing the offender is the most important purpose of criminal law since by doing so; it discourages him from committing crime again while making him or her pay for their crimes. Retribution does not mean inflicting physical punishment by incarceration only, but it also may include things like rehabilitation and financial retribution among other things. The last purpose of criminal law is to protect the community from criminals. Criminal law acts as the means through which the society protects itself from those who are harmful or dangerous to it. This is achieved through sentences meant to act as a way of deterring the offender from repeating the same crime in the future.

    Read More

More about Comparing the Criminal Justice Systems of the US, UK and Japan

Open Document