Criminal Justice Process
It can be argued that the criminal justice system is a process, albeit an inefficient and nonlinear one. Some cases move slowly, while others move quickly, as if on an assembly line. In some instances, cases are filtered out of the process for several reasons. However, Paper Masters has written many research papers on the criminal justice process, which usually includes the following steps:
- Commission of a Crime
- Investigation of a Crime
- Arrest of a Suspect
- Initial Appearance
- Trial
- Sentencing
- Corrections
- Release
The first step in the criminal justice process is the commission of a crime. Crime can simply be defined as an act that violates the law. Crimes are usually not immediately known to the police, but rather reported by citizens upon discovery. The second step in the process is therefore investigation, when the police solve the crime. Paper Masters can compose a custom written research paper on Criminal Justice Process that follows your guidelines.
Criminal Justice Process and Arrest
Upon the collection of enough evidence, the police will arrest a suspect, step three. Arrest occurs when the police take the suspect into custody to begin the prosecution stage. Following an arrest, booking occurs (photographing and fingerprinting), which creates an administrative record of a suspect.
The next stage in the process is an initial appearance, when a suspect appears before a judge, hears the formal charges, and may or may not post bail. Following this is either a preliminary hearing or a grand jury, either one is to ensure that the innocent are not hastily being prosecuted. The remainder of the criminal justice process involves trial, sentencing, corrections and release upon completion of a sentence.