Criminal Justice System

Who are key agencies of the criminal justice system?

• The Police

• Crown Prosecution Service

• The Court System

• National Offender Management Service

• Youth Justice Board

Who are the government departments responsible for the criminal justice system?

• Home office

• Attorney general

• Department of justice

What does the home office do?

• Oversees the police.

• Protects the public from terror, crime, and anti-social behaviour.

• Helps build security, justice, and respect that enable people to prosper in a free and tolerant society.

• Responsible for crime and crime reduction, policing, security, and counterterrorism.

What does the attorney general do?

• Oversees the Criminal Prosecution Service, the Serious Fraud Office, and the Revenue and Customs Prosecutions Office.

• Responsible for ensuring the rule of law is upheld.

• Takes action to appeal unduly lenient sentences and bring proceedings under the Contempt of Court Act.

What does the department of justice do?

• Oversees the magistrates’ courts, the Crown Court, the Appeals Court, the Legal Services Commission, and the NOMS.

• Manages the justice process from end to end.

• Responsible for criminal law and sentencing policy, for legal aid, reducing re-offending, and for prisons and probation.

What is the role of the criminal justice system in preventing crime?

• Deterrence

• Public protection

• Retribution

• Rehabilitation

What is deterrence?

Discouraging potential offenders from committing crimes through the threat of punishment

What is public protection?

Ensuring the safety of the public by incapacitating offenders through imprisonment or other means.

What is retribution?

Providing a sense of justice for victims and society by punishing offenders for their crimes.

What is rehabilitation?

Helping offenders to reform and reintegrate into society as law-abiding citizens.

What is the police’s role in the criminal justice system?

Enforce the law by prosecuting and catching criminals.

What is the courts role in the criminal justice system?

Determine guilt and impose an appropriate sentence.

What is functionalist view of the criminal justice system?

• They see the criminal justice system as a vital institution within society.

• It works with other social institutions to ensure social solidarity and cohesion by maintaining law and order.

What is marxist view of the criminal justice system?

• They view the Criminal Justice System as part of the repressive state apparatus.

• It is used by the ruling class to maintain their power through oppression while appearing legitimate.

What is feminist view of the criminal justice system?

• They see the criminal justice system as a tool of the patriarchy to maintain their power.

• This is done through the fact that most members of the Criminal Justice System are men.

• Women face double victimisation and double deviancy at their hands.