Introduction Crime and The Criminal Justice System

Criminal Justice System

Institutions, policies, and practices that are designed to maintain social order and protect society

Law enforcement

Tasked with patrolling communities, investigating crimes, and arresting individuals suspected of committing crimes

Courts

Interpret criminal laws and sanction offenders

Corrections

House, supervise, and rehabilitate individuals after they are arrested

Correctional Population in 2021

approx 5.5 mil ppl

Number of people incarcerated in jails and prisons

2 mil ppl

Number of people under probation and parole supervision

3.5 mil ppl

Probation supervision

Happens instead of incarceration

Parole supervision

Happens after incarceration, when an inmate is released before his/her prison term is completed

Incarceration

the state of being confined in prison; imprisonment.

Trend of correctional population in the US

Been decreasing for over a decade but still has highest incarceration rate in the world

Main factor of high incarceration rate

“Tough on crime” legislation. Three-strikes law, mandatory minimum sentences for drug offences

Three-strikes law

A legal statute that imposes harsher sentences on individuals convicted of multiple felonies, often leading to life sentences after three convictions.

Crime

Violation of criminal law, a social construct

Why is crime a social construct?

Whether an act is considered a crime is determined by social or cultural context. Even the most severe crimes such as murder and rape

Types of crimes

Street crimes, non-street crimes

Street crimes

Common violent, property, and minor crimes

Non-street crimes

White-collar crimes, cyber crimes, organised crimes

Violent crimes

Murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, simple assault

Aggravated assault

Assault with a weapon

Property crimes

Larceny theft, burglary, motor vehicle theft, arson

Larceny theft

Determined by amount/monetary value of goods, location (definition varies by state)

Minor crimes

Disorderly conduct, trespassing, loitering

White-collar crimes

Offences committed by people of high status within the context of their jobs. e.g. embezzlement, price-fixing, illegal dumping of toxic waste

Cyber crimes

Crimes committed through the internet. e.g. ransomware attack, identify theft, infecting a digital device with a virus

Organised crime

A continuing illegal enterprise maintained through force and corruption of public officials

Consensus model

Based on the idea that the criminal justice system was designed to serve the greater good. The different components of the system work in tandem to achieve social justice

The conflict model

The criminal justice system is designed to serve the powerful class in society. Criminal justice behaviour is behaviour that inconveniences the powerful.

Influences of the media

Much of the general public’s knowledge about crime and the criminal justice system is influenced by the media. Their perception of nature and the extent of crime tends to be inaccurate

Media framing

Simplifying stories about crime for consumers to understand them more easily. Presents an incomplete picture of the crime problem in the country.

Types of Media Frames

Faulty criminal justice system, blocked opportunities, social breakdown, racist criminal justice system, violent media

Faulty criminal justice system

Crime occurs because the criminal justice system is weak. Unable to hold offenders accountable

Blocked opportunities

Crime is the result of poverty and the inability to find stable employment in low-income neighbourhoods

Social breakdown

Breakdown of the nuclear family leads to crime

Racist criminal justice system

The criminal justice system is designed to oppress racial minorities

Violent media

Individuals commit crimes due to violent movies and games