Punishment in the criminal justice system

What is the CJS process

• Offence is reported to the police

• Police investigation

• Crown prosecution service

• Charge

• Pleads/found guilty

• Sentence

Role of the police, crown prosecutors and magistrates

• Police, keeping the peace and investigating offences reported to them

• Crown prosecutors, deciding whether there is sufficient evidence to charge and prosecute an alleged offender, prosecuting the offence in court

• Magistrates, deal with cases in the magistrates courts including hearing trials. They usually sit in panels of three (known as the bench, one of them is the chair of the bench

Roles of judges, defence lawyers, probation officers, prison officers

• Judges, deal with cases in the crown court

• Defence lawyers, responsible for representing defendants accused of an offence

• Probation officers, provides information and assessments on offenders appearing before the courts

• Supervise offenders on community orders and post release licenses

• Prison officers, responsible for the security and welfare of prisoners in their establishments.

Sentencing options