Foundations of the Criminal Justice System

In $23$ of $27$ Gallup surveys conducted since $1993$ , at least $60\%$ of U.S. adults perceived a national increase in crime compared to the previous year, despite a general downward trend in actual crime rates during most of this period.
While national perceptions of rising crime are common, fewer Americans believe crime has increased in their own communities. Since the $1990s$ , Gallup surveys consistently show that Americans are significantly less likely to report an increase in local crime compared to national crime.

Violent Crime Rate (1993-2022): The violent crime rate, based on FBI data, fell by $49\%$ .
- Robbery rates decreased by $-74\%$ .
- Aggravated assault rates decreased by $-39\%$ .
- Murder/nonnegligent manslaughter rates decreased by $-34\%$ .
Violent Crime (2024 vs. 2023): Decreased by $4.5\%$ .
- Homicides specifically dropped by $15\%$ .
Property Crime Rate (1993-2022): The U.S. property crime rate showed a $59\%$ reduction.
- Burglary rates decreased by $-75\%$ .
- Larceny/theft rates decreased by $-54\%$ .
- Motor vehicle theft rates decreased by $-53\%$ .
Property Crime (2024 vs. 2023): Declined by $8.1\%$ .

Most crimes are not reported to the police, and most reported crimes remain unsolved.
Reporting (2022 BJS Survey):
- Only $42\%$ of violent crimes tracked by BJS were reported to the police.
- Only about $32\%$ of property crimes (a much more common category) were reported.
- Robbery was identified as the most reported violent crime.
Clearance Rates (Solved Crimes):
- $37\%$ of violent crimes are solved.
- $52\%$ of homicides are solved.
- $12\%$ of property crimes are solved.

Exonerated: $200$ individuals have been exonerated from death row (since $1974$ is also mentioned but $1976$ is the primary figure associated with executions).
- Black individuals: $108$
- White individuals: $70$
- Latino individuals: $19$
Executed: $1635$ individuals have been executed in the U.S. since $1976$ .
- White individuals: $914$
- Black individuals: $554$
- Latino individuals: $135$
Murder Victims in Execution Cases: More than $75\%$ of murder victims in cases resulting in execution are White, despite White individuals nationally constituting only $50\%$ of murder victims.

Total Incarcerated Population: Approximately $1.9$ million people are incarcerated in the United States at any given time, although these figures have shown a slight downward trend in recent years.
- State prisons: Roughly $1.1$ million.
- Federal prisons: $208,000$
- Jails: $552,000$
- Other facilities (youth, territorial, private, immigration, military, tribal): $103,000$
Incarceration for Drug Crimes:
- On average, roughly $20\%$ (approximately $500,000$ people) are incarcerated for drug crimes.
- This breaks down to $45\%$ of the federal system, $14\%$ of the state prison system, and $20\%$ of the jail system.
- Releasing all inmates currently incarcerated for drug offenses would reduce the total prison population by approximately $14\%$ which is significant but less than popularly imagined.

Guilty Findings: Approximately $90\%$ of federal defendants and $75\%$ of defendants in the most populous U.S. counties were found guilty, irrespective of whether they were represented by private or public defenders.
Guilty Pleas: According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, roughly $95\%$ of all cases conclude with a guilty plea.

2024 Police Shootings (Fatal - $1175$ total):
- Demographics:
  - White: $401$ (32\%$)
  - Black: 259 $($ 22\%$)
  - Hispanic: $180$ (15\%$)
- Armed Status:
  - Armed: 997 $total (White$ 334 $, Black$ 227 $, Hispanic$ 156 $)</p></li><li><p>Unarmed:$ 29 $total ($ 2\%$) (White $6$ , Black $11$ , Hispanic $8$ )
2023 Police Shootings (Fatal - $1164$ total):
- Demographics:
  - White: $504$ (43\%$)
  - Black: 251 $($ 22\%$)
  - Hispanic: $167$ (14\%$)
- Armed Status:
  - Armed: 967 $total (White$ 420 $, Black$ 213 $, Hispanic$ 138 $)</p></li><li><p>Unarmed:$ 51 $total ($ 4\%$) (White $18$ , Black $16$ , Hispanic $7$ )

Foundation: The criminal law serves as the bedrock of our criminal justice system. Laws define what constitutes a criminal act and prescribe appropriate punishments. The enforcement of these laws is the initiating factor for the entire criminal justice process.
Influences on Views and Knowledge of the CJ System: Our understanding of the criminal justice system is heavily shaped by various factors:
- Life experience.
- Parental influences.
- Clergy influences.
- Influences from respected leaders and role models.
- Teacher influences.
- The pervasive influence of media and television (the