Criminal Justice

Running Head : Criminal Justice

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Criminal Justice

This is a system of legislation used by governments and individuals to sanction violators of law , in to defer or control crime within a country . The government uses institutions like the police force , courts and correctional systems , which pass sentences and administer punishments to those found guilty of offences

My definition of justice as relates to the correctional system is one that punishes those found guilty of offence . The punishments may range from probation , imprisonment

, correction programs home confinement and so on (Chapman , Catriona and Brawn , 2002 ) The national institute of justice (NIJ ) proposes reexamination of the administering punishments from custodial to non custodial methods correctional justice which involve financial penalties such as fines , forfeiture , restitution (Chapman , Catriona and Brawn , 2002

In some countries , judiciary as a correctional measure may administer corporal punishment and death penalty . Although some countries did away with these kinds of punishment and particularly death penalties some countries still retain it . In the United States this is form of punishment is administered in severe offences such as attempted murder or any murder that is premeditated , treason and espionage (Chapman Catriona and Brawn , 2002 ) or military law

Correctional aspect of criminal justice has evolved in different phases throughout history . Other aspects of law enforcement and courts have similarly undergone evolution . In the early years of civilization when resources to build and maintain correctional facilities were scarce and when knowledge on the issue was available , correction justice primarily took the form of exile and execution . Execution is synonymous capital punishment or death penalty . Exile on the other hand refers to being chased away from home country as being forbidden to return home Threats of death or even imprisonment were usually the consequences of returning home when one was exiled (Walker , Samuel 1992 ) In addition other forms of punishments such as shame punishments and dismemberment was administered . Shame punishment was a conscious effort meant to disgrace , dishonour and embarrass a perpetrator publicly in to deter others from repeating a similar offence . Medieval punishments also included dismemberment . This is the act of cutting a persons organ tearing , or removing limbs of a person by chaining him to moving parts say , vehicles or horses and moving them to opposite direction until a limb or organ is removed . This punishment was cruel and often fatal It strongly deterred people from violating laws

In the modern era correction justice has evolved to a more humane approach . This is because correctional justice as the name suggests is supposed to correct bad or unacceptable behavior into the socially acceptable behavior and make the perpetrator become a better person Prisons are used to retain suspects of crime before and during trial and hold prisoners after court finds them guilty of crime . Unlike the medieval times where prisons were dungeons where criminals were put without much thought of the poor living conditions , these days , prisons are habitable . This can be credited to the Quaker...