Compare And Contrast The United States Criminal Justice System

I chose to compare and contrast the United States’ criminal justice system with England’s system. One significant aspect of the United States’ criminal justice system is due process. Due process is defined by www.reference.com as “the principle that an individual cannot be deprived of life, liberty, or property without appropriate legal procedures and safe guards (www.reference.com)”. There are many similarities and differences between these two countries, and this paper is aimed to show how both of their criminal justice systems operate.

There are many factors that make the United States one of the best nations in the world. One of those factors is our unique criminal justice system. The United States’ criminal justice system is made of …show more content…
First, the prosecutor will analyze the evidence that is gathered and decide whether to press charges or not. If he or she decides to press charges the offender will be scheduled for their first appearance in court. In their first appearance in court the accused will be notified of the charges that are being brought against him or her. Here they will also be read their rights and assigned an attorney if they cannot afford one. The next step is the bail or bond stage. The judge will determine if the offender is a flight risk, drug use, violent behavior, and weigh his or her ties with the community. If the accused is deemed a flight risk or too violent to be released on bail then bail may be denied. At the preliminary hearing a grand jury will hear all of the evidence that is brought against the offender. They will then determine if there is enough evidence to go to trial. The final step in this process is the arraignment. Here the defendant pleads guilty or not guilty. If the accused pleads guilty then no trial is held. However, if he or she pleads not guilty then they go to trial to prove their case.

England’s criminal justice system has many differences when compared to the United States. The Ministry of Justice oversees different parts of England’s criminal justice system. The courts, prisons, probation are the areas that they are in control over. Their main goal is to work with the public and reduce reoffending. The Ministry …show more content…
However, after completing this paper I found that this is not the case. England’s criminal justice system has more similarities than differences when compared to the United States’. They both have court systems with geared towards different jurisdictions, police departments that arrest offenders, and a corrections system that ensures offender’s sentences are carried out. The major differences that I have found are that England keeps the victim involved in every step of their investigation. They also have Her Majesty’s Crown Prosecution Service that ensures the courts are efficient and fair. The United States does have one aspect that still sets them apart from England and other countries and that is due process. Throughout researching England’s criminal justice system I did not find one source about offender/citizens’ rights. Due process is what sets America apart from other