Criminal Case Process

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The Processing of a Criminal Case
When processing a criminal case, the first thing that has to have happened is that some sort of a crime has allegedly been committed. Steps are taken to ensure that the guilty are brought to justice and that the innocent aren’t tried for crimes they didn’t commit. A number of professional members of law enforcement, as well as the crime scene technicians, lawyers and judges play an important role in making sure that criminals don’t get away with the breaking the law. Although the system isn’t perfect, it does allow law abiding citizens peace of mind knowing that there are those out there working to put those who deserve it behind bars.
The first step in processing a criminal case is verifying that a …show more content…
Some suspects that are brought in on minor infractions are able to post bail. In either case, the magistrate judge tells the defendant what the charges are against them and the amount of bail, if any, or if they are to remain in custody until trial. At this time the defendant may also plead guilty or not guilty to the charges that have been brought against them as well (Steps in the Federal Criminal Process, 2015). During this initial appearance if bail is set, and if the defendant is able to make bail, usually a “No Contact Order” will be instated (Slepkowl, 2015). This is an order that keeps the defendant from having any type of contact with the victim(s) (Slepkowl, …show more content…
Evidence can be presented and witnesses will testify in order to show that there is sufficient proof to charge the defendant with the crime and allow the case to go to trial (Steps in the Federal Criminal Process, 2015). This evidence and witness testimony is only presented by the prosecution, “the defense has no opportunity to present evidence” (Schmalleger, 2015). If the defendant is charged, they then have the choice to hire an attorney or if they cannot afford one, they may use a public defender at no cost to them (Steps in the Federal Criminal Process, 2015). Although, the defense has no chance to present its own evidence, the burden falls completely on the prosecution to prove, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that the defendant committed the crime and deserves to go to

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