Criminal Justice System's Response To Crime Essay

The stages involved in the criminal justice system’s response to crime are classified as police, courts, and corrections (Schmalleger & Smykla, 2015). Though some researchers argue that the criminal justice system is not actually a system, most educational texts are based on these classifications (Bernard & Robin, 2001). Once a crime is reported or discovered, the crime is investigated, an arrest is made, and the offender makes an initial court appearance (Bohm & Haley, 2014). There is a conglomerate of other factors that will determine the outcome of the case and if the offender will or will not receive punishment for the crime committed. Law enforcement learns about crimes from victims or other citizens. Crimes are also discovered or witnessed by officers in the field. Once it has been established that a crime was committed, an offender will be identified. In my experience, most offenders are arrested on the scene, however, further investigation may be needed, which results in the offender being arrested later. Once arrested, the offender is booked into jail and given a bond. If the offender is unable to pay the bond, they will appear in front of a magistrate or judge. Depending on the severity of the crime and the amount of time already spent in jail, the judge may release the offender on their own recognizance. …show more content…
If probable cause is not found, the case will be dismissed. If the judge does find probable cause, the case is bound over to a grand jury. In most of my cases, this is when the offender either pleads guilty or takes a plea that the state has offered. If the offender does not plead, the prosecutor presents the case to a grand jury. If a grand jury finds sufficient evidence for trial, they will submit an indictment and a trial date will be