Deck 16: Criminal Justice: Process and Perspectives

Question 1

Do you believe that children who commit serious crimes should be tried in adult courts and sent to adult prisons? If so, why do we need a juvenile justice system?

Answer 1

Juvenile justice system:
The A country juvenile justice system is the most primary system used in addressing and dealing with youngsters below the age of an ordinary criminal. This system intrudes into the delinquent behaviors of individuals using court, police, and correctional institutions. This policy of providing different treatments for adults and young adults was framed in the 19 th century through influences of child saver revolutionists.
Children who have committed serious crimes deserve justice from adult courts:
Juvenile justice system provides certain privileges for children. In case, if they have committed a murder or rape with conscious mind. They deserve justice from an adult court considering from the victim's side.
However, the child's state of mind needs to be considered before deciding if it is juvenile justice or criminal justice. In case, the law affirms lack of parental care, education counseling, and societal advices as the reason for these criminal activities it should recommend such services in the juvenile jail.
Hence, the presence of juvenile justice system will be meaningless on not considering upbringing factors of the child.

Question 2

Describe the differences between the formal and informal justice systems. Is it fair to treat some offenders informally?

Answer 2

Formal and informal justice system:
Criminal justice system is charged by the government to enforce law to adjudicate criminals and correct their criminal conduct.
It is not fair to treat some offenders informally. However, terrorists, rapists, or psycho-killers who ruthlessly killed number of people can be treated informally. Hence, through providing informal justice the court believes to evade such behaviors in future.

Question 3

Drug Control Strategies
You have been contacted by the president's drug czar, who is in charge of coordinating the nation's drug control policy. She has asked you to develop a plan to reduce drug abuse by 25 percent within three years.
You realize that multiple perspectives of justice exist and that the agencies of the criminal justice system can use a number of strategies to reduce drug trafficking and the use of drugs. It might be possible to control the drug trade through a strict crime control effort-for example, using law enforcement officers to cut off supplies of drugs by destroying crops and arresting members of drug cartels in drug-producing countries. Border patrols and military personnel using sophisticated hardware could also help prevent drugs from entering the country. According to the equal justice model, if drug violations were punished with criminal sentences commensurate with their harm, then the rational drug trafficker might look for a new line of employment. The adoption of mandatory sentences for drug crimes to ensure that all offenders receive similar punishment for their acts might reduce crime. The rehabilitation model suggests that strategies should be aimed at reducing the desire to use drugs and increasing incentives for users to eliminate substance abuse. A nonintervention strategy calls for the legalization of drugs so distribution could be controlled by the government. Crime rates would be cut because drug users would no longer need the same cash flow to support their habit.
Divide the class into advocacy groups based on each perspective on justice. Have each group prepare a presentation on how they would combat drug use and distribution. As they present their position, have members of the other groups act as critics.

Answer 3

Combat against the drug use and distribution:
Drug is a substance; and not food inhaled, injected, consumed, smoked, absorbed on skin or swallowed dissolving through tongue causes bodily physiological change.
Group 1: Ideas to combat against drug:
• Form a group that educates people regarding dangerous effect of drug usage
• Plan a program for people who suffer addiction towards drug abuse
• Prevention against diseases and crimes that would arise of drug abuse
• Target on youth population and provide appropriate information
• Monitor, train, and divert people towards good health and societal welfare
View of critics on the above ideas:
• Budget planning will be more for specific community
• Combat on event of drug abuse would be difficult as the individual is unconscious
• Analyzing severity is difficult on teaching and training policies against drug
Group 2: Ideas to combat against drug:
• Impose penalties on drugs users and makers
• Legalize drugs, as future control comes to the hands of government
• Arrest people who make drug abuse and punish them severely
• Make transnational plans to avoid transit of drugs from country to country
• Arrange for a students and parents campaign titled "prevention is better than cure"
View of critics on the above ideas:
• Budget planning will be more for specific community
• Strict regulations will bring illegal distribution of drugs that would bring economical imbalances

Question 4

Is it fair to place kids who repeatedly run away from home in the same facilities as kids who steal cars? Is it possible that both groups of offenders are motivated by the same types of personal problems and therefore deserve similar treatments?

Question 5

What are the basic elements of each model or perspective on justice? Which best represents your own point of view?

Question 6

How would each perspective on criminal justice consider the use of the death penalty as a sanction for fi rst degree murder? In your opinion, does the death penalty serve as a deterrent to murder? If not, why not?

Question 7

Discuss the trends that will infl uence policing during the coming decade.

Question 8

Why does the problem of sentencing disparity exist? Do programs exist that can reduce disparate sentences? If so, what are they?

Question 9

Should people who commit the same crime receive the same sentence?