America's Justice System Essay

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The Criminal Justice System

The United States criminal justice system is perhaps the most intricate process in the developed world. It consists of three parts; the legislative body (responsible for creating laws), corrections (responsible for imprisonment) and the court system. The legislative body is self-explanatory and the bulk of the legislative process is through Congress. The corrections division of the justice system is vital as it facilitates the punishments of the accused who are found guilty. Typically this is comprised of a sentence determined by the court system and varies depending on the severity of the crime. Not all punishments lead to imprisonment however, as there are other means of rehabilitating a criminal such as house arrest, community service and mandatory drug rehabilitation of the situation calls for it. The court system facilitates disputes between individuals and is the administering body for justice.

While the system is mainly comprised of the three aforementioned components, the police force is typically considered the face of the criminal justice system and is the basis in which citizens form their opinions of it. The police force is comprised of empowered civilians who are tasked with upholding the law, mitigating crime on a micro-level and are authorized to use force if necessary to carry out their goals. This has often caused an alarming degree of controversy regarding the use of excessive force by the police. The combination of the legislative body, corrections and court system as well as a police force ensures the safety of the public. However, this justice system does not come without it's flaws.

The current statistics reveal some disturbing truths regarding the justice system in which minorities are overwhelmingly marginalized. The unequal treatment of minorities is a very serious problem the America faces in today's age. This is backed by some troubling statistics. For example, a recent Justice Department report indicates that out of all of defendants who are sentenced to death in the state of Virginia, over 80% of them can be identified as minorities. The statistics only serve to reinforce the upward trend of racial disparity in which minority groups are locked in a system where crime and imprisonment is the norm. While it is important to tackle this issue, it is extremely difficult to get to the source of the matter as there are many players in the grand scheme of the justice system. Furthermore, this instability and disparity that is
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