Criminal Justice Trends Evaluation

Criminal Justice Trends Evaluation

Introduction

Sometimes it is better to forget the past and move on but not when it comes to policing. Back in the early 1900s police made people feel secure within their community. Patrolling officers would walk on the streets, talk to neighbors in the community and they became familiar with the people whom they protected. In the past, people were not afraid to take late night strolls, leave premise to sit outside in the porch and there was no need to have security systems installed. However, technological advancement in the recent past has challenged the justice field with threats and opportunities. The United States of America in essence has criminal justice system which is based on three categories that are federal, state and military. The criminal justice system is there to implement criminal laws of United States. The system is there to ensure that individuals and their property are protected. The government collects taxes and establishes institutes for the well being of people. The main three are further subdivided into categories for the other states in the US. The major three are law enforcement agencies, then courts and lastly the Corrections facilities whereby orders of the court are carried out as they are laid. This paper gives an insight into changing trends in criminal justice components, contemporary issues and the systems importance in today's changing society.

Criminal Justice Trends Evaluation

The components of the criminal justice system and the society are changing on a continuous base. The issues faced by the system in the past would be different because of the changes today. This evolution will demand a constant upgrading on the criminal justice system in order to promise the well being of everyone in the society. One of the greatest challenges today has been the ever increase in technology. Everyday new methods that are used by the offenders and criminals pose a serious problem for the law agencies to cater and fight them. The trends in crimes will have a direct effect on the criminal justice system, such as technology, sentencing policies, life imprisonment and death penalty. Technology has been one of the major issues affecting criminal justice system and in future it will be more advanced (Smith,2004). Each day continuous improvements in technology have challenged the justice systems to change and be more advanced to cope with ever evolving world. Law enforcement agencies have to develop similar technological capabilities to stay at par with the criminals. The development has helped the law enforcing agencies to spot guilty offenders and bring them to justice

Past trends

The situation was different in the past in the overall crimes and the criminal justice system. Although, there were serious offences like rapes, burglary, killing in the past , they were on a small scale. Patrol officers would know people, their habits as they were involved with community protection. They would patrol and at the same time know about the citizens and therefore, people were less scared and police had a hold on ...