Processing a Criminal Case

Introduction

The criminal justice system of a society exists to ensure timely and proper administration of justice, ensuring the defendant's rights as well as ensuring the society's law and order situation at large. One of the main responsibilities of the criminal justice system is the effective and systematic processing of a criminal case. The processing of a criminal case follows a series of steps starting with the arrest and investigation through trail, sentencing, corrections, probation and parole (Ismaili, p.69). This paper discusses the processing of a criminal case through the criminal justice system. In doing so, I present the different steps that the courts, police and corrections perform in ensuring that the process is seamless and effective.

Discussion

Police, court, and corrections are the main components of the criminal justice system. Although they are quite different, they interrelate and interact in several different ways. Police catch offenders and conduct investigations. Once just cause is determined to be present, the police interact with the court system to obtain arrest warrants. The police then arrest and apprehend the suspect who then undergoes pre-trial activities through the court system.

After the police have fulfilled their obligations to the courts, the courts then go on to try, convict and sentence the convicted criminal (www.judiciary.state.nj.us). Once they are sentence and tried, the court system partially turns the offender over to the corrections system, The correction system works along with the court system through the convicted person's appeal process and sometimes even the reform process after the convicted criminal pays their debt to society by serving sentences, paying restitution and fines, and completing imposed community service obligations. Once they become the sole responsibility of the corrections system, they either serve sentences, receive suspended or shortened sentences, and oftentimes are assigned to a parole or probation officer before, after, or during a sentence. Following are the specific steps that are performed in administering a criminal case:

Investigation and Arrest: The police officers are responsible to carry out the invesigation of the case upon the discovery or report by another criminal justice authority. Investigation involves gathering evidence to support an arrest of the suspected criminal. Investigation often involves the use of the suspect's property and premises. However, prior to carrying out search, there must be a probable cause to validate the search (Ismaili, p. 159). Probable cause refers to the factual information regarding the crime that can be categorically ...