Introduction To Criminal Justice System

Reamie L.
Andicoy
BS Criminology 1
CLJ 100 B
MWF (9:00-10:00 am)
My Comments and Understanding about

Criminal Justice System
What is the Criminal Justice System? Criminal Justice System is the machinery of the state or
government which enforces the rules of conduct necessary to protect life and property, and
maintain peace and order.
While watching the video given by our instructor, I realized that this course deals with the study
of the five pillars of the Criminal Justice System in the Philippines-the Law Enforcement,
Prosecution, Court, Corrections, and Community. It also covers their respective functional
relationship as well as the individual roles in the administration of justice and solution of crimes.
It also includes the procedures and the practices of the criminal justice system with its linkages to
law enforcement services, the prosecution, court, correction and community. This course also
incorporates the scientific study of crimes, criminal and criminal behavior. As I continue
watching the video, I have learned that the practice used to determine guilt or innocence of the
accused is called the ordeal. I have also found out that the basis of this study criminal justice
system is the book of Cesare Beccaria "Essay on Crimes and Punishment, 1764". Beccaria
identifies the pressing need to reform the criminal justice system, he also emphasized the need
for adequate but just punishment. Beccaria also explained how the system should define the
appropriate punishment for each type of crime. In the philosophical question about what comes
first the crime or the law, I have learned that the one that comes first is the crime because there
would be no law if there are no crimes so, the law was formed because of those who did evil and
to correct them. Crime is an act or omission that is punishable by law. According to the law
punishing it; offense is punishable by special penal law, felony is punishable by the Revised
Penal Code and misdemeanor is the violation of city, municipal or barangay ordinance. There are
two different nature according to crime, first is the Mala In Se (wrong or evil) is considered
wrong even there is no law prohibiting it like rape and murder. Mala Prohibita (not wrong in
itself) becomes wrong because of the statutes that proscribes it, like public intoxication and
carrying a concealed weapon. Law on the other side, is any system of regulations to govern and
control the conduct of the people of a community, society or nation. Social control is used in
society to maintain itself as a coherent and functioning unit. Laws provide a framework and rules
to help resolve disputes between individuals. Laws create a system where individuals can bring
their disputes before an impartial fact-finder, such as a judge or jury. There are courts at every
level, from local to federal, to decide who should win in a dispute.
While I continued to watch the video, the criminal justice system was explained one by one. First
is the criminal, so a criminal is a person convicted of a crime by final judgment. The term
1
criminal can be compared to these terms. The first is suspect it is a known person accused or
suspected of committing a crime. Respondent, is the party against whom a petition is filed,
especially one on appeal. Defendant is a person accused of committing a crime in criminal
prosecution or a person against whom some type of civil relief is being sought in a civil case.
Accused, a person or group of people who are charged with or on trial for a crime. Convict, a
person found guilty of a crime and sentenced by a court or a person serving a sentence in prison.
Inmate/prisoner is a person who is confined in prison. Person deprived of liberty a person who
has been arrested, held in lawful custody, detained, or imprisoned in execution of a lawful
sentence and lastly the ex-convict those people who are recently released from prison. Next,
justice is the act of rendering what is due and treating people equally. There are six perspectives
on justice, first is the crime control perspective which ought to prevent crime through judicious
use of criminal sanctions. Rehabilitation perspective, which views crime as an expression of
frustration and anger created by social inequality. Due process perspective, is a fair and equitable
treatment to those accused of crime. Non-intervention perspective states that agencies should
limit their involvement with criminal defendants. Justice perspective, as a dispense fair and equal
justice to those who come before the law and lastly the restorative justice perspective that aims
for peacekeeping and not punishment. Lastly, the system of the criminal justice system is a
combination of related elements organized into a complex whole. I have also found out that there
are two parties involved in the criminal justice system; the offender which is the principal
character in the criminal justice system and the victim which is the neglected or forgotten man in
the criminal justice system. So, based on what I have learned in this lesson, the offenders are the
one who gets the most attention because of the relevant crime he committed and the victim is the
one who is being set aside in this process because he did not commit crime. In the video, I have
also learned the different functions and process of the five pillars in the criminal justice system.
First is the crime which is the criminals, suspect or offenders. Followed by the law enforcement
pillar who conducts the arrest, search and seizure. Then the prosecution that conducts the
investigation, files the corresponding information before the court, and then the court which
conducts trial to determine the guilt or innocence of the accused. Next is the correction that is
responsible for the safekeeping and formation of the criminals, there are two kinds of correction
the institutional and non-institutional correction and lastly the community where the purpose in
fundamentally geared towards the support to the program of the corrections.
In conclusion, I have learned a lot of knowledge about the introduction to the criminal justice
system that will help me become a better person as a future law enforcer. Those knowledge I
have learned the five pillars of criminal justice system-the Law Enforcement, Prosecution, Court,
Corrections, and Community will help me determine my duties and responsibilities as a future
police woman and as an individual in our community.

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Reamie L.

My Comments and Understanding about

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