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Criminal Justice System Essay

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1. Some developments in American policing and the criminal justice system during the colonial period that were influenced by the English police experience were the idea of self-defense and protecting yourself (p.9). The United States had a sheriff who was important to the police force, just like the English. In the U.S the sheriffs were paid more like the thief-takers, which were paid fees for each arrest they made (p.9). During the Colonial period they used the English’s idea of constables and night watchmen, which was similar to the watch and ward (p.9). In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries they had constables and watchmen just like the English at first. Then the United states took the English’s idea of creating their own police department. …show more content…

Sir Robert Peel was an important person who had a significant influence on development and shape of the twentieth century American policing. He drafted the first police bill, the Act for Improving the Police in and near the Metropolis. Once Parliament passed the act in 1829, then the first large-scale, uniformed, organized, paid, civil police force in London was formed (p. 6). A second important person was Henry Fielding and his half-brother, Sir John Fielding. They laid the foundation for the first modern police force. They went around to pawn shops and asked the owners to notify if stolen property was brought into the pawnshops. The Fielding’s came up with the idea of the first official crime report, which we use today (p. 6). The third important person was Stephen Austin. He hired a dozen bodyguards to protect the “Texicans” from the Native Americans and bandits. They were officially named the Texas Rangers. The Texas Rangers became the first United States state police agency (p. 16). The fourth important people were the thief-takers. The thief-takers were private citizens who got paid for every criminal they arrested and got off of the streets. They were paid for every conviction they made. They helped get the bad highwayman off of the streets (p.

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