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The Mechanisms Of The Criminal Justice System

Decent Essays

CRJ Writing Assignment #1 The mechanisms of the criminal justice system in America function as more than the instruments for determining guilt in a criminal court case. Through the creation and enforcement of laws, it is a reflection of our society’s morals and values. It is our form of social control. As set out in our text, in 1964 two models emerged in an article written by Herbert Packer, “Two Models of the Criminal Process.” Professor Packer proposed that there are two fundamental criminal justice models: the crime control model and the due process model. Decision making within the criminal justice system is based on these two philosophical models. Historically, emphasis for one model over the other has shifted back and forth throughout the evolution of American culture. The crime control model is oriented toward law and order, the protection of society over the rights of individual defendants; while the due process model is attentive to the legal procedures and constitutional rights of the accused. This back and forth emphasis with either the conservative model of crime control vs. the liberal model favoring due process is known as how the pendulum swings. If I had to select one, I would choose the crime control model. Primarily because this is the most efficient and money saving to all involved. Like an assembly line, the crime control model emphasizes the quick and effective administration of justice through set procedures and direct handling of cases from

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