Author Question: Explain the function of the criminal justice system from both an interdependent system perspective ... (Read 114 times)

haleyc112 · **on:** Aug 12, 2018

Explain the function of the criminal justice system from both an interdependent system perspective as well as a fragmented non-system perspective.

What will be an ideal response?

Question 2

The concept of selective incapacitation centers upon which of the following ideas?

a. The most serious offenders require shorter periods of incarceration.
b. Small numbers of offenders are responsible for a disproportionate number of violent and property crimes.
c. Costs of incarceration can be decreased by housing only serious and repetitive offenders.
d. Crime rates will remain relatively stable if serious felons are incarcerated for long periods.

Kaytorgator · **Reply #1 on:** Aug 12, 2018

Answer to Question 1

The interdependent system perspective to criminal justice dominates contemporary thinking. It highlights the fact that police, courts, and corrections are interdependent and interrelated. Though separate, they must interact with one another. What one part of the criminal justice system does or doesn't do directly affects the other two. The operations of law enforcement and corrections affect the judiciary. If more felons are arrested, the workload of prosecutors increases. The more overcrowded the prisons, the more difficult it is to make sentencing decisions. The decisions that courts make also have important consequences for law enforcement and corrections. The interdependence, however, does not necessarily translate into coordination and cooperation.

The fragmented non-system perspective highlights the fragmentation that characterizes each component of criminal justice. There are nearly 18,000 law enforcement agencies at the local, state, and federal level that operate independently of each other. There are more than 1,820 state and federal correctional facilities and thousands of local jails. Corrections also encompasses community-based corrections such as probation, drug treatment, and halfway houses. Prosecutors and courts exist at the local, county, state, district, and national level. This complexity and fragmentation can lead to conflict between the various elements of the criminal justice system.

Answer to Question 2

b