NCJ Number
18089
Date Published
1975
Length
217 pages
Annotation
A DESCRIPTION OF THE POLICE, COURTS, AND CORRECTIONS FUNCTIONS OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, WITH EMPHASIS ON THE IMPACT OF THE SYSTEM ON INDIVIDUALS AND THE PERCEPTIONS OF THE SYSTEM HELD BY THOSE IT AFFECTS.
Abstract
NUMEROUS THEORIES HAVE BEEN PUT FORTH TO EXPLAIN THE DISPARITY THAT EXISTS BETWEEN THE DECLARED INTENT OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE PROCESS AND THE RESULTS THAT PROCESS HAS ACCOMPLISHED. ONE OF THESE HOLDS THAT, IN PART, THE JUDICIAL PROCESS DOES NOT WORK AS IT IS SUPPOSED TO BECAUSE OF THE WAY IT IS PERCEIVED BY THE INDIVIDUALS WHO BECOME INVOLVED IN IT. THIS BOOK IS ABOUT THESE INDIVIDUALS, THEIR PERCEPTIONS, AND THE PROCESS ITSELF IN ACTION. TO ILLUSTRATE THE IMPACT OF JUSTICE ON OFFENDERS PROCESSED THROUGH THE SYSTEM, TWO COMPOSITE CASE HISTORIES REPRESENTING A SYNTHESIS OF HUNDREDS OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE CASES WERE DEVISED. THE PERCEPTIONS OF TWO YOUNG MEN, NOT YET PROFESSIONAL CRIMINALS, INCORPORATE MANY OF THE MOST COMMON RESPONSES TO THE SYSTEM, AND THEIR BACKGROUNDS SUGGEST MANY OF THE REASONS FOR THESE RESPONSES. DESCRIPTIONS OF EACH STATE OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE PROCESS - THE JUSTICE SYSTEM AS IT EXISTS NOW, THE ROLE OF THE POLICE, THE NATURE AND IMPACT OF PROSECUTION, THE TRIAL PROCESS AND THE INDIVIDUAL, AND THE NATURE AND IMPACT OF CORRECTIONS - ARE COUPLED WITH THE STORIES OF THESE COMPOSITE CHARACTERS, FORMING A ROUNDED PICTURE OF THE WORKINGS AND THE EFFECTS OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE ON THE INDIVIDUAL. BECAUSE THE BOOK EMPHASIZES THE IMPACT OF JUSTICE WHILE DESCRIBING THE PROCESS ITSELF, IT CONSTITUTES AN EFFECTIVE SUPPLEMENT TO CRIMINAL JUSTICE LITERATURE IN POLICE AND CORRECTIONS COURSES ALIKE. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED) (SNI ABSTRACT)