NCJ Number
142833
Journal
Howard Journal of Criminal Justice Volume: 32 Issue: 2 Dated: (May 1993) Pages: 81-86
Date Published
1993
Length
6 pages
Annotation
Taking as its starting point the manifestos published by the three main British political parties during the 1992 General Election, this article considers the principles that underlie criminal justice policy and the bearing they have on criminal justice institutions.
Abstract
Comparison of the manifestos published by the three main political parties reveals their general intentions. Noticeably absent from the manifestos, however, is any guiding philosophy or mission statement such as might be expected to inform practical policy. "Philosophy" refers to beliefs, attitudes, and values necessary to sustain confidence in the rule of law and its institutions along with practical measures needed to achieve these goals. In the context of contemporary society and modern research, some restatement of the principles and objectives of criminal justice is needed as they impinge upon the roles and responsibilities of the individual, the community, and the sovereign power of the state. The declaration of principles in and of itself does not make for an efficient and effective justice system; the processes, procedures, and structures by which stated aims and objectives are to be achieved breathe life into it and determine success or failure. The fundamental problem in adapting criminal justice institutions to the conditions of the 1990's is not only to provide a system that can contain, if not reduce, crime but to accommodate the fact that crime is no longer predominantly the local phenomenon it was; increased mobility has stretched its dimension nationally and internationally. 8 references