Comparative Criminal Justice Systems AN INTERNATIONAL PERSPECTIVE CHAPTER ONE Reichel

Comparative Criminal Justice A systematic study which involves investigating, evaluating, and comparing the criminal justice processes of more than one country, culture, or institution.

QUESTIONS How can studying foreign criminal justice systems help us understand our own system? What is ethnocentrism? How does ethnocentrism affect one’s attitude when comparing different systems?

Benefits of an International Perspective It helps to understand one’s own system of justice and to broaden our understanding of the world. It helps to furnish ideas to improve that system, i.e., mediation. It allows for cooperative efforts between border countries, i.e., globalization - transnational crime. It allows for multinational cooperation, i.e., Interpol.

QUESTIONS What is the framework of the European Union? What role does the European Commission play? What are some ways in which EU countries cooperate to enhance a supranational justice space?

Approaches to an International Perspective Historical Approach Political Approach Descriptive Approach

Historical Approach What mistakes and successes have already occurred? What do earlier experiences tell us about the present? How can knowledge of the past prepare us for the future?

Political Approach How does politics affect a nation’s justice system? How does politics affect interaction among nations? How is a country’s legal tradition affected by politics?

Descriptive Approach How is a country’s justice system supposed to operate? What are the main components of a justice system? Who are the main actors in a justice system?

Classification Strategies Synthetic Strategies Authentic Strategies

Synthetic Strategies Results in artificial groups Is based on only one or two aspects of the object Resulting classification has a practical or special purpose that brings order to diversity

Authentic Strategies Results in natural groups Is based on extensive study of the object Resulting classification allows some predictivity regarding the group’s members

QUESTION Tradition, change, and context – How do these concepts apply to a comparative study of justice systems?