1. Criminal Justice Today
Chapter 1
Criminal Justice Today
© 2015 Cengage Learning

2. Learning Objective 1
Describe the two most common models of how society determines which acts are criminal.
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3. What is Crime? The Consensus Model
Assumes that a diverse group of people have similar morals and share an ideal of what is “right” and “wrong.”
Crimes are acts that violate this shared value system and are deemed harmful to society.
Agreement among the majority of any particular group and has similar morals.

4. What is Crime? The Conflict Model
Assumes that society is so diverse that members do not share moral attitudes.
The most politically powerful members of society have the most influence on criminal law and impose their value system on the community.
Often based on class, income, race, and age.

5. Discussion Question: Consensus or Conflict?
Discuss the Colorado shooting with defendant James Holmes.
Open the floor for discussion on whether or not, in this case, students would choose either side of the consensus or conflict model. Have students justify their answers.

6. Learning Objective 2
Define crime.
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7. What is Crime? An Integrated Definition of Crime
Crime is an action that is punishable under criminal law and is punishable by criminal sanctions.
Considered an offense against society as a whole, not against the victim.
Punishable by statutorily determined sanctions that bring about a loss of personal freedom.

8. What is Crime? Criminal behavior can be grouped into six categories:
Violent crime—crimes against persons (murder, sexual assault, assault, battery, robbery)
Property crime—economic gain (larceny, burglary)
Public order crime—victimless crimes
White collar crime—business or personal advantage

9. What is Crime? Criminal behavior can be grouped into six categories:
5. Organized crime—illegal acts by illegal organizations (narcotics, loan sharking)
6. High-tech crime—computer crimes, cyber crimes

10. The Purpose of the Criminal Justice System
Maintaining Justice
Protecting Society
To protect society from potential future crimes of the most dangerous or “risky” offenders
To determine when an offense has been committed and provide appropriate punishment
To rehabilitate those offenders who have been punished so that it is safe to return them to the community
To support crime victims and, to the extent possible, return them to their pre-crime status

11. Learning Objective 3 Outline the three levels of law enforcement.
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12. The Structure of the Criminal Justice System
The Criminal Justice System is composed of three components:
Law enforcement agencies
Courts
Corrections
The Criminal Justice System divides its power between the federal government and the states. This is known as federalism.

13. The Structure of the Criminal Justice System
Local law enforcement
City police agencies
County Sheriffs
State law enforcement
State police
Highway patrols
Other state law enforcers such as fire marshals, wildlife wardens, beverage control officers, etc.

14. The Structure of the Criminal Justice System
Federal law enforcement
The Department of Homeland Security
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
The Secret Service
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF)
The Courts
The United States has a dual court system.
Comprised of one federal court and fifty different state court systems.

15. The Structure of the Criminal Justice System
Corrections
Probation
Incarceration
Community-based correctional facility
Parole

16. Learning Objective 4
List the essential elements of the corrections systems.
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17. The Structure of the Criminal Justice System
The Corrections systems includes:
Prisons
Jails
Community-based corrections (ex: probation)
Parole

18. Learning Objective 5
Explain the difference between the formal and informal criminal justice processes.

19. Discretion and Ethics The formal criminal justice process
Functions as an assembly-line
Arrest > trial > sentencing
The informal criminal justice process
Based on the use of discretion to offset the rigidity of criminal statutes and procedural rights.

20. Learning Objective 6
Define ethics and describe the role they play in discretionary decision making.

21. Discretion and Ethics
Ethics: The moral principles that govern a person’s perception of right and wrong.
Line between ethics and justice is often difficult to discern.
Ethical standards are not written as statutes are formally written.

22. Learning Objective 7
Contrast the crime control and due process models.
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23. Criminal Justice Today
The crime control model
Primary emphasis on the right of society to be protected from crime
Arrest and incarceration are the goals.
Allows police to “do their jobs” without being questioned.
Limits the rights and protections enjoyed by defendants.
Harsher sentencing

24. Criminal Justice Today
The due process model
Primary emphasis on the right of the individual to be protected from the power of government.
Assures constitutional rights of those accused of crimes.
Allows nonviolent offenders to serve their time in the community rather than jail/prison.

25. Discussion Question: Your State System
Research your local jail and prison system.
Discuss which model of justice your state follows as compared to others.
Have each student discuss any changes they think should be made based on these two models.

26. Learning Objective 8
Explain the defining aspects of a terrorist act, and identify one common misperception concerning terrorism.

27. Criminal Justice Today
Concern about violent crime
Gun sales and gun control
The illegal drugs problem
Challenges to law enforcement
Street gangs
DNA profiling
Homeland security
Challenges to corrections
The growing prison population
Economics of incarceration

28. Criminal Justice Today
Terrorism: random use of violence to achieve political goals.
The Patriot Act: federal law enforcement agencies can investigate and incarcerate suspected criminals much easier.
Civil liberties: personal freedoms guaranteed to all Americans by the U.S. Constitution.

29. Criminal Justice Today
Domestic Terrorism: acts of terror that are carried out within one’s own country, against one’s own people, and with little or no direct foreign involvement.

30. Discussion Question: Boston Marathon Bombings
As a class, discuss the Boston Marathon bombings as a domestic terrorist act.
Further discuss the response to this act by law enforcement and any changes that could have been made as a result of this situation.

31. Learning Objective 9
List the major issues in criminal justice today.

32. Criminal Justice Today
Recidivism: repeat offending on the increase
Declining use of the death penalty
Social media revolution
Minority bias