How Does the Criminal Justice System Work

Our *How Does the Criminal Justice System Work?* Video is an overview of how the criminal system works. Watching our video you will find out that a case begins with: 1. Law enforcement officials investigate a crime; 2. They gather evidence to identify and use against the presumed perpetrator; 3. If there is enough evidence, the police will make an arrest; 4. The case continues through the court system; 5. The court will weigh the evidence to determine if the defendant is guilty beyond a reasonable doubt 6. If guilty, the convicted party will either go to prison or receive probation to punish and correct their behavior The most important rights of the accused are: 1. Miranda advisement (list of warnings that are stated to the accused by the officials) 2. Fourth Amendment prohibition against unreasonable searches and seizures There are dozens of restrictions on the court's ability to prosecute a case, including: - confront one's accusers - the right against incriminating one's self - the right to counsel (to be represented by an attorney) - the right to trial by a jury of their peers If the defendant is convicted and the charges merit jail time, they will be sent to the corrections system for punishment. Corrections include: 1. Probation 2. Incarceration There are two types of probation: - Supervised - requires the offender to check in regularly with an officer to ensure compliance with the terms of his probation; - Unsupervised – the person is left on their own and will only face jail time or other punishment if they run further afoul of the law. Incarceration is a common outcome of criminal trials, especially in more serious cases. The convict is housed in either jail or prison. Jails are usually located in each county and are for less serious offenses.