The roles and responsibilities of prosecutors, defense attorneys, and victims in the criminal justice system

Criminal justice system refers to either the state or federal set of agencies and processes which are created by governments to control crime and to engage in penalties and discipline on those who break the law and who hurt others or damage property. "There is no single criminal justice system in the United States but rather many similar, individual systems. How the criminal justice system works in each area depends on the jurisdiction that is in charge: city, county, state, federal or tribal government or military installation" (NCVC, 2012). Thus, what can make the criminal justice system so tricky and difficult to understand is largely because different jurisdictions have differing laws, agencies and methods of criminal justice management (NCVC, 2012). Thus, the state system is in charge of handling crimes which occur within the state boundaries; the federal system handles crimes which occur in multiple states or on federal property (NCVC, 2012). Within this complex system, different people engage in different roles. The prosecutor, defense attorney, criminal and victim have unique parts to play within this intricate system.

Prosecutors

Prosecutors are attorneys who represent the state or federal government, though not the victim via the court process from the first moment the accused individual arrives in court, or until the accused person receives and acquittal or a sentence (NCVC, 2012). These attorneys offer "evidence in court, question witnesses, and decide (at any point after charges have been filed) whether to negotiate plea bargains with defendants. They have great discretion, or freedom, to make choices about how to prosecute the case" (NCVC, 2012). Thus, one could argue that the prosecutor works for the good of the general public and for the good of society, in helping to prevent dangerous criminals from being free on the streets and able to do more harm. The level of victimization that has been suffered should motivate this attorney to play their role as fully and effectively as possible (NCVC, 2012).

Defense Attorney

In America one of the overwhelming beliefs which guides the criminal justice system is that everyone is entitled to a fair trial. Part of engaging in the process of providing a fair trial for all involved parties is the act of allowing the individual who has been accused of a crime access to an attorney. This helps in keeping things fair. The attorney helps in defending the accused person in the charges that have been brought against him. "They are ether hired by the defendant or (for defendants who cannot afford an attorney) they are assigned by the court. While the prosecutor represents the state, the defense attorney represents the defendant" (NCVC, 2012). The defense attorney at times has to determine the level of victimization that the individual is suffering from and seek means of redress.

Criminal

The criminal is the person who has been convicted of a crime. This refers to the individual who has been accused, gone through the criminal justice system either through a trial or a hearing and has been sentenced by a judge or jury. Because victimization can be intense in the criminal justice system and the impacts of crime so devastating and life-ruining, many efforts have been made to better understand what makes a criminal commit a crime. Criminal profiling is one manifestation of the attempts to better understand criminals and what makes them commit crimes as they examine organized and disorganized crime and the mentality which leads to such things (pdx.edu,2013). Collecting information from a crime scene can lead to such discoveries, as can misinterpretation of a given situation (pdx.edu, 2013).

With each role, the goals of sentencing are fundamental: to seek out justice for the individual, to adequately punish the individual who committed all the wrong-doing, and to ensure that this does not occur again. The goals of alternative sanctions are also to thwart the crime from occurring again and also to ensure that the convict's time is put to good use, including some treatment element, "such as educational development, alcohol and drug treatment, and job training, which can be rehabilitative and/or preventative in nature. An offender's time is put to good use, working on the factors in his or her life that led them to a brush with the criminal justice system" (ga.us). Furthermore, when it comes to victim's rights, the main recommendation is to allow the victim to heal ad much as possible before testifying, so that the testimony is as strong as possible.