US Criminal justice system

1. Name the three (3) separate government components that make-up the U.S. Criminal justice system and explain their function and how they work together?
The three separate government components that make-up the U.S. Criminal justice system comprise of courts, law enforcement, and corrections. Imperatively, these components are dependent on one another and one would not necessarily be beneficial devoid of the others. First of all, the courts are reliant on the law enforcement to legally gather and comprehensively record and document all evidence and statements made. Secondly, law enforcement works in tandem with the courts in regard to serving warrants and subpoenas. The third component of the justice system, corrections, are employed in making certain that criminals remain under confinement, facilitate the transportation of convicts to hearings, and also partake in the supervision of individuals subsequent to their release from custody. What is more, the courts make certain that the law enforcement agencies such as the police department obtain search warrants in the event that probable cause is established and the expanse to be searched is delineated as set by the 4th Amendment of the United States Constitution. Notably, these constituents were set up in order to guarantee a fair system for any persons that face accusations. Laws cannot be effective without enforcement, convictions cannot be effective without any form of punishment and confinements cannot be effective without any sort of rehabilitation (Ortmeier, 2006).
2. Why is professionalism and ethics critical to policing?
Ethics and professionalism play a pivotal role to policing. In the case of police officers, ethical conduct is particularly significant as a result of the authority that is granted to them and owing to the difficulty of monitoring and administering the everyday behavior of police officers within the streets. In addition, it is important for the general public to be able to have trust in the police that they will act as though someone were watching, even though majority of the time there might not be any available witnesses. What is more, in order for the police to be seen and regarded as professionals, it is imperative for them to exercise discretion wisely and ethically and continue to be accountable to the general public that they are sworn to provide service to. Protection of the community as a whole, as a police officer, is a privilege and an honor. Professionalism should be upheld at the highest level possible at all times and also to portray what the other upcoming police officers ought to conduct themselves (Perez and Moore, 2012).
3. Exam community policing strategies by explaining the history of the concept, current trends, and future?
Community policing is a philosophy that facilitates the promotion of organizational approaches and strategies that support the methodical utilization of partnerships and problem-solving methods to proactively take into consideration the instantaneous circumstances that result in public safety issues, for instance, fear of crime as well as social disorder (Peak, 2013). The history of the concept can be traced back to 1829, when Sir Robert Peel formulated the principles subsequent to establishing the London Metropolitan Police.
These principles comprise of the following:
1. Existence of police to prevent crime and disorder
2. Capability of police to carry out duties is reliant on public approval
3. Police must secure ready collaboration of the public
4. Willing cooperation decreases need for physical force
5. Police preserve public approval by showing unbiased service to the law
6. Physical force ought to solely be employed when warning and advice is inadequate
7. Police are the public and the public are the police
8. Police ought to direct action towards solely their functions
9. The actual test of police efficacy is the lack of crime and chaos not police action in coping with it (The New York Times, 2014). These principles laid the ground work for today’s concept of community policing.
One of the current trends in community policing takes into account the progressively greater use of technology and tools. This includes the use of social media, body cameras as facial recognition, which are making it much simpler for police professionals to guarantee public safety and security. Another current trend takes into account the increasing amount of opportunities for women that are set in law enforcement. The percentage of women is gradually increasing. Some of the future trends include the use of artificial intelligence and also collaboration with different institutions (University of San Diego, 2019).
4. Why is stress management important to an officer’s health and safety?
Stress management plays a key role to the health and safety of an officer. Policing is risky and unsafe work, and the threat creeps around not just on the streets. The pressures of law enforcement position officers at a significant risk of experiencing high blood pressure, restlessness, augmented levels of damaging stress hormones, heart difficulties, post-traumatic stress disorder and suicide (Science Daily, 2008). In this regard, not only does stress management facilitate better health and welfare of the police officers, it also facilitates overall better decision making, unbiased treatment and enhanced associations between the police officers and the members of the community. Proper and sober decision making guarantees safety of the police officer in the sense that they are not involved in actions that can place them in danger whilst conducting their everyday operations. For instance, shooting criminals without protection and also failing to be sharp to take cover and protect themselves.
References
Ortmeier, P. J. (2006). Introduction to law enforcement and criminal justice. New York: Prentice Hall.
Peak, K. J. (Ed.). (2013). Encyclopedia of community policing and problem solving. Sage Publications.
Perez, D. W., & Moore, J. A. (2012). Police Ethics. Cengage Learning.
Science Daily. (2008). Impact Of Stress On Police Officers' Physical And Mental Health. Retrieved from: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/09/080926105029.htm
The New York Times. (2014). Sir Robert Peel’s Nine Principles of Policing. Retrieved from: https://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/16/nyregion/sir-robert-peels-nine-principles-of-policing.html
University of San Diego. (2019). The Top 5 Trends in Law Enforcement. Retrieved from: https://onlinedegrees.sandiego.edu/top-5-trends-in-law-enforcement/