A.C 1.2 Flashcards
What are the main components of the Criminal Justice System (CJS) in England and Wales?
The key components are police, courts, prosecution, defence, prisons, and probation services. These institutions work together to manage crime, trial, punishment, and rehabilitation.
What is the role of the police in the CJS?
The police are responsible for investigating crimes, gathering evidence, arresting suspects, and charging individuals to bring cases before the courts.
What is the role of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS)?
The CPS is responsible for deciding whether to charge an individual with a crime, preparing the case for prosecution, and representing the state in criminal trials.
What is the role of the defence solicitor in the CJS?
The defence solicitor represents the defendant, offering legal advice, gathering evidence, and ensuring the defendant’s rights are protected during the investigation and trial process.
What is the function of the magistrates’ courts?
Magistrates’ courts deal with summary offences (less serious crimes) and some indictable offences. They handle preliminary hearings, bail applications, and sentencing for minor crimes.
What is the role of the Crown Court?
The Crown Court hears more serious criminal cases, including indictable offences (e.g., murder, rape), and handles appeals from magistrates’ courts. It is also where jury trials take place.
What is the purpose of the jury in criminal trials?
The jury is responsible for determining the guilt or innocence of the defendant in Crown Court trials. Jurors listen to evidence and apply the law as directed by the judge.
What is the role of the judge in a criminal trial?
The judge ensures that the trial is fair, decides on sentencing if the defendant is found guilty, and provides legal guidance to the jury on the applicable law and evidence.
What is sentencing?
Sentencing is the process by which a judge decides the punishment for a defendant convicted of a crime, considering factors like the severity of the offence and the defendant’s background.
What is the function of prisons within the CJS?
Prisons are institutions where individuals convicted of serious crimes are incarcerated to serve their sentences, and where rehabilitation programs may be provided.
What is the role of probation services in the CJS?
The probation service supervises offenders who are released on parole or serve community sentences, providing rehabilitation support and monitoring to prevent reoffending.
What are community sentences?
Community sentences are alternatives to imprisonment, involving community service, probation supervision, or other rehabilitative measures, used for less serious offenders.
What are bail hearings?
Bail hearings determine whether a suspect can be released from custody while awaiting trial. The decision is made based on factors like the risk of flight or the safety of the public.
How do appeals work in the CJS?
Appeals allow a convicted person to challenge their conviction or sentence in a higher court. The Court of Appeal reviews the case and can overturn or reduce the sentence.
What is the role of Youth Courts?
Youth Courts deal with offenders aged 10 to 17. They handle cases involving juvenile crime, focusing on rehabilitation and education rather than punishment.
How are specialist courts used in the CJS?
Specialist courts, such as drug courts and domestic violence courts, focus on specific types of crime and aim to provide targeted support, rehabilitation, and treatment for offenders.
What is the role of the Home Office in the CJS?
The Home Office is responsible for overseeing the police forces, setting policies for crime prevention, and implementing broader criminal justice reforms.
What is the function of the Sentencing Council?
The Sentencing Council provides guidelines for sentencing, ensuring consistency across courts. It also evaluates the effectiveness of sentencing practices.
What is restorative justice?
Restorative justice focuses on repairing the harm caused by crime by involving the victim, offender, and community in the process of reconciliation, often outside of the formal court system.
What are the roles of charities and support services in the CJS?
Charities and support services provide assistance to victims of crime, support offenders’ rehabilitation, and contribute to crime prevention through outreach, advice, and support programs.
