topic 1 Flashcards
What is the criminal justice system?
It is the set of agencies which collectively aim to deliver justice to people involved in crime. These are the offenders, victims and witnesses.
Name 4 different agencies in the criminal justice system in England & Wales
police, courts, judiciary, the prison system
Name the four organisational components of the criminal justice system in England and Wales and the relevant agencies for each
- law and creation and administration- government and judiciary
- law enforcement- police, HM courts, CPS
- the court system- HM courts and tribunal service
- punishment and rehabilitation of offenders- HM prison service, HM probation service
who is home secretary
priti patel
what is the role of the home office
they are responsible for the overall security and safety of the citizens of the UK. they oversee all security agencies including the police and the MI5. They also develop strategies for law enforcement.
what is the role of the ministry of justice
the overall overseeing of the remaining parts of the criminal justice system is the ministry of justice. They work with 33 other agencies in order to deliver justice in society. They are responsible for the court system, the prison and probation service.
What are the two main types of law in the UK?
- statutory law (government processes)
- case law (judicial processes)
Who creates statutory laws?
Statutory law is passed by Parliament when a Bill is proposed in the House of Commons, approved by the House of Lords, and sanctioned by the Crown (the Queen) as an Act – the Royal Assent
who creates case laws
case law happens when in court a judge allows a piece of evidence or something to be used in court, from then all the courts below that court will have to use that same method, this then makes it fair.
how often are members of house of commons elected
every five years
what are 3 things that mean you can run as a candidate
you have to be 18, not in prison and not a lord or the monarch
what do they do in the house of commons
they will debate important issues, make and review laws, represent the public and hold the government to account.
how many seats are there in the house of commons
437
how many members are there in the house of commons
over 650
other things in the house of commons
the prime minister will lead the government and will appoint ministers to form a cabinet. the government will review and create new laws and the opposition will challenge and question the government. The government is held to account in many ways such as once a week for 3o minutes the prime minister will answer questions from the MP’s. MP’s will review the policies and spending of the government which is called scrutiny. they will speak to the experts and the public to understand how laws affect our everyday life. This helps the government shape their policies. When the government wants to raise taxes the House of Commons has to agree.
what are the 3 main tasks of the house of lords
to challenge and question the work of government, to help shape laws and to investigate issues through committees and debates.
how often do the lords get to question the government
everyday
what do the committees do
investigate and explore important issues.