The criminal justice system involves three main agencies. They include law enforcement, the courts and corrections. The agencies have five main functions, including protecting the public, maintaining order in the communities and enforcing the law. They also punish those who act against the law, provide victim advocacy and services and ensure the public’s confidence in the justice system. To assist in easing their working processes, criminal justice agencies use several types of reports, including incident reports, arrest warrants, orders of probation, presentence reports and search warrants.
The law enforcement uses the incident report. An incident report is a document that details an occurrence that has been reported to the police. It contains information such as the location, time, nature of the incident and witnesses or victims involved in the case (Vredeveldt et al., 2019). It also contains the name of the officer who responded to the issue. The reports are used to keep track of criminal activities. It also records the occurrence of a call an officer responds to the case. Such documents assist police officers in crime investigations. Lawyers and insurance companies can also use them as evidence in case proceedings.
The law enforcement agencies use arrest warrants. It entails a document issued by a magistrate or a judge on behalf of the state authorizing the detention and arrest of a person. It also authorizes the search and seizure of a person’s property. It contains the defendant’s complete name or descriptions that can used to identify the person. It also includes the person’s location and the offence with which they are charged with. They command the arrested person to be brought before the judge with the required jurisdiction (Conroy, 2019). The law enforcement uses the documents to notify the arrested individual of their arrest and charges. They show the crime for which the arrest is being done and restrict the manner in which it is done.
The court uses an order of probation. It consists of a directive provided by the court guiding an individual to abide by a specific condition for a specified amount of time. All probation orders direct the individual to maintain good behavior and keep the peace, appear in court when required and notify the court of changes such as occupation or personal address. Order of probation reports are used to rehabilitate offenders by assisting them to become law-abiding citizens (Demelolaw, 2022). They also help to reduce the amount spent by the government on imprisonment. As such, they choose to correct recurring offenses through community-based behavioral programs.
The courts use a presentence report. A probation officer creates it after an individual is convicted. It contains information such as the individual’s criminal history, relevant financial information, the defendant’s classification and their offense under the system. It also includes the range and type of sentencing programs available and the effect the offence could have on the victim. The court agency uses the presentence report to assist the court in identifying the most appropriate sentence. It also helps collect relevant, objective, factual information on the defendant.
The courts use a search warrant. It is a document signed by a magistrate or a judge allowing a law enforcement officer to search a specified place, a specific person or an automobile for purposes of criminal evidence. The document is the precondition for conducting a search. A search warrant is designed to help protect people against unreasonable or unlawful governmental intrusion or physical trespass.
In summary, the criminal justice system involves three main agencies: law enforcement, the courts and corrections. Law enforcement uses the incident report, while law enforcement agencies use arrest warrants. The court uses an order of probation, while the courts use a presentence report. The courts use a search warrant as a precondition for searching.
References
Vredeveldt, A., Kesteloo, L., & Van Koppen, P. J. (2019). Writing alone or together: Police officers’ collaborative reports of an incident. Criminal Justice and Behavior, 45(7), 1071-1092.
Conroy, M. A. (2019). Report writing and testimony. Applied Psychology in Criminal Justice, 2(3), 237-260.
Demelolaw. (2022). What is a “probation” order? Demeloheathcote.https://www.demelolaw.com/what-is-a-probationorder/#:~:text=This%20is%20an%20order%20from,or%20occupation%20to%20the%20Court.
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