Introduction
Criminal justice usually seizes public intrigue in relation to high-profile cases and their media representation. However, people working in the legal system also help to regulate day-to-day activities of people. Criminal justice professionals are an integral part to the prosperity and stability of any nation. The government grants citizens certain rights and establishes various legal structures to ensure they are protected. Therefore, policing becomes an essential function of the judiciary branch. Law-abiding individuals trust criminal justice practitioners to keep their communities safe. Criminals, on the other hand, often fear the power of law enforcement agencies. The criminal justice system cannot operate without high-class professionals, who ensure the efficiency of its operations. The primary power of protecting citizens from those who would harm them rests with various criminal justice professionals. This essay will explore the role of these practitioners in serving both individual and societal needs of those they are bound to protect.
The Role of Criminal Justice Professionals
Many people immediately think of police officers when they contemplate the meaning of criminal justice. In fact, the field of criminal justice encompasses various different structures apart from law enforcement. It includes multiple sectors, each one having a specific specialization. Some are involved in the prosecution of criminal cases, while others focus on the rehabilitation of offenders. There is no singular criminal justice system in the United States, but there are many individual ones working with each other to ensure the enforcement of laws and prevention of criminal activity (Bradman University, 2018). A lot of individuals are employed in the criminal justice system, including police officers, investigators, federal agents, attorneys, defenders, judges, and correctional officers. Therefore, the field is “an entire sprawling system overseeing unlawful activity, imposing penalties on those who violate the law, and working to ensure they don’t reoffend” (Bradman University, 2018). It is evident that people working in the criminal justice system have a complex range of responsibilities.
Societal Needs
The primary societal issues that criminal justice professionals help to battle are drug abuse, correctional rehabilitation, and child abuse. Firstly, the number of people in America suffering from addiction is growing (Scot, 2020). According to the research from American Addiction Centers, 19.7 million Americans aged 12 and older have battled a substance abuse disorder, while 38 percent of them struggled with an illicit drug abuse disorder (Scot, 2020). Criminal justice professionals, particularly those working in law enforcement, roam the streets daily to battle the distribution of drugs. Without police officers and federal investigators, the amount of illicit drugs would increase tremendously, which could affect addiction rates. In addition, drug abuse is associated with the mistreatment of children. American Addiction Centers report, “1 in 8 children in the United States (8.7 million) live with at least one parent who abuses alcohol or other drugs” (Kaliszewski, 2019). Kaliszewski (2019) also notes that parents struggling with substance abuse disorders are less likely to be an efficient parent due to the mental impairment associated with abusing alcohol or illicit drugs. Therefore, by battling drug and alcohol abuse, the criminal justice system ensures children are better cared for and more protected.
Lastly, it is important to acknowledge the role of criminal justice practitioners in facilitating rehabilitation opportunities for those incarcerated in correctional facilities. The criminal justice system ensures that there are certified instructors and counselors, who can help organize anger management, domestic violence, and substance abuse programs for prisoners. By helping criminals to become more socially adept and aware of their actions, criminal justice professionals prevent crime.
Individual Needs
Law enforcement agencies serve the individual needs of citizens, who may require additional assistance and protection. Criminal justice practitioners ensure citizens’ constitutional rights are under protection (Bradman University, 2018). For example, attorneys can ensure that an individual’s freedom of speech is respected in the workplace. Such professionals can also provide orientation in the criminal justice process to individuals facing charges. They notify victims about court proceedings, protect them against harassment and intimidation, as well as monitor victim/offender mediation. In addition, the criminal justice system serves the individual needs of witnesses by facilitating witness protection programs. Such programs emphasize the importance of security for those providing testimonial evidence in trial. Individual needs compose a larger network of societal needs and specific requirements that the criminal justice system helps to meet.
Conclusion
It is evident that criminal justice professionals play an important role in serving individual and societal needs. The criminal justice system is complex and hard to navigate, but it has an important purpose of enforcing the law and ensuring the efficient social order. Police officers, for example, keep criminals off the streets and keep communities as safe as possible. Correctional counselors use treatment programs and educational techniques to help prisoners with rehabilitation and prevent future crime. Attorneys and defenders serve the individual needs of citizens to receive legal representation and navigate the criminal justice process. Such professionals help to keep the society stable and peaceful. They create well-structured and well-resourced frameworks to target and prevent illegal activity.
References
Bradman University (2018). What is criminal justice? A closer look at the field and those who work in it. Web.
Kaliszewski, M. (2019). The link between child abuse and substance abuse. American Addiction Centers. Web.
Scot, T. (2020). Alcohol and drug abuse statistics. American Addiction Centers. Web.