U.S. Criminal Justice System
America’s complex criminal justice system comprises county courts, state courts, state prisons, federal courts, judges, and jails. Most prisoners in the United States are housed in county and state prisons, although the federal justice system receives a lot of attention. Adam Foss states that prosecutors will be responsible for some of the changes. They have the option to choose whether to file charges against alleged offenders. They must be instructed in the methods needed to deal with offenders in the criminal justice system.
The criminal justice system’s crime prevention strategy emphasizes enforcement and repression over systemic causes. 2.3 million Americans are in municipal, state, or federal prisons (Sawyer & Peter). Public safety can be used to measure a prosecutor’s effectiveness. Many prosecutors seek prison sentences for offenders to reassure the public. Instead of spending billions on prisons, society would benefit from psychiatric facilities, new schools, and expanded healthcare.
Access to funds would also improve community services. Criminal justice decisions affect every citizen. In a society, the policy ensures everyone follows the law. Texas still discusses criminal justice issues with public, political, and specialized audiences. Government branches implement different policies and laws. A policy can be implemented at the neighborhood, state, and federal levels, while state law governs macro policies.
Flaws and the Need for Reform
The current U.S. criminal justice system has flaws and needs to be overhauled. To start, I believe that prosecutors lack the proper training to deal with criminals effectively. It can be achieved through training or prior experience working with offenders. The reform is warranted because incarcerating people who need counseling, psychological and mental assistance, and emotional support is counterproductive (Sawyer & Peter). As reported by Foss, a year of incarcerating a teenager in an adult facility costs $109,000 and carries a 60% chance of resentencing (Foss). Because of this, it would be best for all involved if prosecutors could aid in reforming offenders without a permanent record of their criminal history.
There is a need to stop housing juveniles convicted of serious crimes in adult facilities. Most juveniles serving time in adult facilities face numerous threats to their safety. Adolescents suffer physical and mental harm from sexual harassment, making this an issue of paramount importance. They also lack positive role models, contributing to the maturation of undesirable traits, and there are few schools around (Eisen).
Proposals for Change and Policy Solutions
Teens in prison would benefit significantly from this change if it were implemented. Law enforcement members need to undergo implicit bias training. The criminal justice system has been criticized for allegedly favoring people of color at the expense of whites and other minorities. Implicit bias training is necessary to achieve the system’s goal of providing equal justice for all. Antiquated notions that foster prejudice and bias will be wiped out if this is achieved.
Elected officials with the necessary skills may make it their culture to deal with cases openly rather than close them, believing that removing offenders from society will make it safer. Laws requiring offenders to be handled outside jails and prisons may also be enacted, but it is unlikely, given the vagueness of many cases. Transferring juvenile offenders to the juvenile court system until they turn 18 and returning them to the adult system, depending on the crime they committed, is one way to address the precarious situation of juveniles in adult facilities (Eisen).
Elected leaders can help by lobbying for legislative and policy changes. Political leaders may propose including unconscious bias training in law enforcement officer training. It could also be a requirement before officers start practicing. The fact that voters choose the prosecutors allows us to select those prosecutors who are more adaptable and, as a result, can carry out reforms that result in a more robust criminal justice system. To ensure justice is administered fairly and impartially for everybody, my duty as a voter is to back and vote for the best candidate for the job.
Works Cited
Eisen, Lauren-Brooke. “Criminal Justice Reform At The State Level“. Brennan Center For Justice, 2022. Web.
Foss, Adam. “A Prosecutor’s Vision For A Better Justice System“. Ted.com, 2022. Web.
Sawyer, Wendy, and Peter Wagner. “Mass incarceration: The whole pie 2019.” Prison policy initiative 19 (2019). Web.