Criminal Justice System
What is the purpose of the Criminal Justice
System?
“The purpose of the Criminal Justice System (CJS) is to deliver justice for all, by
convicting and punishing the guilty and helping them to stop offending, while
protecting the innocent. It is responsible for detecting crime and bringing it to justice;
and carrying out the orders of court, such as collecting fines, and supervising
community and custodial punishment.
• To improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the CJS in bringing offences to
justice.
• To increase public confidence in the fairness and effectiveness of the CJS.
• To increase victim satisfaction with the police, and victim and witness satisfaction
with the CJS.
The Criminal Justice Service Agencies
• The Criminal Justice Service Agencies are public services, set up and regulated by
the government.
• Their aim is to work together to keep the Queen’s peace and deliver justice.
• There are numerous agencies that fall into this category:
o Police
o Crown Prosecution Service
o Court Services
o National Offender Management Service (covers prison and probation)
o Youth Justice Board (covering the youth offending teams)
• There are also several ‘volunteer’ agencies that work as part of the CJS. Their
focus however is more on the people caught up in the system, rather than in the
overall delivering od justice.
o Victim Support
o National Association for the Care and Resettlement of Offenders (NACRO)
Police: Their role in criminal investigations
• Investigate the crime, Collect the evidence, Identify the suspected offender
• Arrest or detain the suspected offender
• Police involvement in a criminal case ends with the filling of a charge sheet or a
final report.
o If the investigation did not provide enough evidence of a suspect to be
charged, they file a final report. However, If the police investigation has
provided enough evidence of the suspect to be charged, they file a charge
sheet.
What is the purpose of the Criminal Justice
System?
“The purpose of the Criminal Justice System (CJS) is to deliver justice for all, by
convicting and punishing the guilty and helping them to stop offending, while
protecting the innocent. It is responsible for detecting crime and bringing it to justice;
and carrying out the orders of court, such as collecting fines, and supervising
community and custodial punishment.
• To improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the CJS in bringing offences to
justice.
• To increase public confidence in the fairness and effectiveness of the CJS.
• To increase victim satisfaction with the police, and victim and witness satisfaction
with the CJS.
The Criminal Justice Service Agencies
• The Criminal Justice Service Agencies are public services, set up and regulated by
the government.
• Their aim is to work together to keep the Queen’s peace and deliver justice.
• There are numerous agencies that fall into this category:
o Police
o Crown Prosecution Service
o Court Services
o National Offender Management Service (covers prison and probation)
o Youth Justice Board (covering the youth offending teams)
• There are also several ‘volunteer’ agencies that work as part of the CJS. Their
focus however is more on the people caught up in the system, rather than in the
overall delivering od justice.
o Victim Support
o National Association for the Care and Resettlement of Offenders (NACRO)
Police: Their role in criminal investigations
• Investigate the crime, Collect the evidence, Identify the suspected offender
• Arrest or detain the suspected offender
• Police involvement in a criminal case ends with the filling of a charge sheet or a
final report.
o If the investigation did not provide enough evidence of a suspect to be
charged, they file a final report. However, If the police investigation has
provided enough evidence of the suspect to be charged, they file a charge
sheet.
