Criminal Justice System – Does It Work ?

The criminal justice system is composed of those agencies, which must enforce the laws that society has enacted for its self-protection and preservation. Theoretically, it is an integrated apparatus whose functions are to apprehend, prosecute, convict, sentence, and correct offenders. The system is composed of three components: police, court, corrections. Each component must contribute to the same goal – the prevention and control of crime and the rehabilitation of offenders.

However, at present the criminal justice system does not work successfully. Of the several million serious crimes reported every year to police, ranging from murder to car theft, only one in nine results in a conviction.

Murder is usually reported, and 86 per cent of all reported murders lead to

arrests, among those arrested, however, only 64 per cent are prosecuted and not more than 43 per cent of the prosecuted cases result in convictions.

In contrast, only 19 per cent of all the burglaries reported to police lead to an arrest.. Four out of five arrested are prosecuted and 56 per cent are found guilty. Therefore, for every twelve reported burglaries there is one conviction.

Robbery – taking property from a person by force or threat of force – is a

crime of violence, dangerous to life and increasing rapidly. However, chances of a robber being convicted are small. Only 27 per cent of all robberies lead to an arrest. Of those arrested, 63 per cent are prosecuted, of whom one-half are convicted.

Less than two-thirds of the cases in which individuals are charged with

murder and robbery are prosecutable. Often the reasons are insufficient evidence, mistaken identity, unprofessional work of law enforcement agencies, etc. While there may be only one conviction for every fifty or more serious crimes, only one in four convicted will go to prison, and most who are imprisoned will commit crimes after their release. Thus from among the very small portion of all the people who commit serious crimes and are finally imprisoned, the system fails to rehabilitate the majority.

Задание 8. Выпишите из текста B эквиваленты следующих слов и словосочетаний:

обвинить в убийстве

арестовать

привлекать к уголовной ответственности

осуждать

выносить приговор

приводить к осуждению

кража со взломом

грабеж

недостаточные улики

совершать преступление

освобождение (из тюрьмы, из-под стражи)