Criminal Justice Two Models of Research Paper

(Roach, 1999, p. 15) Equality is very much a part of the "due process" model and it seeks equal treatment for each individual, for instance, the right to be represented by an attorney. When one's economic circumstances mean that they cannot afford a lawyer, in accordance with the principles of the "due process" model, American courts will provide an attorney for the defense.

As previously stated, the current American criminal justice system is so overloaded with cases that it is near the point of collapse. Those working in the system must incorporate the "crime control" model of criminal justice simply to keep up with the numbers involved. While the criminal justice system in the United States is based upon the idea that every person is innocent until proven guilty, the criminal justice system must accept the principles of the "crime control" model that the police investigators and other members of the system are professional and honest. This underlies the basic assumption of innocence that each American is entitled to when entering the criminal justice system. However, the system also maintains that it is the job of the defense attorneys to implement the principles of the "due process" model by defending, not only the innocence of the accused, but their rights and protections guaranteed under the Constitution.

When facing the kinds of criminal problems that the United States must face in the 21st century, including drugs, gangs, terrorism, and a number of other threats, the only model that can be successful in this environment is the "crime control" model. Police, prosecutors, and other criminal justice professionals must accept its "conveyor belt" principles or face overloading and crashing the entire criminal justice system. While critics will claim that this will lead to an increase in the number of innocent people being convicted of crimes, it is the job of the defense lawyers to make certain that does not happen. If modern society is going to have a successfully functioning criminal justice system, the two models will have to be represented by the competing sides in the criminal justice system: the prosecution and defense.

References

Barkan, Steven, and George Bryjak. (2011). Fundamentals of Criminal Justice: A Sociological View. Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett Learning International.

Packer, Herbert. (1968) "Two Models of the Criminal Process." In The Limits of the Criminal Sanction. Stanford, CA: Stanford UP.

Roach, Kent. (1999) Due Process and Victims' Rights: The New Law and…