,
,
, CC102 - Intro to Criminal Justice System
Chapter One - The Foundations of Criminal Justice
3 major components of CJS
● Police
○ Enforcement of law
○ Investigation of crimes
○ Arresting of suspects
● Courts
○ Adjudicatory or fact-finding bodies where criminal cases are prosecuted
○ Determinations of guilt rendered
● Corrections
○ Responsible for the administration of a sentence handed down by a judge
○ Includes management, treatment, supervision of offenders in the
community and correctional facilities
Critical thinking - in examining an issue, distinguishing between fact and opinion,
considering multiple points of view, and being open minded to all ideas
● Critical thinking = thorough thinking
● Ask questions, engage curiosity and question statements and assertions
● Consider multiple points of view, be fair and open minded to all ideas
● Draw conclusions, examine the outcome of your inquiry in a more demanding
and critical way
Goals of the CJS
● To control crime
● To prevent crime
● Maintain or achieve
justice What is a crime and
why?
● Much more complex than “a crime is whatever is against the law”
● What is or is not a crime is not set in stone but has changed over the
course of Canadian history
● Crime is generally defined as an act or omission that is prohibited by
criminal law Two critical ingredients of a crime
● Actus reus - the commission of an act
● Mens rea - the mental intent to commit
the act Crime occurs when a person
● Commits an act of fails to commit an act when under a legal responsibility to do so
● Has the intent, or mens rea, to commit the act
● Does not have a legal defense or justification for committing the act
● Violates a provision in criminal
law Social construction of crime
● It’s important to distinguish between behaviours that may be considered
deviant by a large portion of society and crimes
○ Crime is behaviour that breaks the law
,
, CC102 - Intro to Criminal Justice System
Chapter One - The Foundations of Criminal Justice
3 major components of CJS
● Police
○ Enforcement of law
○ Investigation of crimes
○ Arresting of suspects
● Courts
○ Adjudicatory or fact-finding bodies where criminal cases are prosecuted
○ Determinations of guilt rendered
● Corrections
○ Responsible for the administration of a sentence handed down by a judge
○ Includes management, treatment, supervision of offenders in the
community and correctional facilities
Critical thinking - in examining an issue, distinguishing between fact and opinion,
considering multiple points of view, and being open minded to all ideas
● Critical thinking = thorough thinking
● Ask questions, engage curiosity and question statements and assertions
● Consider multiple points of view, be fair and open minded to all ideas
● Draw conclusions, examine the outcome of your inquiry in a more demanding
and critical way
Goals of the CJS
● To control crime
● To prevent crime
● Maintain or achieve
justice What is a crime and
why?
● Much more complex than “a crime is whatever is against the law”
● What is or is not a crime is not set in stone but has changed over the
course of Canadian history
● Crime is generally defined as an act or omission that is prohibited by
criminal law Two critical ingredients of a crime
● Actus reus - the commission of an act
● Mens rea - the mental intent to commit
the act Crime occurs when a person
● Commits an act of fails to commit an act when under a legal responsibility to do so
● Has the intent, or mens rea, to commit the act
● Does not have a legal defense or justification for committing the act
● Violates a provision in criminal
law Social construction of crime
● It’s important to distinguish between behaviours that may be considered
deviant by a large portion of society and crimes
○ Crime is behaviour that breaks the law
