ABSTRACT
The criminal justice system is comprised of complex organizations that interact with offenders and victims. However, the criminal justice system addresses much more than crime. It affects the daily lives of citizens in many ways. This chapter briefly describes and establishes the U.S. criminal justice system as a system comprised of interdependent subsystems. The four subsystems that form the criminal justice system are: legislation, law enforcement, courts, and corrections. The criminal justice system functions at local, state, and federal governmental levels. American Indian and tribal communities have established separate law enforcement agencies, courts, and correctional institutions. No uniform criminal justice system exists in the U.S. Each state has its own distinct laws that define criminal behavior as well as guidelines used to punish offenders. This chapter also provides an overview of criminal justice perspectives influencing the system, and of theories that explain criminal behavior and victimization; traces the early involvement of the social work profession in the criminal justice system; and examines the size and scope of the system. Finally, this chapter identifies the need to balance public safety concerns, a major focus of the criminal justice system, with ethical social work practice as articled in the NASW Code of ethics.
