ABSTRACT
The criminal justice system is a collection of interrelated decisions. Criminal justice is comprised of a variety of agents and agencies at all levels of government, as well as the private sector. The major decision points in criminal justice are detection, investigation, arrest, initial appearance (bail), charging and arraignment, trial (conviction), sentencing, possible revocation, and discharge. This “thumbnail sketch” of the justice process illustrates the interrelatedness of decisions and shows how the primary points may vary depending on the jurisdiction. The agents, agencies, and decisions of the criminal justice system are interrelated and affect each other. Justice systems show different reactions to national trends depending on the interactions of a complex set of factors. The examples of immigration policy and domestic violence mandatory arrest policies evidence these dynamics.
