...deciphering evidence properly and preserving crime scenes are two of the most important elements in crime-solving. Consequently, technological advances are relevant to the limited and challenging forensic science field. Also, it is a field wherein technical aptitude is attained only by the amalgamation of various dynamics. For example, supervision, continuing education, proficiency, training, experience, coupled with appreciativeness of scientific protocols and methods proposed against a setting of harsh professional beliefs. This submission delves into forensic science’s contributions to policing and criminal investigations, court processes, and security efforts. Also it explores the media’s representation of forensic science, influence on popular opinion for justice-related issues, and “CSI” effect on the judicial process. Forensic Science Contributions to Policing and Criminal Investigations The geneses of criminalistics or forensic science are mainly European. Forensic science is an amalgamation of various disciplines, such as chemistry, mathematics, geology, physics, and biology to examine physical evidence associated with crime. Previously, the employment of forensic science methods was focused mainly on severe crimes like homicide and rape. However, forensic methods are being positioned throughout a broader spectrum of crime groupings. Additionally, it is routinely being used to assist the investigation of volume crimes such as robbery, vehicle crime, and burglary...
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...CASE STUDY 2 Criminal Justice professionals have certain responsibilities and duties in order to fulfill the needs of society. Criminal justice professionals are the backbone to any society and they are given certain authority and power by the government to protect its citizens. This sets them apart from the general population. They are expected to fulfill the vast amount of duties expected of them in a professional manner. Criminal justice professionals are expected to have very high moral standard therefore in order for the citizens to feel safe they have to remain vigilant and professional; they are not expected to be any discrimination or biasness at all, during the commission of their duties. Law enforcement, correctional system and legal system are a few of the criminal justice professions that are entrusted by the government with the powers to protect and serve the citizens of the country. Law enforcement officer’s role is public safety, which can officially be broken down in different functions, enforcing the law, keeping the peace and protection of life and property. In carrying out the function law enforcement officer have to exercise discretion. Without law enforcement we would have anarchy and crime would be more prevalent. Policing is as much as helping people and maintaining community quality of life as it is about enforcing the law and apprehending criminals. In today’s multicultural and diverse society...
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...Media Influence on Criminal Justice The Media’s Impact on Criminal Justice. Juvenile Justice System David Scholtes I believe that the media has a profound impact on criminal justice. Firstly in the way that it reports the crime. I believe the media is shaped by economic considerations. Whatever will help them sell more papers, get more sponsors or get better ratings is what they report, it seems that is their criteria of what is newsworthy. They tend to over dramatize crimes at times. I believe trying to give the viewer or reader the fear factor with crime scene photos and videos of pools blood, bodies still on the scene with white sheets covering them. It’s human nature to stop and look at an accident with ambulances present. The media attempts to interview victims, witnesses and family members of victims immediately after the crime. I think this type of reporting can effect a criminal investigation. Also they give out facts of the case that the police try to prevent the public from knowing so that it may not tip off a criminal of impending arrest. When there is an arrest made they like to film the arrestee in handcuffs being put into a car or being lead into the station “the perp walk.” Sometimes when the public views these situations it may be difficult to have a non-biased jury. The power of the media and their coverage can influence the operations of the criminal justice system and even the outcome...
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...Personal Perception Paper Amanda Jones CJA/385 Nick Watt July 7, 2016 Personal Perception Paper When it comes to criminal justice policies, there is a moral and ethical obligation involved in the policy making process. When it comes to policy making, there are various levels this takes place on, and affects all walks of society in trying to prevent and reduce the amount of crime that takes place. It is the responsibility of policy makers to make smart and sound choices as well as ethical ones all the while, analyzing the issues that need the most addressing. In this paper we will discuss the different perceptions that take place in the policy making process. The policy making process consists of the proposal of specific criteria for the prevention and reduction of crime in today’s society. When beliefs, ideologies and interests meet, policy making can take places and a political power can be assigned. This process takes places in steps. Policy analysis is when there is an evaluation of the different implications of each policy and the individual policies alone. In the criminal justice field, policy making requires specific areas to be covered such as legislative drafting, legislative enactment, agenda setting, public hearings, legislative implementation and legislative reauthorization. While in our reading, the definitions are similar, they state that policy making is an unbiased process and while in theory this could be true, it is not in practice. There is often a lot of...
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...the role of the media in the construction of the general public`s perceptions of crime and the implications of this for the development of safety policies. The primary source of information on crime and safety policies is the mass media. Mass media has a primary aim to inform and entertain and therefore the coverage of crime may be inaccurate, biased and may promote inappropriate policies of crime control. However, the influence that the media imposes upon the public about crime will ultimately be dependent upon how the content of the media is interpreted by specific audiences. In relation to crime statistics and the public’s perceptions, the Government's British Crime Survey (BCS) of 2008/9, results showed that UK public felt crime had increased locally from 36 per cent in 2007/08 to 38 per cent in 2008/09 and an increase in the proportion of people who think crime has increased nationally from 65 per cent in 2007/08 to 75 per cent in 2008/09 when in fact the figures had decreased. On the other hand, some categories of crime did show an increase, such as theft from the person which increased by 7 per cent. Two main categories of mass media are print media and electronic media. Both categories differ in the way that print media is mainly factual and electronic media tends to provide visual imaging to relay information. At present visual media coverage is the most predominant in conveying the meanings and emotions of various crimes. It appears that visual media is what helps...
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...EXAM ONE When Guenther describes the Criminal Justice System, he labels it something that is unequal, and does not show the fairness it is supposed to promise. One of the first aspects to look at is the perceptions and stereotypes that society has about the current offender. Many times, social media is the reason people have skewed perceptions on who is likely to be an offender and who is not. Media’s influence on crime can change what the reality of a criminal looks like to those who are believing everything media says or shows. One example of society being influenced by media is a racial hoax. Furthermore, this is “when someone fabricates a crime and blames it on another person because of his race OR when an actual crime has been committed and the perpetrator falsely blames someone because of his race” (Russell-Brown, K. 1998). Not only does this make it...
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...The Influence of Media in Judicial System The Influence of Media in Judicial System How many times has there been an innocent person released after more than a decade of serving in prison? Does media frenzy have an effective role in matters like this? Does everybody believe in the saying “innocent until proven guilty?” With much variety of media’s entertainments, public interest, as expected, has been increased, and it is still increasing. Despite the fact that it is good for people to be aware of what is going on around them, there has to be a line to how much media can interfere into life of others. The presence of media in the courtroom assures that people would be informed of how the legal system works besides of being an observer of a fair and unbiased trail. But their presence in the courtroom with cameras, tapes, and other especial equipments would cause more harm than benefit. Freedom of speech in addition to people’s interest in drama of the courtroom stimulates media’s curiosity in legal matters, and sometimes this curiosity will defy the privacy of others. Media’s influence on public and especially on jury repeatedly has caused the change of the verdict, an example of this influence is a case from Capital Defense Network; “Conviction for murders, armed robbery and attempted rape with a punishment of death was reversed and remanded for retrial because juror read news accounts detailing defendant's prior assault of a woman with a hammer...
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...Assignment 2 The film that I watched is Gone Girl which is about a woman in a troubled marriage who goes missing. Gone Girl captures the misconception of marriage, the capacity of manipulative and destructive behavior, and the criminal education that can be obtained from crime and all while playing on the effect media has of what is fact or fake. Deviance is a behavior, trait, belief, or another characteristic that violates a norm and causes a (negative) reaction. How the media portrays deviant behavior in the film is that with the main character of Amy with the occurrence of the media focusing on an attractive white female victim or a white female perpetrator. In the film, there is a major issue with media coverage criminal investigations as it ignores the victims based on their situation of being the blame due to the public pressure encouraged by news media placed on police...
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...Nullification Jury selection plays a significant role in the criminal justice system. Their primary role of the jury lies within the courtroom setting during criminal proceedings. These individuals are charged with the responsibility of hearing testimony from the prosecution and defense and also evaluating any evidence brought before the court. Their understanding and interpretation of all testimony and evidence greatly determine the final result of the trial, the verdict. In many circumstances a jury may dismiss the testimony and evidence and inject their own personal opinions regarding the law. This is known as jury nullification. Jury nullification permits juries to acquit even when the facts of the case suggest they convict, and thus enables citizens to play a more active role in determining justice and what or whom should be punished (McNamara & Burns, 2009, p. 265). Influence of Ethnicity within the Courtroom An individual’s race or ethnicity can have a substantial influence on courtroom proceedings and judicial practices. Many people, regardless of their own race, have preconceived notions of individuals that are charged with a criminal offense. Much of these preconceptions are fueled by the media, especially when these cases involve a white victim and minority perpetrator or vice versa. The media tends to glamorize and indulge these types of crimes because they equate to good ratings. Often times this media coverage finds its way into the courtroom and can have a negative...
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...Running Head: SOCIOLOGY IN CRIMINAL SYSTEM Abstract Sociology in the criminal justice system s both interest but very complicating. There are some many different aspects on what can be touched upon. The criminal justice system is known to be very biased. In specific terms the system is racial bias and unfair. The America uses a formal social control, to deal with crimes. Statistics show a fair difference and connection between race and the percentage of people convicted of crimes. Other components influence these percentages but always seem to come back to race. The racial unfairness has taken a toll on the American people and contrasts the idea that America was originally built on Incredible as it is America is one of the most tolerant nations in the world. America is a country that was built on freedom, pride, happiness, and equality. Though this is common knowledge and an allusion of the American people, the country has some faults. Equality is a major moral in America that was fought for in history and even in today's society. Throughout our history minority groups have fought hard for there rights and we have accepted the fact that its wrong to discriminate. It is agreed that racial discrimination is wrong as well (Banks, 2009, p 79). Racism has been a problem in America seen the country was founded. Slavery was a form of racism in the early centuries of America. Our judicial system has...
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...PSYCHOLOGICAL PROFILING STEVEN HOENIG 2-29-16 This paper will examine my perception and concept of forensic science in the 21st century. It will also examine the importance of forensic science to policing criminal investigation court process, and the efforts of various levels in security. In addition to analyzing the importance of forensic science, I will give a historical approach. I will discuss the accuracy of the media representation of forensic science and how issues. Lastly, I will discuss the influence the CSI effect have on the judicial process. Forensic Science is the application of science to criminal and civil laws that are enforced by law enforcement agencies in a criminal justice system. Another definition of forensic science is principles and techniques to matters of criminal justice, especially as it relates to the collection, examination, and analysis of physical evidence. In 1929, a Los Angeles police department establish the first American forensic lab. Forensic science has been around over 300 years or more and it continues to improve and emerge today as science and technical knowledge find more improved and accurate techniques. Forensic science has come to be a critical instrument in allowing guilt or demonstrating innocence in the system of criminal justice. In the late 80’s (DNA), society was accepting of (DNA) and forensic science continues to develop and unfold Technology in this fast pace world. Forensic science has been through many changes because of...
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...Running head: Crime Theories Crime Theories Clifton C. Staples CJ Philosophy Policy Do crime myths impact criminal justice policies? The manner in which criminal justice policies are created, solidified and employed are questionable at times dependent upon where the nucleus or core originated. Public scrutiny, media coverage, blogs, Internet sites are just a few examples of arenas where crime myths are created and perpetrated. These volcanic eruptions in mainstream society, stir the pot, drive public perception and create non-factual based chaos and mayhem, forcing heads of state and politicians into full effect to create safety measure to mitigate such instances from occurring again. These policies at times can take on a life of it’s own and cause more harm then good in certain situations. “The news media are not mirrors, simply reflecting events in society. Rather, media content is shaped by economic and marketing considerations that frequently override traditional journalistic criteria for newsworthiness” (Beale, 2006, p. 397). Immigration laws, sexual assaults, drug use, gang violence, gun control are just a few of the many examples of media led myths that lives and breathes in the circulating media sources, which “through agenda setting and priming, the news media's relentless emphasis increases public concern about crime and makes it a more important criteria in assessing political leaders” (Beale, 2006, p. 398). During the recent 2014 election cycle...
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...transit-buses, light rail, and trains that would more efficiently link the suburbs and the city-but that, too, faced opposition, largely for racial reasons” (408). Kruse’s point is that mass transit is a clear solution, but it is a challenge due to people’s continuing prejudice. Regarding the problems with mass incarceration, we need to prioritize restorative justice over punitive justice if we want to see changes in criminal justice policy. Alexander writes of the disproportionate incarceration, “The racial dimension of mass incarceration is its most striking feature. No other country in the world imprisons so many of its racial or ethnic minorities” (306). The significance of Alexander’s argument is that the United States jails more minorities than any other country. This, combined with the unequal incarceration of white people, highlights the racial issues in our justice system. There are several ways to combat this problem. Minority groups can be less negatively affected by eliminating the penalty for minor drug offenses, offering more rehabilitation for drug users, and funding community-based alternatives to jail. Moreover, clearing criminal records for nonviolent crimes and enforcing fair employment procedures might benefit those who have served time in prison as they return to society. All these solutions would require changing laws and educating the public on the historical roots of the current policies, as many Americans are not...
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...contradiction? In a democratic society such as Australia, crime trends largely influence parliaments and ministries in crime policy management. If the media are found to be reporting an upward trend in crime figures, enough to unease the public, policy makers are put under pressure to increase punishment and change rules relating to procedures of criminal prosecution. Judicial decisions are intended to reflect public opinion; therefore a judge would then feel obliged to hand down harsher sentences (Pfeiffer, Windzio & Kleinmann, 2005). This, in turn, confirms it is imperative to address the substantial difference between the public’s perception of crime rates, and accurate crime statistics. As previous Australian and international research has indicated, a large majority of the public perceives crime rates to be increasing; they also have inaccurate views on the severity of sentencing. “The Australian Public overestimates the proportion of crime that involves violence and underestimates the proportion of charged persons who go on to be convicted and imprisoned” (Roberts & Indermaur, 2009). To help explain this contradiction in Australia, crime statistics have been analyzed and factors that could influence these inaccurate perceptions have been discovered. Two significant factors that influence the perception that crime rates are increasing, is the gender of a person, and the mass media. Widespread studies have ben conducted in countries all over the world to uncover...
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...time again. As society sees this, stereotypes are created and justice is not always given because of created bias towards race, and the outlook on background. People of color are viewed to have a higher chance of committing more crimes and to be sent with higher charges than their white counterparts. These harmful stereotypes given to people of color have been going on for a long period of time and are increasing to this day. One example of a common stereotype is the poverty that is heavily inflicted on African Americans. This causes a significant amount of them to seek survival through stealing. It is easiest to suspect and convict African Americans of committing these crimes based on the stereotypes...
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