US CONSTITUTION AND THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM
The American criminal justice system is composed of the courts, the police, and the prisons. The American constitution impact the US criminal justice through dictating what is to be enforced by the criminal justice system. The constitution also dictates how the police carry out investigations, arrests, and law enforcement. The US constitution influences the court system by determining the sentences, due process, and provide guidelines of trial and sentencing (Cole, 2018). The constitution also has several amendments that protect defendants and victims of crimes. As such, the US constitution is the backbone of the criminal justice system.
In criminal cases involving court processes, the American constitution provides a guideline about pretrial process, arraignment, trial, and sentencing. The constitution guides prosecutors on making decisions about which charges should proceed into a criminal case. During the arraignment process, the constitution provides for the rights of defendants and plaintiffs (Schmalleger, 2014). The legal penalties of various crimes and their enforcement are also decided by the constitution. The US constitution also has several amendments like Amendment IV, V, VI, VII, and VIII, which protect the defendants from intrusive behaviors from the criminal justice system or any violation of human rights.
In conclusion, the US constitution impacts the criminal justice system in various ways. The constitution provides guidelines about what is enforceable by the criminal justice system and dictates how the police, courts, and correctional institutions conduct their operations. The constitution also has several amendments and provisions that protect all parties involved in criminal or civil prosecutions. Basically, the US constitution is an important component of the entire criminal justice system.
References
Cole, G. F., Smith, C. E., & DeJong, C. (2018). The American system of criminal justice. Cengage Learning.
Schmalleger, F., Donaldson, S., Kashiwahara, K., Koppal, T., Chase, S., Brown, A., … & Marash, D. (2014). Criminal justice today. Prentice Hall.