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The Three Branches Of The Criminal Justice System

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The criminal justice system is made up of three branches that carry out their own specified function for efficiency and intentionality. The corrections branch is tasked with the duty of imposing sentences on individuals convicted of crimes. Criminal sentences serve multiple purposes including punishment, deterrence, rehabilitation, and protection of society. Numerous philosophies make up the reasoning behind these types of punishments. The ideology of punishment ranges depending on the desired outcome, so the criminal justice system implements different philosophies in order to achieve a few of the outcomes they strive for. Ultimately, the corrections branch of the system enables society to rehabilitate and/or punish criminals for the safety …show more content…

These philosophies include retribution, deterrence, rehabilitation, and incapacitation. First, retribution is the belief that criminals should be punished in a way that is proportional to the harm they have caused to society (Miethe, 2). This philosophy is closely aligned with imprisonment and capital punishment, as both involve the deprivation of liberty and life. Supporters of retribution argue that it is necessary to ensure that criminals are held accountable for their actions and that justice is served (Miethe, 5). The second theory is deterrence. Deterrence is the belief that criminal sentences should be designed to discourage others from committing crimes. This perspective is closely aligned with fines and imprisonment, because both are seen as effective ways of discouraging criminal behavior. The idea is that if potential criminals believe that they will be caught and punished, they will be less likely to engage in criminal activity. Third, rehabilitation is the belief that criminal sentences should be designed to help offenders reform and reintegrate into society (Hoskins, 12). This philosophy is closely aligned with probation and community service, as both involve providing offenders with support and resources to help them change their behavior. The idea is that if offenders are given the opportunity to address the causes of their criminal behavior, they will be less …show more content…

This is the belief that criminal sentences should be designed to protect society by removing dangerous offenders from the community. It is closely aligned with imprisonment and, in some cases, capital punishment (Legal Information Institute, 4). The idea is that if dangerous offenders are removed from society, they will be unable to harm others. Supporters of incapacitation argue that it is necessary to protect society from dangerous criminals and that imprisonment is the most effective way to do

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