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Simple English definitions for legal terms
criminal-justice system
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A quick definition of criminal-justice system:
The criminal-justice system is a group of organizations that work together to handle cases where someone is accused of breaking the law. There are three main parts of the system: the police and other law-enforcement agencies, the courts and judges, and the people who are responsible for punishing those who are found guilty. The police investigate crimes and arrest people who they believe have broken the law. The courts decide if someone is guilty or innocent, and if they are guilty, what their punishment should be. The people who are responsible for punishing those who are found guilty might send them to jail or prison, or they might give them probation or parole.
A more thorough explanation:
The criminal-justice system is a group of institutions that an accused offender goes through until the accusations have been resolved or the punishment has been given. It consists of three main parts: law enforcement, the judicial process, and corrections.
Law enforcement includes police officers, sheriffs, and marshals who are responsible for investigating crimes and arresting suspects.
The judicial process involves judges, prosecutors, and defense lawyers who work together to determine whether the accused is guilty or innocent and what punishment they should receive.
Corrections include prison officials, probation officers, and parole officers who are responsible for carrying out the punishment given to the offender.
For example, if someone is accused of stealing a car, they will be arrested by a police officer (law enforcement). They will then go through a trial where a judge, prosecutor, and defense lawyer will determine whether they are guilty or innocent (judicial process). If they are found guilty, they will be sent to prison where they will be under the supervision of prison officials (corrections).