Criminal justice system
The institutions and procedures through which a society enforces criminal law, adjudicates alleged offenses, and carries out sentences.
Criminal investigation: The process of gathering evidence and identifying suspects in suspected crimes. Police investigations commonly initiate cases that enter the criminal justice system.
Police: Public authorities responsible for enforcing laws, preventing crime, and investigating offenses. Police commonly investigate suspected crimes and make arrests.
Civil justice system: Institutions and procedures for resolving disputes between people, organizations, or governments outside criminal prosecution. Civil cases usually seek remedies rather than criminal punishment.
Wrongful conviction: A criminal conviction of a person who did not commit the offense or was convicted through serious error. Errors in investigation, evidence, or adjudication can produce unjust convictions.
Arrest: The lawful restraint of a person suspected of committing an offense. An arrest can bring a suspect into formal criminal proceedings.
Prosecution: The legal process and public officials responsible for bringing criminal charges against accused people. Prosecutors decide whether and how to pursue many criminal cases.
Restorative justice: An approach to responding to wrongdoing that emphasizes repairing harm and involving affected people. It prioritizes repair and participation over punishment as the central response.
Mass incarceration: The exceptionally high scale of imprisonment in a society, especially in the United States since the late twentieth century. It reflects the cumulative effects of criminal laws, prosecution, and sentencing practices.
Criminal procedure: The rules governing how criminal cases are investigated, prosecuted, tried, and reviewed. Procedural rules structure each stage and constrain the system’s institutions.
Courts: Institutions that resolve legal disputes and issue authoritative judgments. Criminal courts determine guilt, impose sentences, and review legal questions.