Chapter 8, Response Paper. (Introduction to Criminology)

Chapter 8, Response Paper (Introduction to Criminology) Name: Institution: Course: Instructor: Date: Chapter 8, Response Paper (Introduction to Criminology) A complete summary of the reading The reading titled "Courts" majorly talks about the courtroom, the composition of the jury, the process of trial, and the types of courts. Criminal cases must be tried and convicted for justice for the offenders and the complainants. Different criminal cases are treated or convicted differently depending on several factors. A perpetrator of a criminal act is treated as a suspect until convicted and is regarded as guilty. Therefore, one is presumed innocent until proven guilty by the jury. The process of convicting a criminal case from arrest, gathering evidence, pre-trial, trial, conviction, punishment, and corrections is long and tedious, not an instantaneous endeavor. Criminal trials serve many functions, such as establishing the truth of a case (epistemological function, punitive action, and symbolic function. The term truth is a complex word, and it is therefore logical to say that the judges do not determine the truth; rather, they determine the guiltiness of an offender or a group of offenders. Determining whether someone or a group of people is guilty guides the type or measurement of punishments to be given. The prosecutor and the defense usually argue their cases before an impartial jury, as this is the best approach for establishing the truth. The court is composed of several employees, each executing a unique role in the legal system. The court employees include judges, clerks, attorneys, bailiffs, jury, and social workers. The court is a unique institution, and this uniqueness can be attributed to the behavior and traditions of the courts. Some of the traditions in the courts include judges wearing wigs and robes and the title of your honor. The court symbols are a communication tool that communicates law terms and the powers of the courts. There are rules to guide fairness to every side. However, those rules usually do not apply, especially to poor offenders. There are elements of bias that are limitations in the courtroo...