Balance in the Administration of JusticeAnd Security Integrative31 Jan 2011AbstractBalance is an important concept in criminal justice. This is because it serves as a guide to making administrative decisions for justice and security operations. The government uses these balances to enact laws that not only benefit each citizen but each community as well. This helps maintain justice in society as we know it today. Balance in the Administration of Justice and SecurityBalancing freedom and security in the scales of justice is no small task.
But it perhaps becomes easier to comprehend when we step back and realize that justice is in the balance as well. Balance is an important concept in criminal justice. This is because it serves as a guide to making administrative decisions for justice and security operations. The government uses these balances to enact laws that not only benefit each citizen but each community as well.
This helps maintain justice in society as we know it today. There are various issues that concern the legal environment in which justice and security administration operates. Justice is used to refer to the provision of equal rights to everyone in the country. Justice includes equal distribution of wealth and power. There are laws listed in the constitution that grant citizens different rights from freedom of expression to your right to worship. Justice also helps people access different services which would include medical and education.
Though the laws grant citizens different rights the government should establish measures to punish people who violate the laws. This makes it easy for the country to eliminate crime and to ensure security and safety. Law enforcement officers are required to respect citizen??™s rights and freedom while keeping the streets safe and secure. People who violate the laws that were set are required to be punished and the punishment should fit the crime. There are several issues surrounding the legal environment in which justice and administration operate. Some of the issues include natural laws, authority in charge and agreement, along with some others which are retributive and fairness. The reactions to such laws actually help law enforce officer and government administration to administer justice fairly and equally universally.
The laws also define what people can and cannot do, anything outside those laws is considered to be illegal or in just (Mack & Kelly). Cumulative IssuesIn today??™s society there are several growing issues when it comes to the criminal justice system, not just from the offender themselves but the victims as well. Numerous agencies have all types of plans in the works to lower the crime rate, but no one has actually succeeded and with the way the economy is going, more strenuous plans need to be put to work. One of the most increasing issues dealing with administrative justice and law enforcement is the use and distribution of drugs. With the larger cities fighting the war on drugs, it seems to push the problem to the rural urban areas, which also leads to higher crime. Domestic violence is another area of concern when it comes to cumulative issues. There are different issues when it comes to dealing with crime and the criminal justice system. But to get the word out that certain things will not be tolerated and laws are put there for a reason, some sort of strict punishment should be put in place.
Once the punishment phase has been determined then it should be enforced all across the board for anybody and anyone who commits the crime. The different punishment for different individuals is one complaint that many citizens have when it does go to court. So to insure there is equal and fair punishment for all. For the safety of not only the community but for the country as a whole, something should be done to ensure that the crimes that are part of the growing problem in today??™s society are put to a stop somehow. Changes in TechnologyThe changes in technology and mass communication have effects on the justice system.
Information technology affects decision making in the criminal justice system, and this makes it easy to maintain justice. Judges and other personnel are able to make timely decision using technology. People are able to receive information on time and this improves how judges and the government administer justice to the citizens (Pound). Decisions in the justice system are made on time and delivered in the right format. Also information technology helps with the management of not only the court rooms, but also out in the field with the law enforcement officers. Computer Technology has helped eliminate the paper trail in many offices and for officers on the streets.
Past an officer would have to wait for information on suspected criminals and with increased technology, they can pull up the information from the patrol car some with even a picture of the criminal. These new technologies have not only increased efficiency in the criminal justice system, but also justice in the country. Along with these new technologies comes training the people right that way the information used is current and correct and with mass communication people get the information in a timely manner which helps improve the justice system in society.
The new technologies have also helped out not only the local law enforcement officers and agencies, but also it has helped out the government and military forces tremendously. With all of the 9/11 attacks on the United States, the government had to come up with some sort of technologies to enable them to find and track known terrorists. With this process it hopefully ensures that such attack will not happen again or if so, we will be better prepared for the course of action to take. Individual RightsThere are various issues with citizen??™s rights and violation of the constitution, but with these rights we also need to maintain some type of order and safety. Some of the main rights that citizens feel have been violated are the search and seizure right and the right to bear arms. Individual rights are more important in the criminal justice system than other rights. They form the basis of the criminal justice system. These rights have more advantages than disadvantages and the biggest one is that the government is required to protect and defend the rights listed in the constitution while still maintaining order and safety.
The search and seizure right is one given under the constitution and this had led to many heated debates about citizen and their rights. Prime example is the issues going on in Arizona right now, citizens feel that their rights are being violated because officers of the law seem to be able to stop someone just because they look Hispanic and once this has happened the officers then are doing technically illegal searches on the individuals. Another issue with individual rights is that citizens should have the right to a fair trial along with the good working conditions, education and security. The government has not followed these rights which are also in the constitution well either. The issues involving citizen rights and maintenance of order and public safety should not be taken lightly. The issue in the environment is a mutual understanding and with the justice in the country it should operate under this mutual understanding.
The government should formulate laws to govern people in the country and they should not favor any one. They should not encourage discrimination in the society either. This will help ensure justice in the country while trying to maintain the safety and security.
The government at all levels should carry out activities in a fair manner regardless of who you are or what you do. Each citizen in the country should be also represented within the justice system fairly. ConclusionBalance is an important principle that government and the criminal justice system use every day when making administrative decision. The concept ensures that the government and criminal justice system maintain justice and security throughout the country.
The government ensures equal allocation of resources in each city and state. This is through the constitutional laws that were established as a guide for citizens in the country. There are various issues concerning the legal environment which is the place where justice and security operate. Some of the main issues that seem some need of working through are mutual understanding, fairness, authority and retributive.
The issues affect the environment where justice and security operate. The government enacts always that guide citizens in the country. The government has the authority to establish laws in the country for those to follow, but when making these decisions; the government needs to ensure equal representation of all citizens is there. This is in terms sharing of the resources and responsibilities.
Also the government needs to enforce all punishment on those people who violate the laws enacted regardless who you are or how rich and powerful you are, because this will help maintain good order and discipline in the country. There are important issues involved in citizen rights and maintain order and public security. Violation of the citizen rights has become a hot topic in today??™s society and it is not going away but getting worse. This is because other government does not seem to protect or respect the citizens or their rights listed in the constitution.
Information technology and mass communication have helped improve justice in this country, but on what level and sacrifice of the citizens. Technology has made it easy for the government to store information on individuals and violate individual??™s rights under the fourth amendment. If the information stored and gathered was used in the manner it was originally planned for then it would improve our justice system and the security of this country. ReferencesCritical Criminal Justice Issues, Retrieved fromhttp://www. ncjrs.
gov/pdffiles/158837. pdfEnhancing the Delivery of Justice and Security, Retrieved fromhttp://www. oecd. org/dataoecd/27/13/38434642. pdfFenwick, H., Phillipson, G. (2003).
Constitutional and Administrative lawMack, R. L. & Kelly, M. J. (2004). Equal justice in the balance: America??™s legal responses to the emerging terrorist threatPound, R (1998), Criminal Justice in America, Transaction Publishers Striking the Balance between Civil Liberties and Security, Retrieved fromhttp://press. umich. edu/pdf/0472113941-ch7. pdf
