SOC 3630

analyze the importance of assembly-line justice
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analyze the importance of assembly-line justice
It's when the criminal justice system -- the court, the prosecutor, and often the defense attorney -- treats the cases in a very superficial way, just looking at the basic charges and coming to a quick -- and standardized -- response on how to handle it.

It is when the individual details are largely ignored for the sake of expediency and efficiency.
describe why discretion is found in the criminal courts
Because the law is not fact. it is a perceptual concept piece of writting
Identify the principal actors in the courtroom work group
Prosecuting attourney, defense atourney, Judge
discuss the characteristics of the courtroom work group
mutual interdependence, shared decision making, socialization, normal crimes, rewards and sanctions, variability
why are ethics important to the american legal system
position of power and prominence, as these individuals have the greatest influence on society. Members of the criminal justice system make extremely critical decisions every day and their choices have a profound effect on our lives. It is therefore imperative that these men and women do what is right and are free of biases
contrast differing understandings of why delay is a problem in the courts
Our justice system is suppose to be speedy, if you sit in a holding tank for a year thats not speedy.
speedy trial strengths
proves ones guilt.. Innocent until proven guilty, Look by peers (jury)
speedy trial weakness
its not fast, to much discretion- (one person charged way harsher than one of equal crime), Jurisdiction problems
discretion
ability to act on one's own power of individual decision
delay
time during which some action is awaited
normal crimesshared norms. Based on similarities among cases, members of the work group develop certain ideas about types of crimes and criminals.routine cases...mutual interdependenceA shared sense that individuals or groups need each other in order to achieve common goalsshared decision makingcollaboration between the court work grouptwo characteristics of prosecutors in USbroad discretion and decentralizationBroad discretionprosecutor. plea bargaining. sets charges (drugs in a school zone) makes recommendation for bail. participates in selection of juryDecentralizationDegree to which decision-making authority is given to lower levels in an organization's hierarchy.Name of prosecutors in dual court (feds)Solicitor general, criminal division, U.S. attourneynames of prosecutors in dual court system (State)Attourney general, chief prosecutor, local prosecutorRoles of prosecutors in dual court systemargues cases on appeal, autonomy in prosecuting felony casestypes of cases dual court systems handlefederal criminal casesroles of michigan prosecuting atorneysrepresent the people of the state. all cases misdemeaner, felony, civil, etc. Decide on county by county basis.major factors affecting the work life of prosecuting attorneys and assisting prosecutorshuge case load, no privacy , no educational classifications/specifiedanalyze the principal factors affecting prosecutorial ethicsall tenconflicts that may occur between the prosecuting attorney and other court room membersshow people up, become an attacker,conflicts between prosecuting attorney and law enforcementhard on crime and resulting in plea barginsConflicts between prosecutor and the larger community residencedont agree with prosecution, mainly to leanientcommunity prosecutionA prosecutorial philosophy that emphasizes community support and cooperation with other agencies in preventing crime, as well as a less centralized and more proactive role for local prosecutors.decentralizationDegree to which decision-making authority is given to lower levels in an organization's hierarchy.4 major legal issues surrounding the right to counselnon felony Criminal prosecutions, stage of the criminal justice process, ineffective assistence of councel and self representationnon felony criminal prosecutionscant afford to hire one so they get a public defender appointed by the state.. may not even have any previous experience with the type of your casestage of the criminal justice processdepends on where you are in the prosecution/ court processineffective assistence of counselcounsel sucks at representation- retrialself representationrepresent yourself and prove your own reasonablnesshow the courtroom workgroup affects how defense attorneys represent there clients.plea bargening.. high case over loads, dont want another to representwhy most lawyers do not represent criminal defendants...the 3 systems of providing indigents with court appointed attourneysassigned, contract, public defendersassignedappointed by statecontracthired by personpublic defendershired by the state to defend those that can not afford a lawyerrecognize possiable tensions between lawyers and clientsim working for the government not really you, money, disbelief, trustthe importance of legal ethics to the defense of crim defendantsprotect rightsidentify key issues raised regarding indigent defence in michigan...Guideon v wainwrightLawyer must be provided by the state if the accused cannot provide one himself. Esp, if they are a suspected felon.argersinger v hamlin(1972) the court required adequate legal representation for anyone facing a potential sentence of imprisonmentstrickland v. washingtonSupreme Court ruled that: defendants in capital cases have a right to representation that meets an "objective standard of reasonableness"Role of the judge within the court room workgroupact as a mediator3 ways judges are slected in USelected, appointed, senatorial courtesyconsequences of the different methods of judicial selectionresearch findings are mixed, judges similar in backgound, mode of selection doesnt affect outcomemajor changes in the composition of the bench over the last decades.activities of state judicial conduct commissionsresponsible for investigating allegations of judicial misconduct or judicial disability, and for disciplining judges.impeachmenta formal document charging a public official with misconduct in officeremoval of a federal judgepopularity contest, senatorial curtesycharacteristics of defendantswhite malesvictims view of the court processesunjust, not fair, punishment doesnt fit the crimewitnesses view of the court processes...prior relationships between defendants and victims why important with domestic violence casesemotional strain against testifying against someone you know and care about. more likely to drop charges3 programs to aid victims and witnesses in coping with criminal justice processCrime Victim notification network, crime victim compensation, crime victim service commission.why do some view victim programs as aiding whereas others see it as manipulatingsome may see it as an obligation to provide back to the state