Discuss the difficulty in achieving goal consensus within the criminal justice system

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

• All of the components of the criminal justice system have multiple services to the community. These components have multiple goals and functions. In some cases, these goals conflict or contradict one another.
• For example, some communities expect the police force to provide community protection, but also provide order and respond to multiple calls for service. Coercive force by the police is generally accepted by the community, but how and when the force is applied is nearly always a topic for debate.
• Correctional organizations and the courts also tend to operate within systems that have conflicting goals. Prisons and jails have, for years, debated the benefits of punitive incarceration and rehabilitation efforts.
• Courts are part of an adversarial system of justice in which each actor has certain duties and obligations. These duties and obligations often conflict with those of other actors in the system. The prosecutor has an obligation to protect the public from criminal activity, while the defense attorney must ensure due process for his or her clients.