Describe some of the key differences between the "law on the books" and the "law in action"

What will be an ideal response?


The law on the books describes what the law "should be" based on the articulated rules of American law found in constitutions, cases, judicial opinions, and administrative rules and regulations. The law on the books differs significantly from the law in action in many respects.

The law in action reveals what "actually happens" in criminal courts. Examples may include the realities that while there are about 12 million arrests each year, about half actually result in filing of charges. Grand juries are groups of citizens who are given the responsibility for charging in felony cases, but they almost always indict the defendants prosecutors want charged. Felony defendants have a right to file a motion to suppress unconstitutionally seized evidence, but those motions are rarely granted.

Criminal Justice

You might also like to view...

What are some of the important cases involving police searches?

What will be an ideal response?

Criminal Justice

Prior to September 11, 2001, homeland security was the responsibility of federal agencies that could best be described as ______.

A. purely independent agencies with no parent organization B. subsidiaries of the Department of Justice with no domestic enforcement authority C. emergency management agencies with no other function D. lacking central coordination and having overlapping functions

Criminal Justice

According to ______, men and women engage in the same amount of intimate partner violence.

A. Victimization Scale B. Crime Between Partners Scale C. Conflict Tactics Scale D. Violence Perpetration Scale

Criminal Justice

Because it was not considered a dangerous drug, marijuana was not included in the first federal antidrug legislation, the ________ Act.

Fill in the blank(s) with the appropriate word(s).

Criminal Justice