JUSTICE - CRIME, CRIMINALS AND THE SYSTEM JUSTICE SERIES

• NCJ Number: 48603
• Author(s): R MONDLOCK; H BLUME
• Date Published: 1974
• Length: 0 pages
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Justice; Trust, Inc
• Corporate Author: Clay Timons and Associates; Trust, Inc
• Sale Source: Coronet Instructional Materials; Not Available Through National Institute of Justice/NCJRS Document Loan Program
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: *This document is currently unavailable from NCJRS. 26.5MINUTES, 16MM COLOR, 1974 JUSTICE FILM SERIES

Annotation

THE PROBLEMS OF CRIME AND THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM ARE DISCUSSED AND THE BASIC DIFFICULTIES PEOPLE HAVE WITH THE SYSTEM ARE PRESENTED IN THIS FILM.

Abstract

MANY PEOPLE SUFFER FROM A FEAR OF CRIME -- ONE-THIRD OF ALL PEOPLE ARE AFRAID TO WALK AT NIGHT IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS. ANOTHER PROBLEM RELATED TO THIS IS A FEAR OF REPRISAL FOR REPORTING A CRIME. ONLY HALF OF ALL CRIMES ARE EVER REPORTED TO THE POLICE. THE FILM SHOWS THAT THE COMMON MAN IS USUALLY AFRAID OF THE LAW. SOME POLICE OFFICERS HAVE BAD ATTITUDES AND MAY NOT CARE ABOUT HELPING PEOPLE SO LONG AS THEY CATCH THE CRIMINALS. ATTORNEYS ARE IN A POSITION TO HELP INNOCENT PEOPLE CAUGHT BY THE POLICE, AND CAN TRY TO ALLEVIATE THE OVERCROWDED CONDITIONS IN THE CRIMINAL COURTS. ONE WAY TO DO THIS IS TO BARGAIN FOR LENIENCY. PLEA BARGAINING IS NECESSARY BECAUSE THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM WOULD COLLAPSE IF ALL CASES WERE BROUGHT TO TRIAL. EVERYTHING IN THE SYSTEM MUST BE REDEFINED, ESPECIALLY CRIME AND CRIMINALS, BUT THERE IS SOME DEBATE OVER WHAT DEFINITIONS SHOULD BE USED. OFTEN, THE POLICE ARE URGED TO ENFORCE LAWS WHICH ARE UNENFORCEABLE AND WHICH ONLY ADD TO THE OVERCROWDED CONDITIONS IN THE COURTS. ONE-HALF OF ALL ARRESTS ARE FOR VICTIMLESS CRIMES. TOO MUCH TIME, MONEY, AND MANPOWER IS WASTED ON THIS TYPE OF CRIME, WHICH DOES NOT REALLY HURT ANYONE; MORE TIME SHOULD BE SPENT ON THE ENFORCEMENT OF SERIOUS CRIMES, IN WHICH PEOPLE ARE HURT OR PROPERTY IS DAMAGED. MOST OF THE STREET CRIMES IN THE COUNTRY ARE BY JUVENILES AGAINST PEOPLE WHO ARE LEAST ABLE TO AFFORD IT. THE GOVERNMENT IS ALSO AFFECTED BY CRIME. THERE HAS BEEN A TREMENDOUS INCREASE IN THE AMOUNT OF WHITE COLLAR CRIMES AND BRIBES, WHICH COST THE GOVERNMENT MILLIONS OF DOLLARS EACH YEAR. THE INEQUALITIES OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM ARE SHOWN IN THE PREFERENTIAL TREATMENT OF RACES. THE RESOURCES WITHIN THE SYSTEM MUST BE ALLOCATED SO THAT THE MOST DANGEROUS CRIMES CAN BE DEALT WITH FIRST. FOR RELATED FILMS, SEE NCJ-48602, AND 48604-48605. (BAC)