1. Running Head: UNIT 1 INDIVIDUAL PROJECT 1
Unit 1 Individual Project
Brittney Thom
AIU Online
2. UNIT 1 INDIVIDUAL PROJECT 2
Police Officers play a very important role in the Criminal Justice System. The role of a
Police Officer is to above all else protect and serve the community when a crime has been or is
being committed. When a crime has been or is being committed Police Officers are generally the
first respond to the scene. “The duty of a police officer is to enforce the law, investigate the
crime that has been committed, apprehend the offender, reduce and prevent crime from
occurring, maintain public order, ensure community safety, provide emergency and related
community services and protect fundamental rights and freedoms of individuals.” (Schmalleger,
F., 2012, chapter 1 page 10). Upon completion of the initial investigation the conducting officer
may or may not make an arrest depending on witness testimony and/or probable cause. If an
arrest is mad e the criminal is then taken into custody and booked, processed, and printed. The
criminal is then placed in a holding facility where he or she will wait for an arraignment date.
Police Officers are only involved with the criminal defendant during the investigative stage and
until the criminal is proven guilty or not guilty of the crime.
District Attorneys are appointed or elected officials that represent a designated community
district, their duties are governed by the state's law. A district Attorney's job is to review the facts
of a case and then to determine if the criminal defendant should be charged and prosecuted for
the crime. After reviewing the case if the District Attorney determines that the defendant will be
charged, they then file a complaint with the District Judge. The judge then signs a warrant for the
arrest of the defendant and the defendant is booked and a preliminary hearing is scheduled. The
District Attorney then begins an investigation to compile evidence and witness testimony to
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show the crime was indeed committed by the defendant being charged. Upon hearing the plea of
the defendant ( guilty or not guilty) at the preliminary hearing the District Attorney can then
decide whether or not to begin the process of a plea bargain, either with the defendant or with the
defendant's Counsel. In the event that a plea agreement is not reached the District Attorney must
then began the process of setting up a trial to prove the defendant's guilt. District Attorneys get
involved from the time an arrest is made to the time that the defendant's guilt or innocence can
be proven. I believe that it is a good idea for prosecutors to become involved in the investigation
as soon as possible. Doing such allows them to become much more familiar with the case and
affords them a better chance as well as more time compile leads to help determine who has
witnessed the crime or to build a criminal profile on the defendant.
The attorney representing the defendant is known as the Defense Counsel and the
defendant can either hire one or the courts can appoint one if the defendant cannot afford one.
The role of the Defense Counsel is to defend the rights of the accused and prove beyond a
responsible doubt that the defendant is innocent. Defense Counsel can become involved in the
case against the defendant before indictment or arrest believes that he/she will be prosecuted for
their crime/ actions. Once the arrest has been made it is the Defense Counsel's job to file a
motion and waiver for arraignment and for a discovery regarding the complaint that was filed to
the District Court Judge by the petitioning District Attorney. Defense Counsel can then request
that the preliminary/arraignment hearing be waived and request that bail be set for the defendant
as long as the client is not found to be a threat to society. Once the motion has been filed by
Defense Counsel a hearing is set to grant the motion, thus allowing the District Attorney and
Defense Counsel can began work on coming up with some sort of plea agreement. Nine out of
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ten criminal cases are resolved with a plea agreement made by the District Attorney and Defense
Counsel.
Federal, State, and Local Judges are responsible for determining if the defendant that is
being accused of the crime is guilty or innocent of crime he/she is being prosecuted for. Judges
are involved with a case from the date of the initial arrest. Judges are the ones that must sign and
okay all warrants relevant to the case. Judges also have to hear evidence and testimony from
witnesses that are relevant to the case. The judge also listens to the arguments regarding the
innocence of the defendant from the Defense Counsel. In some cases the defendant can choose to
take his case to trail and then the evidence is presented to a jury of his peers and they are
responsible for determining the defendant's innocence. The judge still reserves the power to
overrule a juries’ decision with enough circumstantial evidence.
