Assignment: Defining Criminal Justice

Justin just graduated from the police academy and the Centervale Police Department (CPD) assigned him to a mentor to put his learning into practice.

Justin's assigned mentor is Anne Doil, a veteran CPD police officer with nine years of service. She is known for being an extremely meticulous officer and has served in several capacities with the CPD. Every year, she teaches a course on criminal justice administration. The course encompasses topics related to reporting, recording facts and evidences, and investigation of crimes. The course also includes topics on forensics, interviewing and interrogation techniques, security, victimology, testimony of witnesses, constitutional law, and corrections.

The department selected Anne to train Justin because she understands the criminal court system and the importance of building a strong foundation before going into the field as a patrol officer.

In a minimum of 250 words, post your responses to the following topics to the Discussion Area.

If you were Anne, how would you define the terms "crime," "criminals," and "criminal justice" to Justin? Use your textbook and one article from the Argosy University online library to support your definitions. Why is it important for police officers to understand these terms?

Explain what makes a person a criminal. Support your answer with an example from the textbook or your selected article.

What role does justice play in the criminal court system? How do we achieve justice in criminal courts?

If a person commits a crime but has a defense for his action, will he be still considered a criminal? Why or why not?