SOC 101 Lecture 27: The Criminal Justice System
11 Jul 2018
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Document Summary
Becoming a crime statistic is probably the greatest fear among americans. To deal with crime and deter criminals, american society makes use of formalsocial controls, particularly the criminal justice system. Sadly, the american criminal justice system is biased. The likelihood of being arrested, convicted, and sentenced appears to be clearly related to finances and social status. The poor are more likely than the wealthy to be arrested for any category of crime. Why: unlike the wealthy who can commit crimes in the seclusion of their offices or homes, the poor have little privacy. Poor people typically cannot post bail, so they must wait in jail for their trial. Hence, they are unable to actively work in their own defense. Moreover, when the time for the trial comes, defendants who are not out on bail look guilty because they must enter the courtroom led by police probably influencing judges and juries.
