We should have more prisons because we have more criminals getting arrested and the prisons are getting over populated and there is no room to fit all of the prisoners. That's why we need more prisons and the prisons yards need to be bigger if they are going to fill the whole prison or the prison is going to shut down for over population. Law enforcement needs to be respected and loved by the people. The law is just doing there job and try to what they are told to do by their boss. They are not trying to be mean to people they are just doing their job. We should never judge others or we are going to pay the price for our actions at the end and it might not be pretty but we still said what we said. always obey the law and never do something so stupid that you get caught and go to jail for half of their life for a stupid crime. Just behave and never do something that you will regret and you will have to re pay for your actions that you did sometime in your life. Just do the right thing so you don't have to pay the price and dl the time if you covered up for someone that actually did it. goler002
Very true Golfer001, but prisons are so costly and we don't get much positive rebound out of them. They are called corrections, but for the drug addicts, is being locked up in prison really correcting there faults? Prisons are always a safe way to protect innocent citizens safety, but for nonviolent prisoners, this could result in a even rougher life than when he entered in. We need separate prisons for different crimes committed. In fact we need to rehabilitate our addicts so therefore they can be a strong asset to our society and live a life free from prisons and violence. texaslonghorns002
This article states that prisons inmate numbers are rising, I think what prisons should do is rehabilitate inmates and release them, instead of overcrowding them and spending more money on prisons. Rehabilitation should be a prisons main priority, not locking people up and throwing away the key. 80% of young juveniles who get caught committing a crime and punished, do not return to committing crimes again. So the main focus should be on rehabilitating adults and making sure they can get jobs that they are capable of and even good at. I also like that this article pointed out the fact that policing is changing. Because it has changed to more community based policing where policemen are expected to interact more with civilians and be more friendly. But with Police claiming to be more friendly, why are prisons inmate numbers rising along with crime? Bry001
i agree goler002 that the prisons are very over populated. but at some point when the inmates get to a certain age and have a certain crime committed and they need to be almost grandfathered out of the prison because it's a waste of a cell to have a 70 year old man in there for theft. RRM001
The sad thing about overpopulating prisons, is that states are spending too much on prisoners and some prisons incarcerate an innocent being. As of now, Illinois spends at LEAST $38,268 per year, per inmate. A part of me thinks that sopme states just want to imprison whoever to make their extra buck, and in a sense there's a lot of unfairness with that. There's a lot of wonder and why states do that, knowing that they should renovate and expand their minds on cutting down imprisonment of the elder, and focus on the main age group committing the most crime. - JiminyxC002
I think if we are to increase the number of prisons we need to change how they are ran and make it a learning place or a place to help the people there become sucsseful like help them get jobs, build up skills they will use in everyday life things of that nature. Now our state is very screwed up and will most likely adopted a system like this or change the system from how it is because some states have it so the criminals can go out and work side jobs during their sentence Illinois doesn't do that because we have no money to. JE002
There are many people in prisons that should not be there. Many are in there for small crimes like smoking marijuana when should be just given a ticket or go on probation. If all we do is send people to prisons without rehabilitation more than likely they will offend again because that is all they know what to do in prison. bamboo123
I believe that we should increase the number of prisons. But I do have to agree with Texaslonghorns002. I do believe that we have to separate major crimes and non major crimes. Those the have not done major crimes would be exposed to a more violent environment. We need to people these people not toss them away with murders and rapist. Everybody makes mistakes. let them learn from them in a better and safe environment.LT001
I agree that law enforcement officer needs to be more respected and loved by the people! people need to understand that being a police officer is not an easy job, its hard and you make hard decision Oregon002
Being a girl, I have had many doubtful of my career choice. Although not one hundred percent sure, I always claimed a law enforcement officer was the path for me. Seeing articles like this make me a happy camper considering they have been so much more willing to hire females to make a more diverse department to serve a diverse community. Gender is a big step in the past decade as well as racial preferences, even on fire departments. The first responding areas of work have really been focusing on hiring a group of people who match the community they serve to better deliver help and confidence in the system. Whether your a detective or on the bomb squad, you are all working towards the same goal once you finish your required schooling. The jobs that this article mentions are jobs that we always need to withhold a sane society. We are all humans and all make mistakes, even the top officials know that, when we do mess up its what we did to come back from it that ultimately matters. Some crimes are almost impossible to creep away from once committed, but if you respect the right to a safe community that the people around you have been give, then you already start your way on the right path. I think that if we get more of a strong support system for our officers and others in the field, we will notice a friendship-like bond that we never knew were possible with a guy who gives out speeding tickets :) texaslonghorns002
I know exactly how you feel, I was very undecided for a long time. I realized that I really loved psychology and always found myself watching tons of crime shows, and I was like "oh my god, I love this." I feel what you are getting at with the friend-ship bond as well, seems like good idea! Cops are human beings and have feelings as well. I agree with everything you said. Ky002
I respect your decision texaslonghorns002, I think that women law enforcement officers are just as useful, and even more so in many cases, than men. Race gender are too much of an emphasis in current events and I think we just need to focus on getting work done and creating the best and safest society that we can. gh_blackhawks002
The articles were very informative about the basics of criminal justice. The prison system although packed seems to be what lots of people think is wrong with the criminal justice system. People really seem to have a distain for tax dollars being wasted on prisons. Its my belief that government should really focus on this part of the system to ensure that only violent offenders receive lengthy sentences while doing away with all major time on marijuana and legalize the drug that is legal or decriminalized in many states to begin with. Furthermore instead of locking up users of harder drugs really focusing an effort on drug counseling while locking up drug traffickers. It all sounds so easy but I honestly don't know the answer to how we go about decreasing crime rates while decreasing prison rates it wont be an easy task. As far as job opportunities being a white male obtaining a job in law enforcement as I've come to find out is far from easy. I have tested in the 87 and 89 percentile in two police exams with letters recommendations to no avail, not that I disagree with the hiring of minorities and women but its discouraging to say the least. I also have seen that in law enforcement it seems that departments are openly trying to hire based on race and gender. If police departments came out and said they were opening looking for white male candidates people would be appalled. Even though to date most departments are white males is the step to hire on color of ones skin or someone's gender. Now I really have struggled with how I feel on this topic because it is so close to me and it hasn't been easy. But if we are truly saying as a culture we aren't letting race or gender decide we still are we are just reversing it to make it proportional. I just don't see where it ends. Everything cant be put into demographics say the NBA or the NFL had to have racial and gender proportions. Articles pushing for more whites to be in proportion with demographics that's insanity. That all being said I am not racist or sexist I'm just curious to find out how people feel about this topic of racial demographics playing a role in how the police, the people who make life and death decisions are hired. It is important to me to know. I know the majority of the police in Peoria are white but turning around and hiring people because of their race or gender to match a populations demographics is not the answer to fixing peoples perception of the police. Once again not trying to offend anyone just would like to know peoples feelings. Dadoftwo001
I think what people in todays world seem to forget is that cops are human beings too, they have feelings and they function the exact same way we do. It's an officers job to correct a criminal on crimes and to punish them. If you chose to make a good decision, you have nothing worry about. Then again, if you do chose to make a bad decision, it is because you chose to make it nobody made the decision for you. We are human, yes we make mistakes but there must be consequences for those mistakes in order for you to know what is okay or what is not okay. I am glad I chose to major into criminal justice, as shown in the article you have many job options! I was once undecided on this major but it's very interesting and I can not wait to get more into depth with it. Girls can just as easily get the job done just as well as guys. We should definitely get more girls on the field out there. I also feel like we should make correctional facilities more organized than what they are today. Ky002
I have always felt pretty strongly about how poorly police officers are being treated in recent days. Police Officers are just your everyday man and woman who eats, sleeps, and works like the rest of us. That is not to say all of society is against the police either. Honestly, from what I have seen, it seems to me that only the media is throwing a lot of hype against cops. The people I see and talk to in the public often seem to believe cops are their guardians, and nearly everyone treats cops with respect. (Many retail stores and fast food stores even give police discounts.) - AJC002
I have to agree with you that these police officers are just like you and me they are human beings. They are going to make mistakes sometime and people need to deal with it. All the crap that officers are getting and knowing the danger they are in makes it very stressful for them. Its hard to go out there everyday with everyone giving you the stank eye and knowing there is a chance you could die. Godzilla001
you brought up very good points. Girls can do just as much as guys so I say we should see them out there. I also agree with you when you said that they did the action so they should pay for it. I have always been told you will be punished for your bad choices. you make your own choices in life and you have consequences to your actions. AW0902
I could not agree more with what you said about how people these days tend to forget about how people forget that officers are human beings too. They act like they are these monsters who are out to get them but when they are in need of help they call those same officers that they call monsters. People need to realize that officers are not out to get them and if you do not break the law, you will not have any problems. Give respect and you will get it in return. Broncos001
I could not agree more with what you said about how people these days tend to forget about how people forget that officers are human beings too. They act like they are these monsters who are out to get them but when they are in need of help they call those same officers that they call monsters. People need to realize that officers are not out to get them and if you do not break the law, you will not have any problems. Give respect and you will get it in return. Broncos001
The part that caught my eye early on in this text is the fact that, in times long past, it used to be the duty of every male citizen to enforce the laws. Crime control also wasn't heavily considered a societal problem, and was more-so believed to be family-feud based. That just seems so intriguing to me, I find it strange that people just relied on other people to keep order to things (Is it not the other people that commit crimes?) Overall, I think the modern system is way better, I feel much more secure being protected by individuals who are trained for the job. Also this text kinda let me see more clearly the title of the career path I was engaging in. Honestly, before this I wasn't really aware of Criminology and Criminal Justice differences. Now it is clear that I am going for law enforcement, under Criminal Justice, not Criminology. - AJC002
I know what you mean AJC002. Before I went to my counselor I had no idea about the difference but after talking with her and after reading this article it has really showed the difference in the two. I also agree that the new system is a better one. It is nice to know that the men and women that protect us are trained professionals. Rocker002
I agree with you AJC002, the thought of relying on my neighbor to help me during a time that I'm being wronged is kind of frightening. How do I know that they will help willingly help me if they aren't being paid and are just doing it from the goodness of their heart? I am also perfectly content with the way the modern system ! zmw002
AJC002, I completely agree with you. This article sparked my interest in so many criminal justice careers. Some of the facts about community policing, and exiling criminals, really made me appreciate the system we have set in place today. If creating more prisons allows us to keep violent offenders off the streets, then I am in support of that idea. -OKC002
I agree on I didn't know that their was a difference between Criminology and Criminal Justice that has really sparked and interest in what I should do with my life and what career path I should choose. I don't know whether my role should be as a police officer or in the court system or somewhere else. So due to this article I plan to due more research into making a distinction between the two. Dadoftwo001
I found this article to be interesting. It is pretty shocking that in earlier times law and order feel on the shoulders of all the men. How can regular citizen keep law and order when they are the very ones committing the crimes. I myself am working towards a degree in criminal justice to become a juvenile probation officer. So I was already aware of the career path I wanted to follow. It is a relief that crime control was finally deemed a societal problem, I don't even want to imagine how much worse our country would be if we still relied on "every man" to protect us from crime. We are already a world in chaos and the absence of the police, courts, and corrections would certainly send us into far more chaos. As a victim of several crimes I am glad that these systems are in place. They are not in anyway perfect, but I still have faith in the criminal justice system, and know without it things would be horrible. I am looking forward to all that I will learn and at a career in the field of criminal justice.
This article states that prisons inmate numbers are rising, I think what prisons should do is rehabilitate inmates and release them, instead of overcrowding them and spending more money on prisons. Rehabilitation should be a prisons main priority, not locking people up and throwing away the key. 80% of young juveniles who get caught committing a crime and punished, do not return to committing crimes again. So the main focus should be on rehabilitating adults and making sure they can get jobs that they are capable of and even good at. I also like that this article pointed out the fact that policing is changing. Because it has changed to more community based policing where policemen are expected to interact more with civilians and be more friendly. But with Police claiming to be more friendly, why are prisons inmate numbers rising along with crime? (accidentally posted in comments) Bry001
I definitely agree with what you said about overly populated prisons and how inmates should be released or relocated in prevention of overcrowding. That does nothing but cause chaos and troubles for inmates and prison guards. And a very good point was made about rehabilitation. Prison should not be meant to cause any suffer, it'd be better for inmates to actually learn and get help due to their past decisions. Everyone deserves a chance to better themselves. Kt002
The police officers are the first people that criminals meet when they enter the justice system. Police officers are the back bone and the muscle of our justice system. There are plenty of jobs open for police officers but a limited number of people who are crazy enough to take the job. This article also talks about the prison population. The population is rising significantly quick. prisons cant focus on rehabilitation because there is no money there and money makes the world go round. We need to stop sending non violent offenders to these prisons with murderers and rapists and people who cant get enough of violence those are the people that need to be in prison. a great majority of juveniles who commit crimes don't repeat crimes they grow out of it some people however cant grow out of it they make it their life. Godzilla001
I can agree with most of what you said Godzilla001. However, I think that nonviolent offenders still should be in jail. I am very strict in my belief that if you commit a crime you deserve to pay for it and be in jail. But, I think rehabilitation is huge in stopping repeat criminals. However, like you said there is no money there for that. It is really a complete shame. The same individuals go in and out of the criminal justice system without learning their lesson. Steve002
Steve, I disagree with the notion that all offenders need to be in jail. There are many other options to correct an individual who made a minor mistake, especially for juvenile offenders. For example, in the state of Illinois we have a program for at risk youth called Lincoln's Challenge. Which is a military like youth group that is run by the National Guard and helps to teach kids to have pride in themselves and aspire to be more than a criminal. I also think that community service seems to be severely underutilized. If you wanted to make someone become a better person, it would be more successful to get them to help and interact with other people than it would to just lock them up. CoolGuy001
The job outlook for police officers is on the downfall and that’s a scary thought because if people aren’t wanting to be officers anymore then who is going to enforce the laws and keep criminals at bay? And with the rising prison overpopulation this could turn out to be a sticky situation. Also with a great majority of kids not becoming reoffenders, we need to make sure the adults do not become re-incarcerated by any means necessary. I like and dislike the fact that officers are changing their demeanor with people theyre dealing with. I like that they are becoming “kinder” officers in the sense that they will be easier to work with and problems will be fixed sooner. I dislike the fact that if theres a person acting out and theres no reasoning with them cops nowadays will try to calm them down and call for backup. But I like the older style where if a guy was acting out you put the man on the ground, cuff him and send him down to the station. But times are changing and that’s something you have to live with. RRM001
I disagree with your thought process on having more prisions. We have to many prisioners as it is we have the highest prison usage in the world. We should look into the actual "crimes" and the other things so we can reduce how many prisionsers we have so we can put them into a work camp type system. so instead of having to pay for them to sit and eat and sleep for free put them to work fixing the roads the bridges and other projects around the citys and towns so the money that is being spent for them to eat and sleep for free can be spent fixing the towns and the city info structure. Only the truly violent criminals or those with extreme sexual tendencies to stay in the prisons as well but the drug busts and traffic violations such as DUI and other incidents go to a work program. and at the end of the day that could potentially put them in a job field where they can be useful to the real world. tree001
I believe that if we just put up more prisons that it wouldn't solve anything. We would still be over populating. What we need to do is put up more rehabilitation centers for the people that have a drug or alcohol problem. That would cut down on the population of a prison. Or it could even make room for the people that really need to be in there like the murderers, rapists, and child molesters. Another thing about the article I loved was how in the old days it was just a few citizens that would watch out for the town. That to me shows that even in the chaos of the older days there were still people that knew there had to be law and order. I personally prefer the new system but the old system was pretty cool. I just hope that eventually the public opens their eyes and sees how much the police actually do for the public. Rocker002
I definitely agree with you Rocker002! The thought of adding more prisons to an already huge population would not do much justice. If they get the people who can recoup and still make a change in their lives, and slim down the population, it would be a win win overall. I too hope one day people will stop looking down on officers and see how much they really do for people and the community. rose001
This article gave me a lot of information and thoughts about my career choice and a better understanding of the steps being taken down that road. I remember writing a paper in high school about crimes and punishments in the medieval era, and after reading and realizing they still follow by some of these aspects, I find it unnecessary. Many things in the criminal justice system have changed so why still abide by these rules. I feel we should change and do things differently with how things around us are changing. I do also believe that we should think about the idea of having more prisons. So many individuals are going down the wrong path where they are bond to be put in there, so for everyones safety and concern, more prisons need to be built. Kt002
Or they need to pay close attention to who should really be there. Some people, i feel don't do serious enough crimes to end up in prison. To save space for the future, they should take these issues into other hands and different places. Kt002
I find this quite shocking on how far we have came in such little time. It's amazing to see the huge changes that were made and made to better the system not to worsen it. I know everyone hates cops in today's society and everyone thinks our system is broken well they are right it is broken for today's world because we demand so much more now then we have ever before. The system works... well kind of there is a lot of improvements to be made but at least its not how it used to be at least it has kind of adapted to today's world. Ways of improvement could be that we increase the number of prisons but make it like a learning center for criminals or something along those lines and maybe even help them out in the world build some skills and talent there and help them go out be productive and live a legal life. JE002
This article helps clear a lot of confusion about the two, so much that I wish a lot of my friends and family would read it. A lot of people misinterpret the differences even between correctional officers and police officers, let alone someone studying criminal justice and criminology. I work at the sheriffs department in Tazewell county, and there are even a lot of men who work there, who say women cannot do the job in corrections as well as men. It is definitely a nice change to see that a lot more females are going into this as well despite the attitude of some. I disagree with the thought of more prisons because if you stop the crime from even happening, which can be heled by more education and less entitled people, then the prison issue would not even be an issue. I like the idea of having some of the inmates go to school while they are in or doing something productive that would help them get a job when they get out and help them stay out of trouble. The more structure they have the better. rose001
This article did a great job at informing me of the many career choices in the Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement fields and even informed me about the study of criminals, Criminology, which even though I do not wish to pursue a career in that branch of the field, it is still very helpful to learn about it. I knew there were different jobs in the law enforcement career path, but I had no idea there were so many different jobs, some of them being extremely specific such as a bloodstain pattern analyst. It is interesting to me to look into some of these different positions and see some of their duties and responsibilities they must handle, how much money they earn, and various other information about them. Even though I only want to be a police officer, it is good to learn about these other positions in case I for some reason decide being a police officer is no longer what I want! zmw002
zmw002, I completely agree! I liked how it was broken down into three tiers! With a degree in criminal justice the opportunities are endless. It really is mesmerizing to know that you can truly not be bored with this career. It is a bit of relief because one of the most common reason for people to give up careers is a lack of interest! oasis002
The fact that police departments are having to lower their standards to fill positions, is disheartening. As stated in the article, kids used to dream of being police officers. Whether it be following in their parent's footsteps, or wanting to serve their community, kids wanted to grow up to be cops. Nowadays, kids are told to not become police officers, and to look for a better line of work. Even parents who are police officers advise their children to not follow in their footsteps. We as a society need to change this, and fast. There will come a time when nobody wants to be a police officer, and what will we do then? We will have a shortage of individuals willing to risk their life to keep us safe. As responsible Americans, we cannot let this happen. Something must be done to make policing an appealing job again, however that may be.-OKC002
This article is a very good introduction to the three different topics and to our class! I really enjoy how it depicts the police as the first contact to the criminal justice system. Police officers are the most influential in the community. With today’s society the police have to watch their back just to ensure safety in making even the most basic traffic stop. While the police give the public the introduction to the criminal justice system, they are also involved with arrests which could end up with jail or court; which could lead to prison time. These actions that the police perform give the public and media a bad name. It is the police who keep the peace to the streets, yet the streets are attacking and targeting them. If policing keeps going downhill, how can the population remain safe and sound? The police lately have been doing an awesome job in our community in engaging themselves, which is very admiral with the current “police hunting”. Oasis002
I agree, police are the first line of defense in our system. With keeping crimes from the street its definitely helping to create a better community which elimites a lot of stress in the home lives of our country. Police are making our lives function in a way without worrying about daily dangers on our own. It's great to see their personality's and engaged themselves which was stated to see their human hearts despite the constant fear for the lives for the badge. eagle001
There is a problem with having to many inmates and prisons being to small. The reason this is, is because we used to not have as many people doing crimes and we never really had to put a lot of people in prisons. Now we have so many people acting out and doing things that they never were taught was wrong. Some people grow up in the wrong household and see there parents do something or one of there friends do it and they think it is right so they do it. this is why we need to make our prisons and jails bigger. But on the other hand I don't think we should change the size of the prisons we should try and help stop all of the people do these crimes and make it safer and better country. Lets help one another instead of being enemies. AW002
I've always been extremely interested in law enforcement. Becoming a police officer has been dream of mine since grade school. I respect the men and women of the police force, and I fully support women, as the decision to pursue this job may have come been more difficult in this seemingly male-based profession. I believe that women are just as useful as men on the streets. Even more so in many cases as well. I am studying law enforcement because I was more interested in doing my two years here at ICC and then going to work. I see the benefits of both sides but I think that law enforcement better suits me. An important driving force for me to pursue this career is my passion for helping people. Helping others is very satisfying to me and I enjoy being right there for someone when they are in need. I am very excited to get started with my classes and look forward to working towards my goal of becoming a police officer. gh_blackhawks002
The idea of hiring more women is my opinion is amazing. My mom is one of the strongest people I know; leaving her family in Mexico and coming to the United States for a better future for herself and her kids. I know from her that women can a job just as well as a man. As the prisons go, there are many people that are in prison that should not be there. You have people there who were caught with marijuana severing years sentences when in reality they should have gone on probation or just handed a ticket. Many of the people who go to prison are re-offenders. I believe that if prisons rehabilitated instead of letting people be their own self in prisons they wouldn’t go back. To survive in prisons, some people have to do bad things that normally they wouldn’t do out in the real world. (like joining a gang). Then when they do get out they only way the know of living now is committing crimes, so that leads them right back to prison. Showing people, they can still do right even though they did something wrong could help motivate them to become a better person. bamboo123
It is really neat to see how many different career paths you can take with some kind of criminal justice degree. It goes as far as the court systems. You do not even have to carry a firearm and be on the streets if you do not want to. I think it is also very encouraging to see the idea that more women should get hired into law enforcement. I believe diversity is really important and women can provide certain elements to the table that men cannot. For example, women police officers tend to be more understanding and nourishing, but without being taken advantage of. Suspects tend to open up more to female officers than men. As for the prisons, I believe rehabilitation is key to prisoners truly learning their lesson. The problem now is that most offenders are re-offenders. The same individuals are in and out of incarceration. They never learn a life without crime. Unfortunately, the funding is not there. These issues come down to money or the lack of money. Steve002
I agree mostly, but if we put a little work into reviewing more cases and trying to decriminalize certain offenses that are non violent or aggressive, then we could save money and have more space for the criminals who deserve to be in the cells. Gotta spend money to make money, they'd just spending it the wrong ways. Edgarallen001
This article was very interesting in how it described the various aspects of law enforcement and it's brief explanation of each parts history. It was an excellent review of what we all learned in previous semesters in an introduction to criminal justice course. Seeing all of the different aspects of the job made me realize that having a job within the system encompasses far more than being just officer Joe friendly on patrol, it contains a vast field of different opportunities for investigation and studying to better understand the criminal mind. I've wanted to have a career in law enforcement ever since early childhood. I don't think there is any higher calling than to assist, protect, and defend the people in the community that I would have the honor of working for. CoolGuy001
I never really thought there was much of a difference between Criminal Justice and Criminology. After reading this I now see how they differ from each other. I have been told by some officers that it would be a good idea to major in another topic like psychology or business so if it does not work out for you or you do not like the job that you have something to fall back on, but I know this is the career I want to do and I know that I will never work a day in my life because I will love what I do. I also know for a fact that majoring in Criminal Justice is easier for me because of classes like the CRJ courses because it is a lot easier for me to go to a class and learn about something that interests me like CRJ then take a business stats class. Broncos001
I have also been in touch with some officers that have told me to major in something other than law enforcement or criminal justice. I was considering changing my major when I decided I wanted be the best I could at criminal justice because it is my passion and my occupation of choice. Jah001
This article was super interesting to read, I never really thought or knew about the difference between Criminal Justice and criminology. I think it's also important for people who aren't a CRJ major to know the difference between those two. Sometime when I tell people I major in criminal justice they say really stupid and insensitive comments, but i know that this is something that I want to do. There are so many different ranges and angels that go into criminal justice. It's also really great that women and men are in this field we both offer so many different things to this field of work. I really cannot think of anything that i would rather do then be there for the people of my community and serve my purpose -dicaprio001
Very informative. The article did a good job of explaining the differences and the issues that are faced in the modern realm of criminal justice and criminology. With the rising rate of incarceration, there's more need for people to work in fields like this. And hopefully that can help expand to different races and sexes. Maybe if the criminal justice system is viewed as if it is as diverse as the people who believe it's oppressing then most of the hate and anger against it can be warded off. Clearly the criminal justice system is under fire from multiple groups. Whether they be political, or otherwise. And sadly it's only going to get worse before it gets better. Either we adapt and change, or we continue on this path and go down in flames. America desperately needs people in this system and honestly ever other one, who are working toward the greater good rather than personal advancement. Edgarallen001
It's pretty interesting to see how far along Criminal Justice came to be from the Romans and Medieval times. Makes me realize how technology advances quick. This article couldn't explain it better on how our Criminal Justice System works here in America and the wide opportunity it gives out, but it doesn't face the fact that the media always has it's ways of tweaking with the Criminal Justice System no matter what the case is. We have to know our ways around both Criminology and Criminal Justice in order to achieve our goals in both. Computers001
This article definitely helps to inform students what it is they are really majoring in. The options available in criminology and criminal justice are endless. The article helps to show what degree goes with the job you want to have. Students majoring in either of these degrees should keep an open mind about what direction they want to pursue. With the issues going on in the law enforcement world, many people may take the corrections or court route. Simply being informed is a great way to help and this article does a great job at it. I am not sure exactly what route I want to take, but helping people is my passion so I am considering taking the law enforcement route and becoming a police officer. The thought of helping people in need drives me to do the best I can in school and in life. Jah001
Law enforcement needs to consitilly evolve with new changes in technology this criminals more oppuntrinies for harm also gives, need to the way for police to prevent crime. With the new changes like the article talked about the traditional police force couldn't take place with just family blood fudes. With the American culture we have the internet, social media, and other outlets which involve that with misunderstood events could lead to civil war, or give a full scale war, without a government police force. The reason why is because their would be no control for misunderstood events which would cause some scale attacks. eagle001
I don't think we should build more prisons in the united states. This government is so in debt now that we need to focus on finding ways to raise more money and no dig us a bigger financial hole. Plus there are people in prision that shouldn't be in prision let alone make more and bigger ones. That would just make more money on taxes for us tax payers. Plus it is hard trying to find employees in the law enforcement field, cause people are afraid of what people are gonna think about them, because the world is starting to hate cops. So I do not like the idea of wanting to build more prisons. -buckeyes002
I believe if we increase prisons and making prison yards bigger for the increasing number of inmates, they should be ran by actual police officers or specialized guards (with a military or army background). These new systematic way of putting the higher level of crime committed (such as murder, raped) into a prison, then having the lower committed crimes to another prison. I feel as if we kept them separated then we would see less violence in prison. I feel as if they are ran poorly and not have efficient as they should be. And when someone thinks of the police, they think of men usually. Women may sometimes come off as softer than men, but they could get more information by being sneaky in their lines of work. This is why I believe more women should be in this lifestyle of police force. aaap_cougs002
This article was a nice recap of the criminal justice system. There are different levels of the system, and if you are a person who does not commit a crime, it is very rare that you will ever run into any of the levels. This means that you would have a hard time running into the first level, which is law enforcement, if you are abiding by the rules. If a person does commit a crime, they will have to answer first the law enforcement. Then they will have to go to court and deal with the court system, and be told whether they are guilty or not and what their punishment is. Depending on the crime, a person will then move on to the level in which going to a correctional facility is necessary. It was nice to read about the difference between Criminal Justice and Criminology. They are both very intriguing, and I would like to study and learn more about both. agentp001
I agree with you completely. I also think that this article did a good job of covering all aspects of the criminal justice system. I also agree that it was interesting to read about the differences between criminal justice and criminology, and that they both sound very interesting! ekt001
I think that this is a great article. It gives a great overview of the entire criminal justice system without going into too much detail. I found it interesting how the author chose to include the part about how crime control used to be the responsibility of all male citizens. It is little things like this that the author chose to include that made this article interesting to read, and not dry and boring like some other articles. I think this is a good article for people who are not involved with the criminal justice system to read, as well as for anyone who is thinking about a career in any part of the criminal justice system. ekt001
We should have more prisons because we have more criminals getting arrested and the prisons are getting over populated and there is no room to fit all of the prisoners. That's why we need more prisons and the prisons yards need to be bigger if they are going to fill the whole prison or the prison is going to shut down for over population. Law enforcement needs to be respected and loved by the people. The law is just doing there job and try to what they are told to do by their boss. They are not trying to be mean to people they are just doing their job. We should never judge others or we are going to pay the price for our actions at the end and it might not be pretty but we still said what we said. always obey the law and never do something so stupid that you get caught and go to jail for half of their life for a stupid crime. Just behave and never do something that you will regret and you will have to re pay for your actions that you did sometime in your life. Just do the right thing so you don't have to pay the price and dl the time if you covered up for someone that actually did it.
ReplyDeletegoler002
i meant to put golfer001 instead of golfer002
DeleteVery true Golfer001, but prisons are so costly and we don't get much positive rebound out of them. They are called corrections, but for the drug addicts, is being locked up in prison really correcting there faults? Prisons are always a safe way to protect innocent citizens safety, but for nonviolent prisoners, this could result in a even rougher life than when he entered in. We need separate prisons for different crimes committed. In fact we need to rehabilitate our addicts so therefore they can be a strong asset to our society and live a life free from prisons and violence. texaslonghorns002
DeleteThis article states that prisons inmate numbers are rising, I think what prisons should do is rehabilitate inmates and release them, instead of overcrowding them and spending more money on prisons. Rehabilitation should be a prisons main priority, not locking people up and throwing away the key. 80% of young juveniles who get caught committing a crime and punished, do not return to committing crimes again. So the main focus should be on rehabilitating adults and making sure they can get jobs that they are capable of and even good at. I also like that this article pointed out the fact that policing is changing. Because it has changed to more community based policing where policemen are expected to interact more with civilians and be more friendly. But with Police claiming to be more friendly, why are prisons inmate numbers rising along with crime? Bry001
Deletei agree goler002 that the prisons are very over populated. but at some point when the inmates get to a certain age and have a certain crime committed and they need to be almost grandfathered out of the prison because it's a waste of a cell to have a 70 year old man in there for theft. RRM001
DeleteThe sad thing about overpopulating prisons, is that states are spending too much on prisoners and some prisons incarcerate an innocent being. As of now, Illinois spends at LEAST $38,268 per year, per inmate. A part of me thinks that sopme states just want to imprison whoever to make their extra buck, and in a sense there's a lot of unfairness with that. There's a lot of wonder and why states do that, knowing that they should renovate and expand their minds on cutting down imprisonment of the elder, and focus on the main age group committing the most crime. - JiminyxC002
DeleteI think if we are to increase the number of prisons we need to change how they are ran and make it a learning place or a place to help the people there become sucsseful like help them get jobs, build up skills they will use in everyday life things of that nature. Now our state is very screwed up and will most likely adopted a system like this or change the system from how it is because some states have it so the criminals can go out and work side jobs during their sentence Illinois doesn't do that because we have no money to. JE002
DeleteThere are many people in prisons that should not be there. Many are in there for small crimes like smoking marijuana when should be just given a ticket or go on probation. If all we do is send people to prisons without rehabilitation more than likely they will offend again because that is all they know what to do in prison.
Deletebamboo123
I believe that we should increase the number of prisons. But I do have to agree with Texaslonghorns002. I do believe that we have to separate major crimes and non major crimes. Those the have not done major crimes would be exposed to a more violent environment. We need to people these people not toss them away with murders and rapist. Everybody makes mistakes. let them learn from them in a better and safe environment.LT001
DeleteI agree that law enforcement officer needs to be more respected and loved by the people! people need to understand that being a police officer is not an easy job, its hard and you make hard decision Oregon002
DeleteBeing a girl, I have had many doubtful of my career choice. Although not one hundred percent sure, I always claimed a law enforcement officer was the path for me. Seeing articles like this make me a happy camper considering they have been so much more willing to hire females to make a more diverse department to serve a diverse community. Gender is a big step in the past decade as well as racial preferences, even on fire departments. The first responding areas of work have really been focusing on hiring a group of people who match the community they serve to better deliver help and confidence in the system. Whether your a detective or on the bomb squad, you are all working towards the same goal once you finish your required schooling. The jobs that this article mentions are jobs that we always need to withhold a sane society. We are all humans and all make mistakes, even the top officials know that, when we do mess up its what we did to come back from it that ultimately matters. Some crimes are almost impossible to creep away from once committed, but if you respect the right to a safe community that the people around you have been give, then you already start your way on the right path. I think that if we get more of a strong support system for our officers and others in the field, we will notice a friendship-like bond that we never knew were possible with a guy who gives out speeding tickets :) texaslonghorns002
ReplyDeleteI know exactly how you feel, I was very undecided for a long time. I realized that I really loved psychology and always found myself watching tons of crime shows, and I was like "oh my god, I love this." I feel what you are getting at with the friend-ship bond as well, seems like good idea! Cops are human beings and have feelings as well. I agree with everything you said. Ky002
DeleteI respect your decision texaslonghorns002, I think that women law enforcement officers are just as useful, and even more so in many cases, than men. Race gender are too much of an emphasis in current events and I think we just need to focus on getting work done and creating the best and safest society that we can. gh_blackhawks002
DeleteThe articles were very informative about the basics of criminal justice. The prison system although packed seems to be what lots of people think is wrong with the criminal justice system. People really seem to have a distain for tax dollars being wasted on prisons. Its my belief that government should really focus on this part of the system to ensure that only violent offenders receive lengthy sentences while doing away with all major time on marijuana and legalize the drug that is legal or decriminalized in many states to begin with. Furthermore instead of locking up users of harder drugs really focusing an effort on drug counseling while locking up drug traffickers. It all sounds so easy but I honestly don't know the answer to how we go about decreasing crime rates while decreasing prison rates it wont be an easy task. As far as job opportunities being a white male obtaining a job in law enforcement as I've come to find out is far from easy. I have tested in the 87 and 89 percentile in two police exams with letters recommendations to no avail, not that I disagree with the hiring of minorities and women but its discouraging to say the least. I also have seen that in law enforcement it seems that departments are openly trying to hire based on race and gender. If police departments came out and said they were opening looking for white male candidates people would be appalled. Even though to date most departments are white males is the step to hire on color of ones skin or someone's gender. Now I really have struggled with how I feel on this topic because it is so close to me and it hasn't been easy. But if we are truly saying as a culture we aren't letting race or gender decide we still are we are just reversing it to make it proportional. I just don't see where it ends. Everything cant be put into demographics say the NBA or the NFL had to have racial and gender proportions. Articles pushing for more whites to be in proportion with demographics that's insanity. That all being said I am not racist or sexist I'm just curious to find out how people feel about this topic of racial demographics playing a role in how the police, the people who make life and death decisions are hired. It is important to me to know. I know the majority of the police in Peoria are white but turning around and hiring people because of their race or gender to match a populations demographics is not the answer to fixing peoples perception of the police. Once again not trying to offend anyone just would like to know peoples feelings. Dadoftwo001
DeleteI think what people in todays world seem to forget is that cops are human beings too, they have feelings and they function the exact same way we do. It's an officers job to correct a criminal on crimes and to punish them. If you chose to make a good decision, you have nothing worry about. Then again, if you do chose to make a bad decision, it is because you chose to make it nobody made the decision for you. We are human, yes we make mistakes but there must be consequences for those mistakes in order for you to know what is okay or what is not okay. I am glad I chose to major into criminal justice, as shown in the article you have many job options! I was once undecided on this major but it's very interesting and I can not wait to get more into depth with it. Girls can just as easily get the job done just as well as guys. We should definitely get more girls on the field out there. I also feel like we should make correctional facilities more organized than what they are today. Ky002
ReplyDeleteI have always felt pretty strongly about how poorly police officers are being treated in recent days. Police Officers are just your everyday man and woman who eats, sleeps, and works like the rest of us. That is not to say all of society is against the police either. Honestly, from what I have seen, it seems to me that only the media is throwing a lot of hype against cops. The people I see and talk to in the public often seem to believe cops are their guardians, and nearly everyone treats cops with respect. (Many retail stores and fast food stores even give police discounts.) - AJC002
DeleteI have to agree with you that these police officers are just like you and me they are human beings. They are going to make mistakes sometime and people need to deal with it. All the crap that officers are getting and knowing the danger they are in makes it very stressful for them. Its hard to go out there everyday with everyone giving you the stank eye and knowing there is a chance you could die. Godzilla001
Deleteyou brought up very good points. Girls can do just as much as guys so I say we should see them out there. I also agree with you when you said that they did the action so they should pay for it. I have always been told you will be punished for your bad choices. you make your own choices in life and you have consequences to your actions. AW0902
DeleteI could not agree more with what you said about how people these days tend to forget about how people forget that officers are human beings too. They act like they are these monsters who are out to get them but when they are in need of help they call those same officers that they call monsters. People need to realize that officers are not out to get them and if you do not break the law, you will not have any problems. Give respect and you will get it in return. Broncos001
DeleteI could not agree more with what you said about how people these days tend to forget about how people forget that officers are human beings too. They act like they are these monsters who are out to get them but when they are in need of help they call those same officers that they call monsters. People need to realize that officers are not out to get them and if you do not break the law, you will not have any problems. Give respect and you will get it in return. Broncos001
DeleteThe part that caught my eye early on in this text is the fact that, in times long past, it used to be the duty of every male citizen to enforce the laws. Crime control also wasn't heavily considered a societal problem, and was more-so believed to be family-feud based. That just seems so intriguing to me, I find it strange that people just relied on other people to keep order to things (Is it not the other people that commit crimes?)
ReplyDeleteOverall, I think the modern system is way better, I feel much more secure being protected by individuals who are trained for the job.
Also this text kinda let me see more clearly the title of the career path I was engaging in. Honestly, before this I wasn't really aware of Criminology and Criminal Justice differences. Now it is clear that I am going for law enforcement, under Criminal Justice, not Criminology. - AJC002
I know what you mean AJC002. Before I went to my counselor I had no idea about the difference but after talking with her and after reading this article it has really showed the difference in the two. I also agree that the new system is a better one. It is nice to know that the men and women that protect us are trained professionals. Rocker002
DeleteI agree with you AJC002, the thought of relying on my neighbor to help me during a time that I'm being wronged is kind of frightening. How do I know that they will help willingly help me if they aren't being paid and are just doing it from the goodness of their heart? I am also perfectly content with the way the modern system ! zmw002
DeleteAJC002, I completely agree with you. This article sparked my interest in so many criminal justice careers. Some of the facts about community policing, and exiling criminals, really made me appreciate the system we have set in place today. If creating more prisons allows us to keep violent offenders off the streets, then I am in support of that idea. -OKC002
DeleteI agree on I didn't know that their was a difference between Criminology and Criminal Justice that has really sparked and interest in what I should do with my life and what career path I should choose. I don't know whether my role should be as a police officer or in the court system or somewhere else. So due to this article I plan to due more research into making a distinction between the two. Dadoftwo001
DeleteI found this article to be interesting. It is pretty shocking that in earlier times law and order feel on the shoulders of all the men. How can regular citizen keep law and order when they are the very ones committing the crimes. I myself am working towards a degree in criminal justice to become a juvenile probation officer. So I was already aware of the career path I wanted to follow. It is a relief that crime control was finally deemed a societal problem, I don't even want to imagine how much worse our country would be if we still relied on "every man" to protect us from crime. We are already a world in chaos and the absence of the police, courts, and corrections would certainly send us into far more chaos. As a victim of several crimes I am glad that these systems are in place. They are not in anyway perfect, but I still have faith in the criminal justice system, and know without it things would be horrible. I am looking forward to all that I will learn and at a career in the field of criminal justice.
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ReplyDeleteThis article states that prisons inmate numbers are rising, I think what prisons should do is rehabilitate inmates and release them, instead of overcrowding them and spending more money on prisons. Rehabilitation should be a prisons main priority, not locking people up and throwing away the key. 80% of young juveniles who get caught committing a crime and punished, do not return to committing crimes again. So the main focus should be on rehabilitating adults and making sure they can get jobs that they are capable of and even good at. I also like that this article pointed out the fact that policing is changing. Because it has changed to more community based policing where policemen are expected to interact more with civilians and be more friendly. But with Police claiming to be more friendly, why are prisons inmate numbers rising along with crime? (accidentally posted in comments) Bry001
ReplyDeleteI definitely agree with what you said about overly populated prisons and how inmates should be released or relocated in prevention of overcrowding. That does nothing but cause chaos and troubles for inmates and prison guards. And a very good point was made about rehabilitation. Prison should not be meant to cause any suffer, it'd be better for inmates to actually learn and get help due to their past decisions. Everyone deserves a chance to better themselves. Kt002
DeleteThe police officers are the first people that criminals meet when they enter the justice system. Police officers are the back bone and the muscle of our justice system. There are plenty of jobs open for police officers but a limited number of people who are crazy enough to take the job. This article also talks about the prison population. The population is rising significantly quick. prisons cant focus on rehabilitation because there is no money there and money makes the world go round. We need to stop sending non violent offenders to these prisons with murderers and rapists and people who cant get enough of violence those are the people that need to be in prison. a great majority of juveniles who commit crimes don't repeat crimes they grow out of it some people however cant grow out of it they make it their life. Godzilla001
ReplyDeleteI can agree with most of what you said Godzilla001. However, I think that nonviolent offenders still should be in jail. I am very strict in my belief that if you commit a crime you deserve to pay for it and be in jail. But, I think rehabilitation is huge in stopping repeat criminals. However, like you said there is no money there for that. It is really a complete shame. The same individuals go in and out of the criminal justice system without learning their lesson. Steve002
DeleteSteve, I disagree with the notion that all offenders need to be in jail. There are many other options to correct an individual who made a minor mistake, especially for juvenile offenders. For example, in the state of Illinois we have a program for at risk youth called Lincoln's Challenge. Which is a military like youth group that is run by the National Guard and helps to teach kids to have pride in themselves and aspire to be more than a criminal. I also think that community service seems to be severely underutilized. If you wanted to make someone become a better person, it would be more successful to get them to help and interact with other people than it would to just lock them up. CoolGuy001
DeleteThe job outlook for police officers is on the downfall and that’s a scary thought because if people aren’t wanting to be officers anymore then who is going to enforce the laws and keep criminals at bay? And with the rising prison overpopulation this could turn out to be a sticky situation. Also with a great majority of kids not becoming reoffenders, we need to make sure the adults do not become re-incarcerated by any means necessary. I like and dislike the fact that officers are changing their demeanor with people theyre dealing with. I like that they are becoming “kinder” officers in the sense that they will be easier to work with and problems will be fixed sooner. I dislike the fact that if theres a person acting out and theres no reasoning with them cops nowadays will try to calm them down and call for backup. But I like the older style where if a guy was acting out you put the man on the ground, cuff him and send him down to the station. But times are changing and that’s something you have to live with. RRM001
ReplyDeleteI disagree with your thought process on having more prisions. We have to many prisioners as it is we have the highest prison usage in the world. We should look into the actual "crimes" and the other things so we can reduce how many prisionsers we have so we can put them into a work camp type system. so instead of having to pay for them to sit and eat and sleep for free put them to work fixing the roads the bridges and other projects around the citys and towns so the money that is being spent for them to eat and sleep for free can be spent fixing the towns and the city info structure. Only the truly violent criminals or those with extreme sexual tendencies to stay in the prisons as well but the drug busts and traffic violations such as DUI and other incidents go to a work program. and at the end of the day that could potentially put them in a job field where they can be useful to the real world. tree001
ReplyDeleteI believe that if we just put up more prisons that it wouldn't solve anything. We would still be over populating. What we need to do is put up more rehabilitation centers for the people that have a drug or alcohol problem. That would cut down on the population of a prison. Or it could even make room for the people that really need to be in there like the murderers, rapists, and child molesters. Another thing about the article I loved was how in the old days it was just a few citizens that would watch out for the town. That to me shows that even in the chaos of the older days there were still people that knew there had to be law and order. I personally prefer the new system but the old system was pretty cool. I just hope that eventually the public opens their eyes and sees how much the police actually do for the public. Rocker002
ReplyDeleteI definitely agree with you Rocker002! The thought of adding more prisons to an already huge population would not do much justice. If they get the people who can recoup and still make a change in their lives, and slim down the population, it would be a win win overall. I too hope one day people will stop looking down on officers and see how much they really do for people and the community. rose001
DeleteThis article gave me a lot of information and thoughts about my career choice and a better understanding of the steps being taken down that road. I remember writing a paper in high school about crimes and punishments in the medieval era, and after reading and realizing they still follow by some of these aspects, I find it unnecessary. Many things in the criminal justice system have changed so why still abide by these rules. I feel we should change and do things differently with how things around us are changing. I do also believe that we should think about the idea of having more prisons. So many individuals are going down the wrong path where they are bond to be put in there, so for everyones safety and concern, more prisons need to be built. Kt002
ReplyDeleteOr they need to pay close attention to who should really be there. Some people, i feel don't do serious enough crimes to end up in prison. To save space for the future, they should take these issues into other hands and different places. Kt002
DeleteI find this quite shocking on how far we have came in such little time. It's amazing to see the huge changes that were made and made to better the system not to worsen it. I know everyone hates cops in today's society and everyone thinks our system is broken well they are right it is broken for today's world because we demand so much more now then we have ever before. The system works... well kind of there is a lot of improvements to be made but at least its not how it used to be at least it has kind of adapted to today's world. Ways of improvement could be that we increase the number of prisons but make it like a learning center for criminals or something along those lines and maybe even help them out in the world build some skills and talent there and help them go out be productive and live a legal life. JE002
DeleteThis article helps clear a lot of confusion about the two, so much that I wish a lot of my friends and family would read it. A lot of people misinterpret the differences even between correctional officers and police officers, let alone someone studying criminal justice and criminology. I work at the sheriffs department in Tazewell county, and there are even a lot of men who work there, who say women cannot do the job in corrections as well as men. It is definitely a nice change to see that a lot more females are going into this as well despite the attitude of some. I disagree with the thought of more prisons because if you stop the crime from even happening, which can be heled by more education and less entitled people, then the prison issue would not even be an issue. I like the idea of having some of the inmates go to school while they are in or doing something productive that would help them get a job when they get out and help them stay out of trouble. The more structure they have the better. rose001
ReplyDeleteThis article did a great job at informing me of the many career choices in the Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement fields and even informed me about the study of criminals, Criminology, which even though I do not wish to pursue a career in that branch of the field, it is still very helpful to learn about it. I knew there were different jobs in the law enforcement career path, but I had no idea there were so many different jobs, some of them being extremely specific such as a bloodstain pattern analyst. It is interesting to me to look into some of these different positions and see some of their duties and responsibilities they must handle, how much money they earn, and various other information about them. Even though I only want to be a police officer, it is good to learn about these other positions in case I for some reason decide being a police officer is no longer what I want! zmw002
ReplyDeletezmw002, I completely agree! I liked how it was broken down into three tiers! With a degree in criminal justice the opportunities are endless. It really is mesmerizing to know that you can truly not be bored with this career. It is a bit of relief because one of the most common reason for people to give up careers is a lack of interest! oasis002
DeleteThe fact that police departments are having to lower their standards to fill positions, is disheartening. As stated in the article, kids used to dream of being police officers. Whether it be following in their parent's footsteps, or wanting to serve their community, kids wanted to grow up to be cops. Nowadays, kids are told to not become police officers, and to look for a better line of work. Even parents who are police officers advise their children to not follow in their footsteps. We as a society need to change this, and fast. There will come a time when nobody wants to be a police officer, and what will we do then? We will have a shortage of individuals willing to risk their life to keep us safe. As responsible Americans, we cannot let this happen. Something must be done to make policing an appealing job again, however that may be.-OKC002
ReplyDeleteThis article is a very good introduction to the three different topics and to our class! I really enjoy how it depicts the police as the first contact to the criminal justice system. Police officers are the most influential in the community. With today’s society the police have to watch their back just to ensure safety in making even the most basic traffic stop. While the police give the public the introduction to the criminal justice system, they are also involved with arrests which could end up with jail or court; which could lead to prison time. These actions that the police perform give the public and media a bad name. It is the police who keep the peace to the streets, yet the streets are attacking and targeting them. If policing keeps going downhill, how can the population remain safe and sound? The police lately have been doing an awesome job in our community in engaging themselves, which is very admiral with the current “police hunting”.
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I agree, police are the first line of defense in our system. With keeping crimes from the street its definitely helping to create a better community which elimites a lot of stress in the home lives of our country. Police are making our lives function in a way without worrying about daily dangers on our own. It's great to see their personality's and engaged themselves which was stated to see their human hearts despite the constant fear for the lives for the badge. eagle001
DeleteThere is a problem with having to many inmates and prisons being to small. The reason this is, is because we used to not have as many people doing crimes and we never really had to put a lot of people in prisons. Now we have so many people acting out and doing things that they never were taught was wrong. Some people grow up in the wrong household and see there parents do something or one of there friends do it and they think it is right so they do it. this is why we need to make our prisons and jails bigger. But on the other hand I don't think we should change the size of the prisons we should try and help stop all of the people do these crimes and make it safer and better country. Lets help one another instead of being enemies. AW002
ReplyDeleteI've always been extremely interested in law enforcement. Becoming a police officer has been dream of mine since grade school. I respect the men and women of the police force, and I fully support women, as the decision to pursue this job may have come been more difficult in this seemingly male-based profession. I believe that women are just as useful as men on the streets. Even more so in many cases as well. I am studying law enforcement because I was more interested in doing my two years here at ICC and then going to work. I see the benefits of both sides but I think that law enforcement better suits me. An important driving force for me to pursue this career is my passion for helping people. Helping others is very satisfying to me and I enjoy being right there for someone when they are in need. I am very excited to get started with my classes and look forward to working towards my goal of becoming a police officer.
ReplyDeletegh_blackhawks002
The idea of hiring more women is my opinion is amazing. My mom is one of the strongest people I know; leaving her family in Mexico and coming to the United States for a better future for herself and her kids. I know from her that women can a job just as well as a man. As the prisons go, there are many people that are in prison that should not be there. You have people there who were caught with marijuana severing years sentences when in reality they should have gone on probation or just handed a ticket. Many of the people who go to prison are re-offenders. I believe that if prisons rehabilitated instead of letting people be their own self in prisons they wouldn’t go back. To survive in prisons, some people have to do bad things that normally they wouldn’t do out in the real world. (like joining a gang). Then when they do get out they only way the know of living now is committing crimes, so that leads them right back to prison. Showing people, they can still do right even though they did something wrong could help motivate them to become a better person.
ReplyDeletebamboo123
It is really neat to see how many different career paths you can take with some kind of criminal justice degree. It goes as far as the court systems. You do not even have to carry a firearm and be on the streets if you do not want to. I think it is also very encouraging to see the idea that more women should get hired into law enforcement. I believe diversity is really important and women can provide certain elements to the table that men cannot. For example, women police officers tend to be more understanding and nourishing, but without being taken advantage of. Suspects tend to open up more to female officers than men. As for the prisons, I believe rehabilitation is key to prisoners truly learning their lesson. The problem now is that most offenders are re-offenders. The same individuals are in and out of incarceration. They never learn a life without crime. Unfortunately, the funding is not there. These issues come down to money or the lack of money. Steve002
ReplyDeleteI agree mostly, but if we put a little work into reviewing more cases and trying to decriminalize certain offenses that are non violent or aggressive, then we could save money and have more space for the criminals who deserve to be in the cells. Gotta spend money to make money, they'd just spending it the wrong ways.
DeleteEdgarallen001
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DeleteThis article was very interesting in how it described the various aspects of law enforcement and it's brief explanation of each parts history. It was an excellent review of what we all learned in previous semesters in an introduction to criminal justice course. Seeing all of the different aspects of the job made me realize that having a job within the system encompasses far more than being just officer Joe friendly on patrol, it contains a vast field of different opportunities for investigation and studying to better understand the criminal mind. I've wanted to have a career in law enforcement ever since early childhood. I don't think there is any higher calling than to assist, protect, and defend the people in the community that I would have the honor of working for. CoolGuy001
ReplyDeleteI never really thought there was much of a difference between Criminal Justice and Criminology. After reading this I now see how they differ from each other. I have been told by some officers that it would be a good idea to major in another topic like psychology or business so if it does not work out for you or you do not like the job that you have something to fall back on, but I know this is the career I want to do and I know that I will never work a day in my life because I will love what I do. I also know for a fact that majoring in Criminal Justice is easier for me because of classes like the CRJ courses because it is a lot easier for me to go to a class and learn about something that interests me like CRJ then take a business stats class. Broncos001
ReplyDeleteI have also been in touch with some officers that have told me to major in something other than law enforcement or criminal justice. I was considering changing my major when I decided I wanted be the best I could at criminal justice because it is my passion and my occupation of choice.
DeleteJah001
This article was super interesting to read, I never really thought or knew about the difference between Criminal Justice and criminology. I think it's also important for people who aren't a CRJ major to know the difference between those two. Sometime when I tell people I major in criminal justice they say really stupid and insensitive comments, but i know that this is something that I want to do. There are so many different ranges and angels that go into criminal justice. It's also really great that women and men are in this field we both offer so many different things to this field of work. I really cannot think of anything that i would rather do then be there for the people of my community and serve my purpose -dicaprio001
ReplyDeleteVery informative. The article did a good job of explaining the differences and the issues that are faced in the modern realm of criminal justice and criminology. With the rising rate of incarceration, there's more need for people to work in fields like this. And hopefully that can help expand to different races and sexes. Maybe if the criminal justice system is viewed as if it is as diverse as the people who believe it's oppressing then most of the hate and anger against it can be warded off. Clearly the criminal justice system is under fire from multiple groups. Whether they be political, or otherwise. And sadly it's only going to get worse before it gets better. Either we adapt and change, or we continue on this path and go down in flames. America desperately needs people in this system and honestly ever other one, who are working toward the greater good rather than personal advancement.
ReplyDeleteEdgarallen001
It's pretty interesting to see how far along Criminal Justice came to be from the Romans and Medieval times. Makes me realize how technology advances quick. This article couldn't explain it better on how our Criminal Justice System works here in America and the wide opportunity it gives out, but it doesn't face the fact that the media always has it's ways of tweaking with the Criminal Justice System no matter what the case is. We have to know our ways around both Criminology and Criminal Justice in order to achieve our goals in both.
ReplyDeleteComputers001
This article definitely helps to inform students what it is they are really majoring in. The options available in criminology and criminal justice are endless. The article helps to show what degree goes with the job you want to have. Students majoring in either of these degrees should keep an open mind about what direction they want to pursue. With the issues going on in the law enforcement world, many people may take the corrections or court route. Simply being informed is a great way to help and this article does a great job at it. I am not sure exactly what route I want to take, but helping people is my passion so I am considering taking the law enforcement route and becoming a police officer. The thought of helping people in need drives me to do the best I can in school and in life.
ReplyDeleteJah001
Law enforcement needs to consitilly evolve with new changes in technology this criminals more oppuntrinies for harm also gives, need to the way for police to prevent crime. With the new changes like the article talked about the traditional police force couldn't take place with just family blood fudes. With the American culture we have the internet, social media, and other outlets which involve that with misunderstood events could lead to civil war, or give a full scale war, without a government police force. The reason why is because their would be no control for misunderstood events which would cause some scale attacks. eagle001
ReplyDeleteI don't think we should build more prisons in the united states. This government is so in debt now that we need to focus on finding ways to raise more money and no dig us a bigger financial hole. Plus there are people in prision that shouldn't be in prision let alone make more and bigger ones. That would just make more money on taxes for us tax payers. Plus it is hard trying to find employees in the law enforcement field, cause people are afraid of what people are gonna think about them, because the world is starting to hate cops. So I do not like the idea of wanting to build more prisons. -buckeyes002
ReplyDeleteI believe if we increase prisons and making prison yards bigger for the increasing number of inmates, they should be ran by actual police officers or specialized guards (with a military or army background). These new systematic way of putting the higher level of crime committed (such as murder, raped) into a prison, then having the lower committed crimes to another prison. I feel as if we kept them separated then we would see less violence in prison. I feel as if they are ran poorly and not have efficient as they should be. And when someone thinks of the police, they think of men usually. Women may sometimes come off as softer than men, but they could get more information by being sneaky in their lines of work. This is why I believe more women should be in this lifestyle of police force. aaap_cougs002
ReplyDeleteThis article was a nice recap of the criminal justice system. There are different levels of the system, and if you are a person who does not commit a crime, it is very rare that you will ever run into any of the levels. This means that you would have a hard time running into the first level, which is law enforcement, if you are abiding by the rules. If a person does commit a crime, they will have to answer first the law enforcement. Then they will have to go to court and deal with the court system, and be told whether they are guilty or not and what their punishment is. Depending on the crime, a person will then move on to the level in which going to a correctional facility is necessary. It was nice to read about the difference between Criminal Justice and Criminology. They are both very intriguing, and I would like to study and learn more about both. agentp001
ReplyDeleteI agree with you completely. I also think that this article did a good job of covering all aspects of the criminal justice system. I also agree that it was interesting to read about the differences between criminal justice and criminology, and that they both sound very interesting! ekt001
DeleteI think that this is a great article. It gives a great overview of the entire criminal justice system without going into too much detail. I found it interesting how the author chose to include the part about how crime control used to be the responsibility of all male citizens. It is little things like this that the author chose to include that made this article interesting to read, and not dry and boring like some other articles. I think this is a good article for people who are not involved with the criminal justice system to read, as well as for anyone who is thinking about a career in any part of the criminal justice system. ekt001
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