Criminal Justice Essay

To on a lower floorstand contemporary policing in America it is undeniable to understand its antecedents we go forth gain a better understanding of this history by flavour at its three eras. The police, said, are to great extent, the prisoners of the past. Day-to-day practices are influenced by deeply ingrained traditions. Another reason for analyzing historic developments and trends is that several discrete legacies founder been transmitters to modern police agencies. In view of the significant historical impact on modern policing, it is necessary to turn back the time to about A.D.900. Therefore, we begin with a brief history of the evolution of 4 primary vile justice military perspectiverssheriff, police constable, medical examiner, and justice of the easefrom premature England to the twentieth century in America (Ken, 2006).English and Colonial representationrs the Law all(prenominal) four of the primary guilty justice officials of early English-the sheriff, co nstable, medical examiner, and justice of the placidityableness there was a lack of established practice in the linked State. Accordingly, it is important to have a basic understanding of these maculations, including their early black markets in England and, later, in America. Following is a brief discussion of each (Ken, 2006). SheriffThe name sheriff is derived from the term shire reeveshire meat county and reeve meaning agent of the world actor. The shire reeve appeared in English before the Norman conquest of 1066. His job was to maintain natural law and order in the tithing. They followed a brand of English common Law, although the sheriff was never a popular officer in England and since the nineteenth centenary sheriff has had no police formers. When the office began, the sheriff aided the king in fiscal, military and judicial affairs and was referred to as the kings steward. The sheriffs principal duties were to enforce laws, collect taxes and all oversee prefer ions.police constable Like the sheriff, the constable can be trace back to Anglo-Saxon times. The office began during the reign of Edward I when every parish or township had a constable. As the county police officer turns more and more to matter of defense, the constable alone engage felons focusing in later the ancient custom-built of citizens rising aloud noisy and joining in pursuit of criminals pass into disuse. During the middle Ages there was yet on high degree of specialization. The constable had a variety of duties including collecting taxes, supervising highways, and serving as magistrate. The office soon became subject to election and was conferrer upon local men of prominence however, the cornerstone of the wearing away grinding down office of the justice of the peace around 1200 quickly changed this trend forever soon the constable was curb to making arrests only with warrants issued by a justice of the peace.As a result, the office deprived of social and civic pres tige was no seven-day attractive. It carried on salary and the duties were often dangerous. In addition there was weighty attrition in the office, so the constables term was control to one year in an attempted attract officeholders in 1856 fantan completely discarded the office The office of constable experienced a similar process of disintegration in the colonies However, the American constables usually two in each town were give control over the night watch. By the 1930s, State constitution in twenty-one states provided for the office of constable but constable still received no pay and analogous their British colleagues they enjoyed little prestige or popularity after the early 1930s. The gear up fell into disfavor largely because most constables were untrained and was believe to be wholly inadequate as officials of the law (Ken, 2006).CORONER The office medical examiner is more difficult to describe. It has been use to fulfill many different roles passim its history and has steadily changed over the centuries. There is no agreement concerning the hear when the coroner first appeared in England but there is consensus that the office was procedure by the end of the twelfth century. From the beginning, the coroner was elect his duties included reverting of the interests of the crown, not only in criminal matters but also in fiscal matters as well. In felony cases, the corner could conduct a introductory hearing and the sheriff often came to the coroners court to preside over the coroners jury. The coroners inquest provided another mean of power and prestige, determining the cause of death and the party responsible for it. Initially coroner was elect for life. Soon becoming unhappy with the absence of compensation however, ultimately they were give right to charge fees for their work (Ken 2006).As was true of sheriffs and constables at first the office of the coroner in America was only somewhat different from what it had been in England. The of fice was slow in gaining recognition in America, as the sheriffs and justice of the peace were already performing many of the coroners duties. By 1933, the coroner was recognizing as a separate office in two-thirds of the states. promote was generally limited to two years. By then however, the office had been banding of many of its original functions especially its fiscal roles. In many states, the coroner legally served as sheriff when the elected sheriff was disabled or disqualified however, since the early part of the twentieth century the coroner has performed a single function determining the cause of all deaths by violence or under suspicious circumstances. The coroner or her assistant is expect to determine the causes and effects of wounds, lesions, contusions, fractures, poisons, and more. The coroners inquest resembles a grand jury at which the coroner serves as a kind of presiding magistrate (ken, 2006).JUSTICE OF THE PEACE The justice of the peace (JP) can be trace bac k as far as 1195 in England. By 1264, the customs paces, or conservator of the peace, nominated by the king for each county, presided over criminal trials. Early JPs were wealthy landholders. They allowed constables to piddle arrests by issuing then warrants. Over time, this practice removed power from constables and sheriffs. By the sixteenth century, the office came under criticism because of the people memory it. Officeholders were often referral to as boobies and scum of the each. The only qualification necessary was be a wealthy landowner who was able to buy his way into office. By the early twentieth century, England had abolished the property-holding requirement and many of the medieval functions of JPs office were remove. Thereafter the office possessed extensive but strictly criminal jurisdiction with on jurisdiction whatsoever in civil cases.This contrasts with the American system, which gives JPs limited jurisdiction in both criminal and civil cases. The JPs Office in the colonies was a distinct change from the position, as it existed in England. JPs was elect to office and given jurisdiction in both civil and criminal cases. By 1930, the office had constitutional status in all of the states. JPs have long been allows to collect fees for their services. As in England, it is typically not necessary to hold a law degree or to have pursued legal studies in order to be a JP in the joined States. Perhaps the most colorful justice of the peace was Roy Bean, popularized in ikon as the sole peace officer in a 35,000-square-mile plain west of the Pecos River near Langtry Texas. Bean was knows to hold court in his shack where signs hung on the porch proclaimed, Justice Roy Bean, Notary Public, Law West of the Pecos. and Beer Saloon. Cold beer and the law undoubtedly shared many quarters on the Western margin (Ken, 2006).