The Muddied Path between the Criminal Court and the State Hospital

1980 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 389-411
Author(s):  
Jeffrey L. Geller

The court's use of the state hospital has been characterized by misuse of criminal commitment statutes to gain admission for defendants. The author examines this process by focusing on the interaction between hospital and court during a 1-month period. The outcome indicates that despite the best intentions of both the legal and the psychiatric professions, criminal commitments yield neither a treatment program nor an aftercare plan. Specific suggestions concerning professional education, forensic services, chronic community care, and community education are made with a focus toward the diminution of inappropriate referrals to the state hospital by the criminal justice system.

Author(s):  
Ingrid V. Eagly

After a sustained period of hypercriminalization, the United States criminal justice system is undergoing reform. Congress has reduced federal sentencing for drug crimes, prison growth is slowing, and some states are even closing prisons. Low-level crimes have been removed from criminal law books, and attention is beginning to focus on long-neglected issues such as bail and criminal court fines. Still largely overlooked in this era of ambitious reform, however, is the treatment of immigrants in the criminal justice system. An unprecedented focus on immigration enforcement targeted at “felons, not families” has resulted in a separate system of punitive treatment reserved for noncitizens, which includes crimes of migration, longer periods of pretrial detention, harsher criminal sentences, and the almost certain collateral consequence of lifetime banishment from the United States. For examples of state-level solutions to this predicament, this Essay turns to a trio of bold criminal justice reforms from California that (1) require prosecutors to consider immigration penalties in plea bargaining; (2) change the state definition of “misdemeanor” from a maximum sentence of a year to 364 days; and (3) instruct law enforcement agencies to not hold immigrants for deportation purposes unless they are first convicted of serious crimes. Together, these new laws provide an important window into how state criminal justice systems could begin to address some of the unique concerns of noncitizen criminal defendants.


FIAT JUSTISIA ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Maroni Maroni

Monitoring and observation of court decisions made by judges is a new institution in the criminal procedural law in Indonesia. Through monitoring and observation of expected gaps (gap) between what the judge decided and reality implementation of the criminal in prison can be bridged. Judges will be brought closer to the prosecutors and corrections officials so that judges can follow the development of the state of the convict. Keywords: Judge, Supervisor and Observer, the Criminal Justice System


Author(s):  
Heather Hamill

This chapter argues that, from the early days of the political conflict in the 1970s the conditions were such that the Irish Republican Army (IRA) adopted some of the functions of the state, namely the provision of policing and punishment of ordinary crime. The hostility of the statutory criminal justice system, particularly the police, toward the working-class Catholic community dramatically increased the costs of using state services. The high levels of disaffection and aggression among working-class Catholics toward the police meant that the state could no longer fulfill its function and police the community in any “normal” way. A demand for policing therefore existed. Simultaneously, this demand was met and fostered by the IRA, which had the motivation, the manpower, and the monopoly on the use of violence necessary to carry out this role.


2019 ◽  
Vol 60 (3) ◽  
pp. 519-536
Author(s):  
Nabil Ouassini ◽  
Anwar Ouassini

Abstract In the protests that occurred throughout the Arab world, the criminal justice system has been the focal contention between citizens and the state. However, the notoriety of Arab regimes has compelled academics to devote their endeavours to political/religious violence, economic development/stagnation and the durability of undemocratic systems that has inhibited the production of criminological scholarship. The study of criminology in the Arab world is critical and necessitates special attention. The following article propounds the establishment of an Arab criminology sub-field that highlights strategies in research in the region, evaluates the current approaches, addresses the challenges and examines its implications on southern, international and comparative criminology.


Incarceration ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 263266632093644 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ian O’Donnell ◽  
Eoin O’Sullivan

This article argues in favour of ‘coercive confinement’ as a useful addition to the criminological lexicon. It suggests that to properly understand a country’s level of punitiveness requires consideration of a range of institutions that fall outside the remit of the formal criminal justice system. It also requires a generous longitudinal focus. Using Ireland as a case study, such an approach reveals that since the foundation of the state, the prison has gradually become ascendant. This might be read to imply a punitive turn. But when a broader view is taken to include involuntary detention in psychiatric hospitals, confinement in Magdalen homes and mother and baby homes, and detention in industrial and reformatory schools, the trajectory is strongly downward. This might be read to imply a national programme of decarceration. (In recent years, asylum seekers have been held in congregate settings that are experienced as prison-like and they must be factored into the analysis.) While some of these institutions may have been used with peculiar enthusiasm in Ireland, none are Irish inventions. It would be profitable to extend the idea of ‘coercive confinement’ to other nations with a view to adding some necessary nuance to our understanding of the reach and grip of the carceral state.


2017 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
pp. 261-273 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer Cossyleon ◽  
John Orwat ◽  
Christine George ◽  
Don Stemen ◽  
Whitney Key

Purpose The Cook County State Attorneys’ Deferred Prosecution Program (DPP) is a pre-trial diversionary program that accepts first-time, non-violent defendants charged with a felony crime. The purpose of this paper is to document the development, implementation, and program patterns of the DPP to better understand the program’s scope and reach in diverting defendants from traditional criminal prosecution. Design/methodology/approach The approach to evaluating Cook County’s DPP is primarily qualitative. Through interviews with program administrators and current and former participants, the authors document the process of creating and implementing such DPP that aims to avoid a felony conviction altogether. The authors provide program participant patterns to shed light on the program’s scope and reach in diverting defendants from traditional felony prosecution. Findings Using data from staff, administrators, and program participants, the authors found that the DPP was developed and implemented through supportive leadership who instilled a culture of collaboration and buy-in. Expanding the program could include increasing the capacity of DPP to include additional participants or having a DPP incorporated into each branch court, instead of the centralized system under which it currently operates. Increasing the capacity and scope of the program could both further decrease criminal court caseloads and most importantly avoid a higher number of stigmatizing felony convictions for first-time non-violent defendants. Practical implications DPPs are cost effective and can be easily implemented within existing systems. Collaboration and buy-in from all stakeholders are crucial to the program’s success. DPP offers opportunities for expansion. Increasing the capacity and scope of the program could both further decrease criminal court caseloads and most importantly avoid a higher number of stigmatizing felony convictions for first-time non-violent felony defendants. Originality/value The main goals of DPP were two-fold. The first was to minimize the level of resources allocated for non-violent offenders in the criminal justice system by diverting such defendants out of the criminal justice system early in the process and reducing the recidivism rates of program participants. The second aimed to provide an option for eligible defendants to avoid a felony conviction, thereby avoiding the collateral consequences associating with a felony conviction.


2015 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 167
Author(s):  
Hamidah Abdurrachman ◽  
Fajar Ari Sudewo ◽  
Dyah Irma Permanasari

Upaya memberikan perlindungan terhadap Anak yang berhadapan dengan hukum dalam Sistem Peradilan Pidana Anak menunjukkan perkembangan yang sangat berarti. Selama ini terhadap anak yang berkonflik dengan hukum, ditangani secara umum seperti orang dewasa. Anak-anak tersebut melewati proses hukum tanpa ada pendampingan bahkan segera dilakukan upaya paksa berupa penangkapan dan penahanan sehingga anak mengalami putus sekolah. Undang-Undang No. 11 Tahun 2012 tentang Sistem Peradilan Pidana Anak meletakkan fondasi perlindungan anak dengan pendekatan Keadilan Restoratif yaitu dalam penyelesaian perkara melibatkan pelaku, korban, keluarga pelaku/korban dan pihak lain yang terkait untuk bersama-sama mencari penyelesaian yang adil dengan menekankan pemulihan kembali pada keadaan semula dan bukan pembalasan. Keadilan restoratif ini diwujudkan melalui Diversi yaitu pengalihan penyelesaian perkara anak dari proses peradilan pidana ke proses ke luar pengadilan pidana. Hasil penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa di Jawa Tengah kasus anak yang berkonflik dengan hukum secara umum diselesaikan melalui jalur diversi dan sebagian lainnya diproses menggunakan berdasarkan KUHAP atau jalur pidana. Hal lainnya meskipun sudah menerapkan jalur diversi terhadap anak yang berkonflik dengan hukum namun belum ada keseragaman atau kesamaan model diversi sebagaimana yang diamanatkan di dalam Undang-Undang Nomor 11 Tahun 2012 tentang Sistem Peradilan Pidana Anak.<br /><br /><br /><em>Efforts to provide protection against Children in conflict with the law in the Criminal Justice System Child shows a very significant development. During against children in conflict with the law, generally handled as an adult. These children pass through the legal process without immediate assistance even forceful measures in the form of arrest and detention so that children have dropped out of school. Law No. 11 Year 2012 on the Criminal Justice System Child laid the foundation of child protection approach Restorative Justice that in settling disputes involving offenders, victims, family offender/victim and other relevant parties to work together to find a fair settlement with the emphasis on restoring back to its original state and not retaliation. Restorative justice is realized through the transfer of settling disputes Diversion namely children from the criminal justice process to a process outside the criminal court. The results of this research showed that in Central Java case of children in conflict with the law are generally resolved through the diversion and some processed using by the Criminal Code or the criminal path. Another thing despite applying diversion path towards children in conflict with the law but there is no uniformity or sameness models of diversion as mandated in Law No. 11 Year 2012 on Child Criminal Justice System</em><br /><br />


It is a weakness of our jurisprudence that the victims of the crimes, and the distress of the dependants of the prisoner, do not attract the attention of the law .The District Legal Service Authority (DLSA) or the State Legal Service Authority (SLSA) needs to decide the quantum of compensation to be given under the scheme. Section 357A was a necessary enactment, and is useful, because the victim need not prove his case to get compensation under this section, which should hasten the process, but unfortunately the scheme is not being implemented completely. This paper analyses the plight of the victims of crimes under the Indian Criminal Justice System, and the importance of section 357A for protection of their rights. It further argues that that the scheme is not being implemented properly, and there is a lack of uniformity in the statute of each state. The verification procedure of these states is justified only if it does not hinder the compensation of a genuine victim. It explains the importance of immediate compensation, and the role of judiciary in the journey from the enactment to implementation of any scheme and statute. This paper concludes by suggesting changes that could be brought into the Indian Criminal judicial system for the betterment of the victim’s right and society atlarge.


2017 ◽  
Vol 1 (02) ◽  
pp. 255
Author(s):  
Elfa Murdiana

Being introduced the concept of diversion arranged in constitution of child criminal justice system 2012 gives the different nuance for the implementation of child criminal justice system in Indonesia. Therefore, the implementation of diversion concept becomes a definiteness that must be noticed. In realizing the retroactive justice for children, the implementation of law becomes one of the important components. Thus, it is need to be understood the strategy of implementation carried out by the upholder as the law structure. This is a library research by using documentation as the data collection technique. The result of the research shows that the preparation of facilities and infrastructure in handling the diversion problem for children is one of the implementation strategies done by the state court of Metro. Whereas, the investigation in police resort of Metro has not had special space used, so that it can be one of the constraint faced by the institution of diversion implementer if considered from the culture aspect.


2006 ◽  
Vol 37 (4) ◽  
pp. 623
Author(s):  
Peter Wright

This article critiques the Criminal Proceeds and Instruments Bill 2005 which introduces a civil forfeiture regime for the proceeds of serious criminal offending. By using a civil forfeiture regime, many of the protections normally granted to criminal defendants are not available, which makes successful action by the State easier. This article argues that the Bill's civil forfeiture regime risks seriously abrogating individuals' rights, including those arising from the requirement for proof beyond a reasonable doubt and the prohibitions on double jeopardy and retrospective punishment. The article concludes that the confiscation of criminals' assets should take place within the criminal justice system to ensure that there are proper protections for defendants.


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