UK law and legal system, criminal law, civil, law, statute law and common law

Essay by uzzi04University, Bachelor's April 2006

download word file, 14 pages 3.0

LAW:

Law defines as the idea of a set of rules established by authority, government or society.

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN CRIMINAL AND CIVIL LAW:

Generally speaking the main difference between criminal and civil law is, criminal law involves police and civil law involves conflicts between people where no police involve.

DEFINITION:

Criminal law is concerned with the relationship between the individual and the general public, criminal actions like motoring offences, robbery, assault etc are usually brought by the region. The main function of criminal proceedings is to punish the offender.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM:

The criminal justice system is one of the very major public service in the society. There are many agencies who work together under criminal justice system; some of these are police, the courts, the prison service, the crown prosecution service and the national probation service. The work of these agencies is over looked by three government departments which are the home office, the attorney general office and the department of constitutional affairs.

All these departments and agencies are work together to improve the criminal justice system in order to:

- Prevent crime.

- Give victims and witnesses more support.

- Punish offenders.

Generally progress through the criminal justice process is very time consuming and complicated, in some situations cases could take more than a year before they approach to decision.

Many cases start off with the defendant first contact to police. The contribution of police in criminal justice system is very important because police got the responsibility of arresting criminal, gathering evidence and investigating crimes. Police officer has the power to ask general public questions at any time, but it depends on the public if they want to answer or not because police cannot force them until they are arrested.

ARREST:

They are two types of arrest...