Abstract
Law enforcement is a major concern in all the nations of the world, as people seek to maintain law and order in the society. It is, however, worth noting that the legal systems in the different countries vary depending on the law as well as the constitution of the land. No matter the differences, justice is the ultimate goal of these systems. This essay analyses the case of US in comparison to England.
Comparative Criminal Justice US and England
It is commonly said that justice delayed is justice denied. In this light, it is presumed that the faster the justice is achieved, the better for the people involved. Using this notion, legal systems in the world have different legal procedures, aimed at delivering justice at the most convenient time. The U.S and England have different systems, though all aim at quick and efficient delivery.
In comparison, both systems are similar in that they pursue quick justice. In England, the system calls for prosecution of many cases as possible so as to create faith in the system. In the U.S, quick justice delivery is ensured by having five stages of the legal system (Anon., 2012). This means that a case only proceeds if it is complicated. As such, there is less time wastage, and the upper level courts deal with priority cases. This enhances the efficiency of the system.
Though both systems ensure quick delivery of justice, it can be seen that the U.S system could be more efficient than the England legal system. Petty cases in England have to go through the jury but in the U.S, jury decisions come in at the fourth stage (Anon., 2012). This devolution of the legal powers to other authorities makes the system more efficient. It also brings the law closer to the people in that at the local level, the public can be engaged in law enforcement.
On the other hand, it is likely that more rational decisions can be made in England as compared to the U.S. That is, the jury has to be involved in every case. As such, more professionalism is applied and the decision is more authentic. In the U.S, there is a likelihood that police profiling, racism and discrimination could lead to wrong decisions at the lower levels of the justice system.
Reference
Anonymous. (2012). Criminal Law. (Word Document).
