The criminal justice system is primarily composed of three key components: police, courts, and corrections. Each of these entities plays a distinct role in the enforcement of laws, the adjudication of offenses, and the management of individuals who have been convicted of crimes.
The police are responsible for enforcing laws, preventing crime, and apprehending offenders. They serve as the first point of contact in the criminal justice process, gathering evidence and building cases against suspects.
The courts are tasked with interpreting the law, ensuring fair trials, and making determinations of guilt or innocence. They adjudicate cases brought by the prosecution against individuals accused of crimes, and they provide a forum for appeals.
Corrections encompass various facilities and services, including prisons, jails, parole, and probation programs. This component is responsible for managing individuals who have been sentenced to serve time for their offenses, ensuring rehabilitation, and reintegrating offenders into society.
In contrast, other answer choices do not accurately represent the main components of the criminal justice system. For instance, including military or lawmakers as core components does not reflect the primary flow and structure of how criminal justice functions in practice. Civil rights organizations, while important to the broader social context and oversight of justice, do not make up the foundational framework