-
Essay / Criminal Justice System Essay - 864
The outdated nature of the Nigerian criminal justice system has been a matter of deliberation in recent times. Rightly, there is work to be done by the legislative branch of the Nigerian government, as the current procedures for passing laws are old and pose a problem for the judiciary as they have loopholes which are frequently exploited, and their archaic nature makes them unsuitable. for use in modern society. The criminal justice system is defined as the collective institutions through which an offender passes until the charge is resolved or the sentence imposed is concluded. The system generally has three elements: law enforcement, which includes; police, sheriffs, marshals; the judicial process which includes judges, prosecutors and defense lawyers; and corrections which includes prison officials, probation officers, and parole officers. From the above definition, it can be inferred that the criminal justice system is a necessary organ for the smooth functioning of a society, and it is necessary for an organ of such inestimable importance to be maintained in good condition. state. An effective criminal justice system is fundamental to maintaining law and order because it addresses behavioral problems. But due to the outdated nature of the Nigerian penal system, the body's core functions of conviction and acquittal have been significantly hampered and hindered. have become extremely rare. The Nigerian criminal justice system is an emanation of the constitution and therefore draws its support and legal basis from the law. This is mainly contained in the articles providing for the powers and jurisdiction of the various courts as well as in the articles providing for human rights, especially the provisions relating to middle of paper...... in order to win one's case. or the res gestae which, in certain cases, may require scientific proof. Another area of serious concern in our criminal justice system regarding bail is the fact that our judges routinely impose excessive and harsh bail conditions, forcing the suspect to remain in custody. detention even after being admitted on bail. This tends to suggest that even judges view the bail stage as the most important part of their job. It also tends to show that judges do not really care about issues of the constitutional presumption of innocence and trial fairness. The issue of fair trial must be emphasized at this stage, because if the suspect is improperly detained pending trial, he may effectively be denied the opportunity to defend himself. Additionally, an abusive law enforcement agency and prosecutor would see pretrial detention due to a refusal to