Omingo, this is especially for you. Alright, I'm posting the class handout that Jenny put together during the weekend. Read it and if you have any problems, just contact her. See ya.
THE INSTITUTION OF LAW ENFORCEMENT
BRIEF HISTORY:
In ancient times, kin policing occurred where groups of small families came together for protection; if someone committed a crime, justice was served by his/her family
500 years ago, local county governments in Britain maintained order over the people; everyone had to pay a certain sum – called frankpledge - to the shire, which would not be given back if the person commits a crime; suspicions were reported to the sheriff, and an alarm system know as “hue and cry” would be raised when a crime occurs
Law enforcement was a shared community responsibility without a police force
The first police force was formed in Britain due to the Industrial Revolution in 1829
The structure of the police force was modeled on the British military and included ranked and non-commissioned officers
The public police force proved to be successful and copied by other communities
ROLES OF MEMBERS:
JUDGE
Controls the courtroom during the preliminary hearing and the trial
In non-jury trials, the judge must decide whether or not the accused is guilty and impose the sentence
CROWN PROSECUTOR
Prosecutes because a crime is considered to be an act against society
Required to ensure that justice prevails, therefore must admit all evidence, including evidence that may negatively affect the Crown’s case
DEFENSE COUNSEL
Represents the accused
Ensures that the accused is convicted only when the Crown has proved guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, and if the accused is convicted, that the sentence is fair in accordance to the crime
POLICE OFFICER
Responsible for keeping peace and protecting the public
Must inform the accused of the charge, the right to remain silent, and the right to a lawyer
May arrest to preserve evidence, ensure the accused will not flee, and prevent further offences
CORRECTIONAL WORKERS
Parole officers supervise offenders who have been released from prison on parole to ensure that they obey the conditions of their parole
Must attend court hearings to update the court on the offender's compliance with the terms of his or her sentence and on the offender's efforts at rehabilitation
PURPOSE:
Laws are needed to keep society together and to solve disputes peacefully
The purpose of the institution of law enforcement is to ensure a peaceful and safe society in which the rights of every individual are respected
The institution helps guard people’s personal property and lives
Institutions of law promotes respect for rights, freedoms, the law, and the Constitution, and helps different levels of government to develop, establish, and reform laws
Functionalist and conflict perspectives have very different views about the institution:
STUCTURAL FUNCTIONALISM believes…
Laws are needed to keep society together and to solve disputes peacefully
The law enforcement system is efficient and gives fair and equal treatment to all Canadians
CONFLICT THEORY believes…
The Canadian society is divided into many classes based on income
People have little chance of rising in status
Poorer people have more incentive to break the law because they lack the income to purchase goods
Crimes committed by higher classes are more difficult to detect (e.g. financial fraud, tax evasion)
The poor believe that laws exclude the rights of the poor and the powerless
NEEDS NOT MET:
Law enforcement in Canada has not full met the institution’s needs for justice when it comes to cross-border drug trafficking - in drug trafficking issues, Canada is considered to be “lenient” and “accepting”
Organized criminal groups use leniency to include illegal drug trade in the Canadian legitimate economy
Law enforcement sometimes gives different treatment to people of different status
In July 2000, Royal Bank executives were charged with manipulating stock prices to gain millions of dollars for the pension fund. They increased the value of the shares by making large purchases of the stocks, thus increasing the value of the shares that were held in the pension fund. They were not tried in public courts or jailed, only fined and banned from the financial industry
Before the incident of the Royal Bank scam, a leader of an anti-poverty group led a protest with many other homeless people, in front of the Ontario Legislature, which resulted in his arrest
The contrast of these two situations shows bias and injustice in the role of law enforcement in society
The legal system concentrates on punishing those who commit crime, but neglects victims
Canada’s prisons do not focus on turning offenders into responsible citizens or rehabilitating them
Typical prison cells range from 4.5 m2 to 5.6 m2 in area; it was designed to hold one person but double bunking has been introduced. This violates the United Nations’ standards for treatment of prisoners
Some prison cells have no windows while others are allowed television, sound systems and VCRs
Unsatisfactory conditions causes violence to occur – between 1983-1988 43 inmates were murdered in Canadian prisons, over 2000 violent assaults were reported of which 600 were made against staff
RULES AND NORMS PLACED ON PEOPLE IN SOCIETY:
Law is fair and accessible to all; no one is above the law
Laws govern the conduct of people in the society and must be followed
Breaking the law is punishable by fine or imprisonment
Every citizen has legal rights and responsibilities; responsibilities include…
JURY DUTY
Jurors are randomly selected; Canadian citizens over 18 years of age are eligible for jury duty
Citizens called for jury duty must attend unless they are excused by laws of the province
Jurors are responsible for deciding whether the prosecution has proven beyond a reasonable doubt that the accused is guilty; the decision must be unanimous between all 12 jurors
Jurors must not be influenced by anything except the evidence presented in court
Jurors are not permitted to inform others about the discussions that took place in the jury room
TESTIFYING IN COURT
People may be called to give evidence in trials for useful information or expert technical knowledge
Usually, people come forward to testify voluntarily; however, they may also be summoned by subpoena – a command by the court to testify
Subpoenaed witnesses will be penalized for not complying with the order
Testimony is taken under oath and witnesses are required to answer all asked questions
KNOWING THE LAW
Public is expected to know what is permitted and take steps to ensure that they are acting legally
Ignorance of the law is not a defense
FUTURE CHANGES:
The attitudes of people and society are constantly changing
Older laws may become out of date, and new laws may be required for situations that may arise
It takes months or even years to settle disputes, which means our system of law is being stretched to the limit: more informal procedures are needed to encourage people to settle disputes outside of court
Canadian law should be more severe on drug-trafficking issues to prevent the illegal drug trade
The legal system should also focus on victims of crimes instead of just on punishing offenders
The legal system must be more fair and impartial to all people in society regardless of social class
Prisons should also concentrate on teaching offenders to become responsible citizens and rehabilitate them
The cramped conditions in prisons must be improved
Okay, it ends here, so have fun reading.
* * *
Hi everyone, how's your day so far? How's life going? Oh yeah, what country do you
live in? What state, which town? Do you happen to go to school? What's your favourite
subject? Do you have any part-time job that gets you your pocket money?
Now, after reading the series of bombardments above, you would probably think that
I'm a jerk, or some kind of shrink or amateur. But isn't it always the way that we
get to know each other? Don't we all ask basic and seemingly stupid questions to start
a conversation? Well, if we have met face to face, I would have told you all the above
information about me orally. But since we are to meet online, the best way for you to get
to know me is by reading about me, and obtaining a very thorough account on my life, and the
kind of person I am.
My name is Yuan-Fei Wang, and I was born in People's Republic of China, if it helps you out
with figuring out the origin of my peculiar name. I'm fifteen, and wil be turning sixteen
in the coming June. Anyways, I lived in my homeland, China, for 11 years, and after that, well,
another four pretty much eventless years in Canada. I always thought that my parents wanted to
immigrate to a better environment, therefore we moved here four years ago.
So far my life hadn't been very exciting, except for a few coincidental experiences. You would
probably not call my life an ideal one, but I'm quite satisfied with it. I get time to do most of the things
that I enjoy doing, and I think I have lived life to a full extent. Even though the lives of some
people may be envied by a great majority of the population, they themselves may be well unsatisfied
with their lives. Popularity doesn't bring happiness and the satisfaction of living life, and making
it count. In the next few paragraphs, I would like to share with you some particularities of me,
and I hope you will find them worth reading and spending your time on.
As a teenager, it's most obvious that I'm still in school. I should like to classify myself as
a conscientious student, I complete my assignments on time, study for tests, and prepare readily for
both curricular and extra-curricular activities. Being a regular A student, school means a lot to me.
Most people of my age would probably laugh at the above statement, but it nontheless holds true for me.
I take school very seriously, and thinks of it as a source toward my future success. My favourite school
subjects are science and math, but I tend to do well in most other subjects. Personally, I think it's
essential to be able to accpet all information delivered with high understanding. You may wonder why
is it that I like math and science, two of the most resented subjects of most people? Well, I think I'm
just curious to know all the mysteries that can only be solved by science, and no science can be present
without the presence of math. Therefore, these two branches of studies are the essential keys
in order to stay at the top edge of the imformational world. Also, I find them easy to comprehend,
and don't have the uncertainty of answers in subjects such as English, or the arts.
Don't take me wrong now. Even though I think very highly of school work, I'm not what one would call
a working manic. I spend a great portion of my time studying, but I always make sure that I end up
with spare times to do the things that I enjoy doing. One of my favourite pastimes is playing sports.
With the increase in grade level, I find less time playing, but I seize every oppurtunities that I get.
I don't exactly like to join school teams, but practice individual exercises consistantly. Beside
playing sports, I spend my spare times reading, watching television, and playing the piano. In the links
of this page, you will find separate sections on the details of my hobbies.
I'm generally a optimistic person, and find most occasions sanguine and worth smiling upon.
It's not worth it to grum over some small misfortunes. I know some people who complains about
everything in their way, and despairs at the slightest obstable before them. That way, one would
never be able to get anything done. Thinking optimistically also make one feel good and happy,
instead of solome all the time. Of course, it's facetious to be frivolous at every occasion, but
it doesn't hurt to laugh one's heart out from time to time. Feeling light often lead to laughter,
According to recent researches conducted
by scientists at Guelph University, it's healthy to laugh, and people are actually starting to join
laughing clubs to learn how to laugh so it benefits one's health. So, thinking to the light part
doesn't have any side effects, and so why not take the easy advantage gratuitly? Take the time to
relax your facial muscles, and enjoy a good hearted laughter, it's better than most medicine
available in the market!
Now, continuing from what was said in the last paragraph, get ready for a good natured and
delightful time reading my page! I'm sure that you will find something fascinating, and laugh a
little when reading it. Hope my page contributes toward your journey in learning to laugh heartily!
|
