Court Analysis

Court Analysis Paper

Christian Rodriguez

CJA/394

January 27, 2013

Mr. Kaye

Court Analysis Paper

The primary function of American criminal courts is to determine the legal guilt of the accused, to determine if a person is guilty beyond a reasonable doubt of committing a crime, they essentially take over where police left off (Robinson, 2009). Even though courts do much more than find people innocent or guilty, they also are responsible for determining bail, conducting preliminary hearings, ruling on the admissibility of evidence, and determining the appropriate sentence when a finding of guilty has been reached (Robinson, 2009). Though they perform many functions for the criminal justice system, there are many issues still facing the courts today. In this paper I will be identifying the current and future issues facing courts and court administrators today. I will also be discussing future management issues and trends regarding language interpretations services, as well as assessing the past, present, and future impact the victims’ rights laws have on court proceedings.

There are many current and future issues facing courts and court administrators today. One problem that some may beg to differ would be the use of plea bargaining in our court system. However, more than 90% of felony cases in the United States in any given year are disposed of via plea bargaining (Robinson, 2009). Criminal trials are a way of determining the innocence or guilt of those in question, whereas plea bargaining is where the accused plead guilty to lesser charges thus resulting in lesser charges. Though plea bargaining has a positive side like saving time and money, at the same time it is unfair to the citizens who choose not to commit crimes in the first place. People who commit crimes know what they are doing at the time, therefore should pay the ultimate price to deter them from doing it again. Plea bargaining is just a way to get a lesser punishment than they would get...