Challenges facing the Criminal Justice System

Challenges facing the Criminal Justice System

The criminal justice system is expected to act in a rational way that helps to solve the problems that society is facing today. Therefore, the leaders in the system should act ethically, think strategically and communicate locally while developing approaches that can help deal with the issue of crime and terrorism. Currently, some of the challenges that are associated with the system include human trafficking, gangs, terrorist activity, guns and cybercrime. However, it is essential to point out some of the significant challenges that criminal justice systems is facing.

One of the challenges facing the system is drug use and the crime cycle. Studies have shown that about 50 to 80% of the individual that are arrested test positive for drugs (Ziedenberg). With this problem, there is seemingly a vicious cycle of criminal activity and the use of drugs. The problem is on trying to understand the implication of these issues on the systems. There is the idea of decriminalizing drugs to make it less a problem in the justice system. However, it is hard to tell if this move could be beneficial or detrimental to society.

The other challenge is the high incarceration rates. In recent studies, it is estimated that about 2 million people are incarcerated for crimes, and about 7 million are under supervision. There is a need for the system to analyze this issue. The issue does not only affect those in crime, but even the communities were the crimes took place. The effect is more on the economic impact. About $50bilioon is spent every year on the correctional efforts. The other problem is also associated with violence against women.  It is estimated that approximately 1.3 million women are physically assaulted by an intimate partner (Ziedenberg). The question is how the criminal justice system is trying to deal with the problem.

These are not a permanent problem, and the criminal justice system can develop approaches that can help to deal with these issues. The focus should be on the priorities that the criminal justice system takes in solving these issues.

Works Cited

Ziedenberg, Jason. “You’re an adult now: Youth in adult criminal justice systems.” (2016).