CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM

Cost-Benefit Analysis in the Criminal Justice System

Cost-Benefit Analysis in the Criminal Justice System

Introduction

In view of the relationship between crime prevention, development, and the new international economic order changes in the socio-economic structure must be accompanied by appropriate reforms in the criminal justice system, ensuring compliance with the prison system the basic values ??and goals of society, as well as the aspirations of the international community. Impartial and humane criminal justice system is a necessary condition for the enjoyment of basic human rights of citizens of all countries. It promotes equal opportunities in the field of economic, social and cultural life. In this regard, it should encourage international cooperation in order to promote balanced economic development of member states on the basis of restructuring the international economic system, paying due attention to issues of situational crime prevention and the proper functioning of the criminal justice system.

Description and Analysis

Much of the literature on the “cost-benefit analysis of justice” is engrossed with topics that typically concern criminologist, judges, lawyers and police, and therefore, is absentminded of its own identity and purpose. There is almost no mention of the most common professional staff, i.e. Analysts, budget personnel, clinicians, compliance officers, division managers, intake clerks, and the administrative professionals who normally comprise and agency's “administration.” Moreover, there is very little mention of decision-making and functional processes of the “system.” The justice system, therefore, ignores the integral part of the administrative system, non-legal personnel, and the administrative processes, programs and policies that they manage. Additionally, there is literature and studies devoted to the evaluation the individual components of the justice system, i.e. Police, courts and corrections. However, there is little devotion to the study and evaluation of the bureaucratic qualities of the justice system. The criminal-justice system, if it can be called a “system,” ignores many of its most basic obligations because of a preoccupation with the arrest, adjudication and correction of offenders. There is more to the administration of justice than the mere consideration of topics that relate to offenders and crime. Moreover, as it currently exists, and is defined by the literature examined, the criminal-justice system is actually a “non-system.” Thus, it is a primary contention of this research that decision-makers and criminal justice scholars ignore the most fundamental and universal principles of administration; consequently, contributing to the degradation of the justice system (Dolan 2005, 958).

There is systemic disagreement within the criminal justice community regarding how to enhance the capacity of cost-benefit analysis mechanisms. To date, the primary focus of the justice system has been “ends,” i.e., situational crime prevention and reduction, with little focus on the cost-benefit analysis of the organisation. Therefore, cost-benefit techniques in the justice system concern the same issues mentioned above. Rather than managing specific components of the system, the focus is on “ends” rather than “means.” The theoretical foundation of the criminal justice system concerns the activities of the most prominent legal actors, such as police, lawyers, judges, and to some extent, corrections ...