Criminal Justice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

Criminal Justice - Essay Example (Bassiouni 34) It is not possible for a justice system to have all people accused of committing a crime get a free trial or vice versa. It is not easy to have absolute justice or free trial and getting the opposite maybe a little easier. But we can use the parameter of the percentage of free trials conducted against the unfair trials to determine if it is possible for a crime suspect to get a fair hearing. In my opinion, it is possible for a person accused of crime to get a free trial in the United States and I think a majority actually do. Whether a crime suspect gets a free trial depends on the following requirements. A free trial requires: All parties involved in a criminal trial have the right to examine all the witnesses. Everyone is entitled to examine or have examined the witnesses under the same conditions. The crime suspect should have unlimited right to obtain the compulsory attendance of witnesses and under similar conditions of the prosecution side. In free trial the most examined specific guarantee is the right of the criminal to be provided with legal counsel. (Planck 3)The person accused of crime should also be able to communicate with his or her legal counsel. It is also important that a fair balance is struck between the amount and availability of legal counsel to parties to the case. The suspect should get the same amount of legal counsel as the prosecution side. In the American justice system, if a suspect cannot afford an attorney, one is provided for by the state. So as to avoid arbitrariness and bias that can potentially arise from a criminal trial, the proceedings should be conducted by a competent and neutral judge. The institutions in charge of the proceedings should also have the same principles and characteristics. (Bassiouni 34) In my opinion the American justice system fulfils the above requirements needed for a fair trial to a person suspected of a crime. This position is however not absolute since