AP Board 8th Class Social Politics Notes 6th Lesson Understanding Our Criminal Justice System
→ Key players in criminal justice system are the police, the public prosecutor, the defence lawyer and the judge.
→ The role of police is to investigate, to form an opinion and file a chargesheet in the court.
→ The police investigations have to be in accordance with law with full respect for human rights.
→ Article 22 of the Constitution guarantees certain rights to every arrested person.
→ A criminal offence is regarded as a public wrong as the crime is committed against society as a whole.
→ The public prosecutor must conduct the prosecution on behalf of the state. His duty is to act impartially.
→ The judge is like an umpire in the game.
→ The judge decides whether the accused person is guilty or innocent, then the judge pronounces the sentence.
→ Article 21, states that a person’s life or Liberaty can be taken away only by following a just legal procedure.
→ A fair trial ensures that Article 21 is upheld.
→ The rule of law says that every one who is accused should be given an opportunity for a fair trail.
→ PROSECUTOR : Who institutes legal proceedings against someone.
→ FIR : First Information Report.
→ FICTIONAL : Not real or true.
→ INNOCENT : Free from legal guilt or fault.
→ EVIDENCE : Something legally submitted to a tribunal to ascertain the truth of a matter.
→ ABUSED : Treated with cruelty or violence. (Or) Disrespect.
→ TRAUMATISED : Upset or distressed.
→ INTERROGATION : To question formally and systematically.
→ Accused : The person who is tried by a court for a crime
→ Cognizable :
- In General – the meaning is “perceptable or clearly identifiable.
- In this chapter it refers to “an offence for which the police may arrest a person without the permission of the court.
→ Cross Examine : Questioning of a witness who was already been examined by the opposing side in order to determine the veracity of his / her testimony.
→ Detention :
- The act of stopping a person leaving a place especially keeping him in prison.
- In this chapter it refers to the act of being kept in illegal custody by the police.
→ Impartial :
- Not supporting any of the sides.
- The act of being fair or just and not favouring one side over another
→ Offence : Any act that law defines as a crime.