Learn about the basic structure and function of the court system, focusing on its role in interpreting laws and delivering justice. This is an overview of different types of courts and their respective responsibilities within the legal framework.
Prosecutors in the U.S. criminal justice system wield considerable power, controlling secret grand jury proceedings, choosing who gets tried, and determining the specific charges against people who are arrested. Many credit prosecutors for putting lawbreakers behind bars, lowering the nation's crime rate, and making communities safer. Critics, however, charge that prosecutors often abuse their power, pressuring defendants to wrongly accept plea bargains, undermining the right to a trial by jury, and fueling public skepticism regarding equal justice.
Joe Berlinger explores the effectiveness and justness of mandatory sentencing in a current climate that preaches reform. In Florida, the unintended consequences of mandatory minimum gun laws seem to outweigh its merits as a father is sent to prison for 20 years for “defending his family.”
