Can Criminal Justice System Cause Victimization

Criminal justice system was believed and known to be a process through which justice is granted to offended people and help criminals change their bad behaviors by teaching them carefully and not affecting them in any negative means (Marie, 2001, 45). However, this has turned out of late not to be the case. Victims to criminal justice system are exposed to high degree of victimization and trauma while under this system. Prisoners are ones that have been exposed to high degree victimization in the hands of criminal justice system. For instance, recently, there are increased reports of death within of people held in the custody; victims of criminal justice system particularly prisoners are maltreated and tortured until they part with their lives while when in the custody (Morton & Sangrey, 1986, 64).

According to Marie (2001, 96), stop and search tactics based around black males are victimizing. This is because the victims are searched everywhere with male prisoners being given a thorough search with women law enforcement officers. In this process, black males are exposed to different types of torture. As a result, this has left these victims victimized, traumatized and psychologically disturbed (Orth, 2009, 25). Furthermore, state servants have led to increased rate at which victimization is developed in criminal justice system by their actions towards prisoners and the general means through which this system is run. Victims of rape within this system have been highly victimized by this system since they are reminded repeatedly about the incidence and even given severe punishments that are not within the law.  

Trahan (2009, 112) asserts that despite the fact that prisoners are convicted so they are undeserving victims, the process through which the system id run and poor conditions created by the system has rendered them victims of the criminal justice system. Prisoners are living in an environment filled with fear and maltreatment receiving threats now and then (Gaines & Miller, 2008, 132).

Generally, criminal justice system is one of the major factors that cause victimization. Hence, there is an urgent need of looking means through which this victimization can be stopped. Government and all public servants should ensure that criminal justice system is renovated and all people who contributed in one way or the other towards development of victimization. Prisoners or other members held in custody should be given their freedom and their rights should also be preserved so as to do away with this problem of victimization.