Criminal Justice Essay, Research Paper

In this paper I will attempt to explain how the United States Criminal Justice System and Ireland has some different characteristics. They both share some of the same practices in each system. I will give a brief history of both countries and the way their system works. Some could say the Irish system is better than the US, but in order to tell you have to define both criminal justice systems. The US criminal system have came a long way compared to the past. American colonists who settled here brought criminal procedures, before people would just settle problems among themselves. Before long there came customs and rules in which the American citizens would have to follow or be responsible for breaking customs by getting punished for their acts, Framers of the Constitution gave Congress the power to make laws and provide proper penalties for people who break the laws or customs (Henderson, 1985).

The Irish Criminal Justice System is somewhat similar to Britain?s system. Irish customs or laws were so-called Brehon laws. Brehon law was mostly influenced in the West and North until about the 17th century, and then it evolved into an English system. Henry VIII was the first English monarch to call himself King of Ireland in 1541; the Act of Union of 1800-said Ireland was put under the British Crown. The same laws were applied in Ireland and England. Ireland?s own House of Commons and House of Lords was in Dublin. With the Act of Union, the Dublin parliament was dissolved and Westminster became the sole legislative authority for Ireland.