NCERT 8th Class Social Science: The Police And The Courts

Question: Define the term “Criminal Justice System”.

Answer: Criminal justice system is the ‘body of law’ or ‘Court’ regulating the inquiry into whether a person has violated criminal law or not.

Question: What is the role of the police in the Criminal Justice System?

Answer: In the Criminal Justice System the police play the role of investigating the case and arresting the accused.

Question: What are the guidelines that the police have to follow during investigation?

Answer: Police investigations have to be conducted in accordance with law and with full respect for human rights. The police are not allowed to torture or beat or shoot anyone during investigation. They cannot inflict any form of punishment on a person even for petty offences.

Question: Who is a Prosecutor?

Answer: ‘The Prosecutor’ is a lawyer representing the state or the people of the state in a criminal trial.

Question: Why is the Prosecutor called a Public Prosecutor?

Answer: The Prosecutor who represents the State is called a Public Prosecutor as a criminal offence is regarded as a public wrong, which has been committed not only against the victim, but also against the society as a whole.

Question: What is the role of the judge in the Criminal Justice System?

Answer: The judge conducts the trial impartially and in an open court. The judge hears all the witnesses and any other evidence presented by the prosecution and the defence.

The judge decides whether the accused person is guilty or innocent on the basis of the evidence presented and in accordance with the law.

If the accused is convicted, then the judge pronounces the sentence. He may send the person to jail or impose a fine or both, depending on what the law prescribes.