Modern Penal Systems The United States Adversarial System

In contemporary societies, crime is an undeniable fact of daily life. Modern penal systems are developed in order to bring justice towards those who transgress the inviolable laws and regulations imposed by the current legislative body. In the United States adversarial system, a common quandary associated with proper administration of justice is the question of who is liable for actions committed by members of a group or organization that has been found to be associated with organized crime. In the 1970’s, in the wake of a slew of crimes perpetrated by members of the Mafia, the Racketeering Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act was established and signed into law by the Nixon administration. Under this act, simply referred to as R.I.C.O., leaders and members of a crime syndicate could be held on trial for criminal penalties for actions that they ordered others to perform. A major implication of this act was that an element of ambiguity inherent in the current criminal code was closed, thereby denying organized crime members immunity under the law for simply ordering the commission of crimes by lower members of the criminal conglomerate. Though the R.I.C.O. Act was established specifically in regards to racketeering, which includes the operation of illegal business through the imitation of a legitimate business, as well as the laundering of illegal funds through legitimate business, the actions deemed admissible for the establishment of a R.I.C.O. case have been expandedShow MoreRelatedThe Criminal Justice System Of The United States Constitution1184 Words   |  5 Pagesauthority to arrest, indict, try, and sentence individuals that have been accused of committing a crime. In an attempt to balance this authority the United States Constitution guarantees a number of inalienable rights to protect its citizens against tyrannical government power. 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