Federal Crime And The Civil War - 1594 Words

Federalization of crime has expanded dramatically in the 200 plus years since the drafting of the U. S. Constitution. The original scope of the federal criminal jurisdiction was very narrow, and crime control was left largely to the states. Until the Civil War, there were only a small number of federal offenses, and they dealt with injury to or interference with the federal government itself or its programs. The federal offenses during this time were treason, counterfeiting, piracy, and felonies committed on the high seas (Marion Oliver, 2012). Except in those areas where federal jurisdiction was exclusive, the District of Columbia and the federal territories, federal law did not reach crimes against individuals; such as murder, rape, arson, robbery and fraud, were absolute concern of the states. State laws defined these offenses which were prosecuted by state or local officials. Congressional activity making essential local conduct a federal crime has accelerated greatly, not ably in areas in which existing state laws already criminalize the same conduct. One must examine the history of federalization of crime to clearly understand why the U.S. Government began to federalize crime and the arguments for and against the federalization of crime. The first major expansion of federalization of crime occurred immediately after the Civil War. Congress enacted a series of criminal laws in regards to the misuse of the mails and interstate commerce (Marion et al., 2012).Show MoreRelatedHistory of the Fbi Essay726 Words   |  3 Pages The Federal Bureau of Investigation was founded in 1908 when the Attorney General appointed an anonymous force of 34 Special Agents to be investigators for the Department of Justice. Before that, the DOJ had to borrow Agents from the U.S. Secret Service. In 1909, the Special Agent Force was renamed the Bureau of Investigation, and after countless name changes, it became The Federal Bureau of Investigation in 1935. When the FBI was established, there werent an abundance of federal crimes, so itRead MoreFederal Asset Forfeiture Is The Driving Force Behind Money Laundering Today1666 Words   |  7 Pages Civil forfeiture Frank Regueira Dustin Dariano, MS Research Methods October 11 2015 Introduction Madinger (2011) Argued that Civil asset forfeiture is the driving force behind money-laundering today is forfeiture. The act allows the government or law enforcement officials to confiscate, sell or keep any property alleged to be involved in criminal activity without convicting the individual, massively threatens the right to own property. Speculations, allegations and suspicionsRead More The F.B.I. Essay1111 Words   |  5 Pagesinvestigation of violations of federal criminal law; to protect the U.S. from foreign intelligence and terrorist activities; to provide leadership and law enforcement assistance to federal, state, local, and international agencies; and to perform these responsibilities in a manner that is responsive to the needs of the public and is faithful to the constitution of the U.S.: this is the mission of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The agency now known as the Federal Bureau of Investigation wasRead MoreMass Incarceration : The United States1628 Words   |  7 PagesThe rhetoric of â€Å"law and order† first came about in the late 1950s as white opposition to the Civil Rights Movement was encouraged by southern governors and law enforcement. They argued that civil rights movements and Martin Luther King Jr’s philosophy of civil disobedience was the leading cause of crime. Protesters were seen as criminals. Richard Nixon (Vice-President at the time) said, â€Å"The increasing crime rate can be traced directly to the spread of the corrosive doctrine that every citizen possessesRead MoreThe New Jim Crow Essay1052 Words   |  5 PagesInstead of a formalized institution such as slavery or Jim Crow, America has found a new way to continue the marginalization of blacks by using the criminal justice system. In Michelle Alexander’s book â€Å" The New Jim Crow†, she shows how Americaâ€⠄¢s â€Å" War on Drugs â€Å" has become a tool of racial segregation and how the discretionary enforcement of drug laws has resulted in an overwhelmingly negative affect on its black population. In the early days of colonial America, slavery was not as common as weRead MoreThe Policing Model : Brazil1160 Words   |  5 Pagesthe federal police, he federal highway police, the federal railway police, the state military police and fire brigade, and the state civil police. Brazil police officers only have two main functions which is to keep order and to make sure laws are not broken. The Federal Police: The federal police main function is to investigate crimes that are against the federal government, to fight international drug trafficking, and terrorism, and are the immigration and border police as well. The Federal HighwayRead MoreThe Current Japanese Justice System1045 Words   |  5 Pageselements of the American justice system. This is not to say that the systems are similar, far from it. They are quite different due to the perception of the purpose of a justice system based on history and differences in culture. Japan: Pre- World War II â€Å"Modern† Japan is predominantly known as the Meiji Era in 1868. Before this era, Tokugawa governments (between 1503 and 1868) adopted Confucianism and were mostly based on dogmas of social hierarchy and harmony. (Henderson, 1965). These dogmas forcedRead More Tribunals Essays1344 Words   |  6 Pages President Bushs decision to consider establishing military tribunals to prosecute accused terrorists has set off a major debate on civil liberties in the United States. Supporters argue that such a measure is a constitutional necessity to address terrorism of an unprecedented scope. Opponents claim that the tribunals would undermine the rule of law and deprive defendants of the protection provided for in the American system of justice. My research and personnel experience on the subject has foundRead MoreFederal Republic of Brazil1653 Words   |  7 Pagesmore Roman Catholics than any other country in the world.† (Brazil, 2004) The government of Brazil is a Federal Republic. In this system the President is both the head of state and the head of government, as well as the head of a multi-party system. The political and administrative organizations of Brazil include federal and state governments, federal districts and the municipalities. The federal government controls the central government and is divided in three branches. Like America it is dividedRead MoreThree branches of government1113 Words   |  5 Pagescriminal courts, civil courts, and corrections. Federal Government Criminal Justice System The United States federal government is made up of three branches, which all serve different purpose but are equal in power to ensure a system of checks and balances. Just like the federal government has a separation of powers and different components, the United States criminal justice system not only has many components, but is also ruled by both federal and state authorities