Answer to Question #220947 in English for Cattleya

Question

To what extent do you think the criminal justice system response to the pandemic has had an impact on the provision of public safety. Here you must look at the crime rate during the pandemic and measures introduced during the pandemic such as curfews and the band of alcohol (125 words)

Answer 1

The advent of COVID-19 pandemic unfolded both disease and extensive disruption as communities and diverse government entities grappled to comprehend the issue at hand that needed to be addressed urgently. Consequently, how and when the pandemic affected particular locales and states varied substantially, and the circumstances to which the private sect, the government and the public had to respond.

For the criminal justice system, the need to adapt to mitigate the risk of spreading the infection was urgent with most justice processes inclusive of socialization between law enforcement practitioners and citizens on local streets; court proceedings which brings individuals from various areas together, overcrowded correctional facilities that house offenders in close proximity; and diverse therapy sessions that support the proper entry or rehabilitation in the community- necessitate close physical association. However, the need for substantial changes implied that the criminal justice system potentially worsened the pandemic jeopardizing public health even as it sought to safeguard and promote public safety.

Additionally, the need for criminal justice procedures and policies essential in addressing the external pressures of the pandemic, majority of the agencies in the justice system faced enormous internal pressure on their daily operations . The pressures of quarantines, high rate of infections as well as death of criminal justice professionals compounded by the economic fallout, insufficient resources, and social unrest proliferated by COVID-19 undermined the agencies ability to execute their task sufficiently amid the public health measures enacted such as ban on gatherings, curfew and lockdowns jeopardizing public health and safety. Most justice system agencies faced difficulties in ensuring public compliance with the public health directives even among their own staff and executing their various roles leading to deferred incarcerations and hearing which created backlog of lawsuits, needs and demands that may take years to wade through even when pre-pandemic capability is restored. Nevertheless, the justice system directives like curfew, travel bans and gatherings played an essential role in crime reduction, decline in arrests, increase in locales and states supervision particularly in probation and parole consequently increasing public safety.