As discussed in a prior post, the criminal justice system can be broken down into 6 stages. Knowing what happens in each stage, and the people, procedures, and rights involved, is critical to understanding and writing about it.
The first stage is the Crime Stage. This is basically when the crime occurs, and it is the key to any trip through the criminal justice system.
A crime may be instantaneous or it may be continuing. Examples of instantaneous crimes are most murders or robberies. A continuing crime, however, is usually a more complex scheme or criminal enterprise, such as a drug dealing operation or a ponzi scheme.
Generally, the people involved at the crime stage include the person or people committing the crime, the victims of the crime, and any witnesses to the crime. If a police officer or federal agent is undercover, the crime could involve that person as well.
The setting for the crime stage can be literally anywhere, from a board room or bedroom to a back alley, outer space, or cyberspace.
An example of a movie that is entirely focused on the crime stage is Ocean's Eleven. In that movie, the key characters are the criminals (led by Brad Pitt and George Clooney), as well as the target victim (Andy Garcia), and his casinos. The majority of the movie is spent following the criminals as they recruit others to participate in and fund the crime, plan the crime, and finally execute it.
The crime stage begins when the crime is committed or when the criminal scheme or enterprise begins. It ends when the crime is completed or is stopped (by arrest or some other means).
In Ocean's Eleven, the movie begins at the beginning of the crime stage, with George Clooney conceiving of the crime, an extremely complex theft of a casino vault. The movie ends after the crime has been completed.
(If you've never seen Ocean's Eleven, or don't own it, click on the pictures below to check it out.)
The first stage is the Crime Stage. This is basically when the crime occurs, and it is the key to any trip through the criminal justice system.
A crime may be instantaneous or it may be continuing. Examples of instantaneous crimes are most murders or robberies. A continuing crime, however, is usually a more complex scheme or criminal enterprise, such as a drug dealing operation or a ponzi scheme.
Generally, the people involved at the crime stage include the person or people committing the crime, the victims of the crime, and any witnesses to the crime. If a police officer or federal agent is undercover, the crime could involve that person as well.
The setting for the crime stage can be literally anywhere, from a board room or bedroom to a back alley, outer space, or cyberspace.
An example of a movie that is entirely focused on the crime stage is Ocean's Eleven. In that movie, the key characters are the criminals (led by Brad Pitt and George Clooney), as well as the target victim (Andy Garcia), and his casinos. The majority of the movie is spent following the criminals as they recruit others to participate in and fund the crime, plan the crime, and finally execute it.
The crime stage begins when the crime is committed or when the criminal scheme or enterprise begins. It ends when the crime is completed or is stopped (by arrest or some other means).
In Ocean's Eleven, the movie begins at the beginning of the crime stage, with George Clooney conceiving of the crime, an extremely complex theft of a casino vault. The movie ends after the crime has been completed.
(If you've never seen Ocean's Eleven, or don't own it, click on the pictures below to check it out.)
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