criminal justice: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Academic, Legal, Journalistic, Formal
Quick answer
What does “criminal justice” mean?
The system of laws, institutions, and procedures established by a government to maintain social control, deter crime, sanction those who violate laws, and rehabilitate offenders.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The system of laws, institutions, and procedures established by a government to maintain social control, deter crime, sanction those who violate laws, and rehabilitate offenders.
The academic field of study that examines this system, including its philosophy, history, effectiveness, and its relationship with law, sociology, and criminology. It also refers to the principles of fairness and due process that should underpin the system.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Term is identical in form and core meaning. Differences lie in the specific legal structures, terminology of institutions (e.g., Crown Court vs. District Court, CPS vs. District Attorney), and sentencing practices referenced within the system.
Connotations
In both varieties, it carries connotations of formal state power, societal order, and debates about fairness, punishment, and rehabilitation. In the US, the term is often central to intense political and social debates about race, policing, and mass incarceration.
Frequency
High frequency in both varieties, with extremely high frequency in US public discourse, political rhetoric, and academic settings due to the scale and prominence of its domestic justice system.
Grammar
How to Use “criminal justice” in a Sentence
[study/pursue/have a degree in] criminal justice[reform/overhaul/defend] the criminal justice system[a failure/breakdown of] criminal justice[access to] criminal justiceVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “criminal justice” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The programme aims to criminal justice those involved in online fraud.
- One cannot simply criminal justice a complex social problem.
American English
- The new policy seeks to criminal justice repeat offenders more harshly.
- You can't just criminal justice your way out of gang violence.
adverb
British English
- The case was handled criminal justicely, following all protocols.
- The system does not always function criminal justicely.
American English
- The agency responded criminal justicely to the allegations.
- We must proceed criminal justicely and by the book.
adjective
British English
- She is a leading criminal justice scholar.
- The report highlighted several criminal justice failings.
American English
- He works in criminal justice administration.
- The senator specializes in criminal justice legislation.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare, except in contexts like corporate compliance, white-collar crime, or consulting for justice agencies.
Academic
Primary context. Refers to the interdisciplinary field of study (Criminal Justice departments, journals, research).
Everyday
Used in news discussions, political debates, and general conversation about crime, policing, trials, or prisons.
Technical
Used by lawyers, judges, police, criminologists, and policy-makers to refer to the specific apparatus and procedures of the state in dealing with crime.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “criminal justice”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “criminal justice”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “criminal justice”
- Using it as a countable noun (e.g., 'a criminal justice').
- Confusing it with 'civil justice,' which deals with disputes between individuals/organisations.
- Misspelling as 'criminal justise'.
- Using 'criminal justice' to refer to a single court verdict instead of the overarching system.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Criminology is the scientific study of crime, its causes, and its social impact. Criminal justice is the study of the systems (police, courts, prisons) and processes used to respond to crime. They are closely related but distinct fields.
Almost never. It is typically a non-count noun phrase referring to the system or field as a whole. You might see it in a highly abstract philosophical context (e.g., 'seeking a criminal justice that is restorative'), but this is rare.
'Law' is the broader set of all rules governing a society. 'Criminal justice' is specifically the subsystem that enforces criminal law (laws against acts like murder, theft, assault). Civil law (contracts, property disputes) is a separate subsystem.
Because the system is frequently criticised for being expensive, ineffective, unfair, or overly punitive. 'Reform' refers to efforts to change laws, policies, and practices to improve outcomes like fairness, efficiency, rehabilitation, and public safety.
The system of laws, institutions, and procedures established by a government to maintain social control, deter crime, sanction those who violate laws, and rehabilitate offenders.
Criminal justice is usually academic, legal, journalistic, formal in register.
Criminal justice: in British English it is pronounced /ˌkrɪm.ɪ.nəl ˈdʒʌs.tɪs/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌkrɪm.ə.nəl ˈdʒʌs.tɪs/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “A miscarriage of justice”
- “The wheels of justice turn slowly”
- “Justice is blind”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: CRIMINAL (law-breaker) + JUSTICE (fair treatment/punishment) = The system that deals with law-breakers, aiming for fair treatment and punishment.
Conceptual Metaphor
THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM IS A MACHINE (e.g., 'the wheels of justice,' 'a cog in the system,' 'the machinery of the state'). Also, CRIMINAL JUSTICE IS A BALANCE/SCALES (balancing punishment and fairness, public safety and rights).
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary focus of the academic field of 'criminal justice'?