1.7. The Three C’s: Cops, Courts, and Corrections 
SHANELL SANCHEZ 
The Three C’s 
As previously stated, the criminal justice system is not confined to one level of government and is made 
up of local, state, and federal governments. The agencies associated with these levels can work together or 
work separately. In the previous example about marijuana legalization, the federal government has not legalized 
recreational or medicinal marijuana, but some states have; states have disagreed with federal law, but federal law 
essentially has the final say. If the federal government wanted to punish states for selling marijuana they indeed 
could since it remains a Schedule I drug. 
We will spend time exploring the three main components of the criminal justice system, or an easy way to 
remember this is the three main C’s: cops, courts, and corrections. This section will briefly introduce the police, 
courts, and correctional systems and how they often function with each other, whereas subsequent chapters will 
further focus on how they each operate as their entity. 
Cops 
Imagine walking downtown on a Friday night and witness a robbery in action. The first thing a person 
would typically do is call 911. Then the person would tell the 911 operator, referred to as dispatch, what 
they saw, where the event occurred, and any other relevant information. The operator would then send out 
the call or dispatch it to nearby police on duty. The first point of contact with the criminal justice system 
for most individuals is the cops. We often refer to them as first responders. We will use a variety of terms 
for cops, such as police officers and law enforcement, but recognize we are always talking about the men 
and women who enforce laws and protect the people of the United States. The police respond to calls and 
can apprehend the offender. Because of technology, the police respond quickly. 
Other times, police may witness a crime while on patrol. Police make initial contact, investigate crimes, 
apprehend offenders/potential offenders (arrest), and then book them in the local jail. Law enforcement does 
not determine guilt or innocence, hand down punishments, or implement the punishment. 
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1. Fuller, J. (2019). Introduction to criminal justice: A brief edition. New York Oxford: University Press 
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