A Glimpse Into the Israeli Criminal Justice System

Each country has a set of rules by which its citizens have to live. These rules are in place to protect the people and keep order in society. Not only do inhabitants of a country have obligations but also rights.

While many basic laws repeat across countries, there can still be a lot of differences. Not only between laws but also how governments deal with the consequences of these laws. 

The Israeli criminal justice system has attracted a lot of scholarly attention over the years. Thus, here's an outlined overview of their system below for those who wish to know more about it.

The 'Criminal Justice System' Defined

As the name suggests, the criminal justice system focuses on finding justice for a committed crime. This means finding a just punishment for the perpetrator. Yet, it's also about trying to rehabilitate them. 

Furthermore, by establishing a consequence for these unlawful actions, it deters other criminals from following in their footsteps. In cases where there's been a victim of crime, it also allows them to seek some recompensation or support. 

Most criminal justice systems across the globe are made up of government and independent agencies. The person that's convicted of a crime can sometimes get instant sentencing or otherwise go to trial.

A trial usually implies a judge, a review of the crimes committed, sometimes a jury, and a lawyer. Of course, when it comes to getting an attorney, it depends on the exact crime that's been committed. In some cases, there's a need for a specialist. Yet, there are lawyers who can represent you for multiple offenses for smaller cases, state Get Grajek.

The Israeli Court System

Judges within the Israeli system are elected by representatives of the Israeli parliament and cannot be removed from office, barring unusual circumstances. 

The system is autonomous and independent, and trials are typically held in regular courtrooms. However, this doesn't include military trials, in which there have been military tribunals put in place. 

When it comes to the court system's proceedings, they are very similar to that of Western cultures. This means that the police are in charge of the main investigation and require a warrant signed by a judge before making any arrests.

In cases where an arrest has been made, the detainees must be brought in front of a judge within 24 hours. In the case of minors, it's within 12 hours. Though, these timeframes change in case the arrest occurs on the Sabbath or a public holiday. Then, the police have 4 hours after those days to bring the person arrested to court. 

Once the trial has begun, the prosecution and defense have the opportunity to present their cases, and a final sentence will be passed on to the court. 

In a Nutshell

While the Israeli criminal justice system shares many of its principal functions with those of Western cultures, it has its differences. In particular, concerning the respect for the Sabbath and other religious holidays.

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