The Criminal Justice system has come a long way from the early days. The Criminal Justice system in the United States date back to colonial days when the citizens were subject to the laws and rules of the British. Many times the laws and subsequent punishment were not always fair and just.

However, at the end of the 17^th Century, William Penn began to promote reform in the Criminal Justice system and helped to see these changes implemented. After the American Revolution, the U.S. Constitution was created which guaranteed freedoms and rights that were never in place in colonial days. This was the starting point to setting guidelines for crimes, punishment and procedures that need to be followed to protect the rights of the innocent.

To learn more about the development of the Criminal Justice system in the United States, we have assembled a number of resources:

Criminal Justice History

• Criminal Justice History Resources – selected resources covering the history of Criminal Justice.
• Criminal Justice Resources – useful collection of information and links covering many topics.
• Links for Criminal Justice – wide range of information and topics are covered in this page.
• Early Years of American Law – article on how the early American justice system was organized.
• Policing Colonial America – brief look at the policing of America before the revolution.

Crime

• Bureau of Justice Statistics – look at criminal statistics in the United States.
• Uniform Crime Report – information on crimes in the U.S.
• U.S. Marshalls History – interesting look into the history of the United States Marshall’s Office.
• History of the FBI – historical view of the history and growth of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
• Organized Crime History – a brief look at the history of organized crime in the U.S.
• U.S. Crime Statistics – fifty years of statistics on crime in the United States.
• Crime Glossary – alphabetical listing of crimes with definitions.

Punishment

• Courts – information and answers on the courts role in the Criminal Justice system.
• Criminal Offenses – guidelines for punishment for typical criminal offenses.
• Crime and Punishment – collection of links in the topic of crimes and subsequent punishment.
• National Museum – link to the National Museum of Crime and Punishment which contains information from history.
• Capital Punishment – discusses the role of capital punishment as a crime deterrent in the course of history.

Legal System

• U.S. Legal System – introduction to the system of justice used in the United States.
• Legal System – outline of the makeup of the U.S. Legal System.
• North American Legal Systems – information on the legal systems used in North America.
• Famous Trials – collection of information on some of the famous trials throughout history.
• U.S. Legal System – comprehensive look at the United States Legal System.

Police History

• U.S. Park Police History – overview of the history of the United States Park Police.
• Police History – brief look at the history and developments in police departments.
• Police in America – article outlining the history of policing in America.
• Police – wiki page dedicated to information about police and their growth in the United States.
• U.S. Secret Service History – informative page covering the history of the United States Secret Service.