Analysis of Criminal Justice Approaches and the Impact of Media

Introduction
There are two main approaches in the administering of the criminal justice system that are often compared and contrasted. Retributive justice represents a more traditional approach, which focuses on punishment. On the other hand, restorative justice emphasizes on restoring harm and repairing relationships. While each approach certainly has their advantage and disadvantages, the media also plays an important role in influencing the public’s perception on them. Although I agree with many elements of restorative justice, I believe that the most effective way in providing justice may not be to choose one over the other, but to combine elements of both.
Retributive Justice
Retributive justice can be seen as a conventional approach in most criminal justice systems, and the process is accomplished mostly through criminal justice professionals such as the police, lawyers, and judges (Elliot, 2012, p.341). Fundamentally, criminal law prohibits any actions that are deemed to be detrimental to the community, with certain punishments attached when they are broken (Griffith, 2011, p.15). These laws are established by the government and any acts contrary to its definition signify an offence, or a violation against the state. Further, the criminal justice system in Canada is known as an adversarial system, where justice can be achieved once two sides have made their case for the truth (Griffith, 2011, p.12). Once guilt has been established, the accused will receive a specific punishment in accordance to the crimes they have committed. These punishments are designed to deter potential offenders and “to ‘equalize’ the harm suffered by the victim” (Elliot, 2012, p.341).
While the retributive system has well defined standards, its effectiveness is sometimes questionable. Maintaining the criminal justice system is a very costly endeavor and a lack of resources often