Legal
System 101
Understanding the legal system
Legal systems are important parts of most modern societies, and you probably have some idea of how they work based on TV shows or movies. Unfortunately, legal systems are usually more complicated and challenging in real life.
Having to interact with “the law” can be a long, stressful, and overwhelming process. You’ll probably find that the words and rules that legal professionals use are totally alien. Fortunately, you shouldn’t have to interact with the law alone. Someone can help you at each step of the process. This information should help, too.
Legal systems are sets of rules and norms that say how people should act. These rules usually apply to everyone in a certain country or in a certain place (e.g., Canadian laws apply to everyone in Canada, and Ontario’s laws apply to everyone in Ontario). There are many different types of legal systems, and each applies to a different area of society or human behavior. The most common, and the most important for youth with TBI, is the criminal justice system, which deals with crimes.
Legal systems also give you rights to do certain things, like the right to have healthcare or the right to get an education. Remember that you will always have some rights, no matter where you are and what legal system you’re in!
The criminal justice system is a legal system designed to enforce criminal laws and punish crimes. Criminal laws are usually defined by laws passed by governments.
If you have to be in the criminal justice system, you will most likely encounter a police officer, a lawyer, and a judge.
- Police officers are responsible for enforcing laws and making arrests.
- Judges and lawyers work on cases to decide who is guilty and who is not.
The system also includes other professionals such as probation officers, social workers, and members of government.
The term “legal actors” is the way we refer to people who work in the criminal legal system.
Legal actors are people in the (criminal) legal system who work on behalf of the system itself. This could be a judge, a lawyer, a police officer, or a probation officer. Some of these actors can also work for you: if you have an attorney, that attorney will work on your behalf. But that attorney is also a part of the (criminal) legal system.
See the “What do I need to Know?” page for more information.
Different countries have different criminal justice systems. These infographics outline what a criminal justice system looks like, what the steps are, and what some common legal words mean.