The Criminal Justice Process

Question 4 • TX-US Government & Peace Officers-CR

Which statement best explains why the government serves as the plaintiff in a criminal case?

Answer

Crime affects society, so it is the government’s responsibility to bring cases against defendants to deal with them as harshly as possible.

Individuals are never directly harmed by violations of the law, so they cannot be plaintiffs in criminal cases.

A crime is a violation of the law, which was made and enforced by the government, not individuals.

Individual plaintiffs might know the defendant and therefore cannot be impartial in charging them with a crime.

Explanation

A criminal offense is considered a violation of public law, which the government creates and enforces. The government therefore brings the case on behalf of society, even when a particular person was harmed. Choice C captures this reason; individuals can be victims, so B is incorrect.

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