A criminal case is one which arises when a state or legislative body punishes an individual or group for an act that has been deemed a crime.

What exactly is criminal law?

When a society or a country decide that certain behaviours are harmful to society, they label that behaviour as a crime, and accord a punishment in the  form of fines and sanctions. Most crimes and their appropriate punishment have been laid out in federal or state legislatures. For instance, a city may deem drunkard ness in public as a crime, whereas a federal government may refer to a bank robbery as a crime.

Criminal laws or statues determine the kind of crime that has been committed, and the type of appropriate punishment. For instance, for Burglary, the statues from the Penal code of California state:

Burglary is punishable as follows:

1. Burglary of the 1st degree: by imprisonment in a state prison for 2, 4, or 6 years.

2. Burglary in the 2nd degree: by imprisonment in the county jail or state prison not more than one year.

Imprisonment, community service, fines, and other penalties are levied on all those who are guilty of committing a crime, after a hearing or a case decided by a jury.

The Criminal Law system includes the entire criminal procedure, all the way from the investigation and the arrest, to the sentence and the conviction – also everyone involved, whether they played a significant role or a small one – from the police officers, to the prosecuting attorneys, the judge(s), all the witness, probation officers, the accused and even the correction officers.

Certain fundamental rights are given to people suspected or charged with crimes at all points of the criminal procedure. The constitution and the court decide his or her fate keeping his/her fundamental rights in check.

Now, the case arises that how do criminal cases end. Who decides who wins and what are the end results?