NCERT Solutions Class 8 Social Science (Civics – Social and Political Life – III)
The NCERT Solutions in English Language for Class 8 Social Science (Civics – Social and Political Life – III) Chapter – 6 (Understanding Our Criminal Justice System) has been provided here to help the students in solving the questions from this exercise.
Civics (Social and Political Life – III)
- Chapter – 1 — The Indian Constitution
- Chapter – 2 — Understanding Secularism
- Chapter – 3 — Why Do We Need A Parliament?
- Chapter – 4 — Understanding Laws
- Chapter – 5 — Judiciary
- Chapter – 7 — Understanding Marginalisation
- Chapter – 8 — Confronting Marginalisation
- Chapter – 9 — Public Facilities
- Chapter – 10 — Law and Social Justice
Chapter – 6 (Understanding Our Criminal Justice System)
1. In a town called Peace Land, the supporters of the Fiesta football team learn that the supporters of the Jubilee football team in the nearby city about 40 km away have damaged the ground on which the Final between both teams is to be held the following day. A crowd of Fiesta fans armed with deadly weapons attacks the homes of the supporters of the Jubilee football team in the town. In the attack, 10 men are killed, 5 women are gravely hurt, many homes are destroyed and over 50 people injured.
Imagine that you and your classmates are now part of the criminal justice system. First divide the class into the following four groups of persons:
1. Police
2. Public Prosecutor
3. Defence lawyer
4. Judge
The column on the right provides a list of functions. Match these with the roles that are listed on the left. Have each group pick the functions that it needs to perform to bring justice to those who were affected by the violence of the Fiesta fans. In what order, will these functions be performed?
| Roles | Functions |
| Police | hear the witnessesrecord the statements of witnesses
cross examine the witnesses take photographs of burnt homes record the evidence arrest the Fiesta fans writes the judgment argue the case for the victims decide the number of years for which the accused will be put in jail examine the witnesses in court pass the judgment get the assaulted women medically examined conduct a fair trial meet the accused persons |
| Public Prosecutor | |
| Defense Lawyer | |
| Judge |
Now take the same situation but ask one student who is a supporter of the Fiesta Club to perform all the functions listed above. Do you think the victims would get justice if only one person performed all of the functions of the criminal justice system? Why not?
State two reasons why you believe that different persons need to play different roles as part of the criminal justice system.
Answer –
| Role | Functions |
| Police | Records the statements of witnessesTakes photographs of burnt homes
Arrests the Fiesta fans Gets the assaulted women medically examined |
| Public Prosecutor | Cross examines the witnessesArgues the case for the victims |
| Defence Lawyer | Meets the accused personsExamines the witnesses in court |
| Judge | Hears the witnessesRecords the evidence
Writes the judgement Decides for how many years the accused will be put in jail Passes the judgement Conducts a fair trial |
The victims would not get justice if only one person performed all of the functions of the criminal justice system because a separation of powers is necessary within a judicial system too since absolute power can never be fair.
Different persons need to play different roles as part of the criminal justice system because: one, all aspects of an investigation and trial cannot be conducted by one person alone as they entail diverse kinds of work including, arrests, recording of witness statements, defence of accused and victims’ parties, passing of a fair trial and a judicially correct judgment. Two, if all these powers are vested in one person alone, they might be misused and will thereby violate the rule of law based on equal and just decisions.
