Final answer:
The criminal justice system is a mechanism of external social control. It prescribes behaviors, defines crimes, and sets punishments for rule breakers and nonconformists. It consists of the police, the courts, and the corrections system.
Step-by-step explanation:
In contemporary societies, the criminal justice system is a mechanism of external social control. It is responsible for prescribing certain behaviors, defining crimes, and setting punishments for rule breakers and nonconformists. The criminal justice system consists of three main components: the police, the courts, and the corrections system. The police identify and apprehend criminals, the courts determine guilt or innocence and impose sentences, and the corrections system carries out the penalties.