Final answer:
The criminal justice wedding cake model consists of four layers, ranging from high-profile cases at the top to misdemeanors at the bottom, each level varying in the attention and resources they receive.
Step-by-step explanation:
The criminal justice wedding cake model is a way of illustrating the operation of the criminal justice system on different levels. This model likens the system to a multi-layered cake, with the most serious cases at the top and the least serious at the bottom:
- Top Layer: High-profile cases, often involving powerful or famous individuals and complex legal questions. An example is the trial of O.J. Simpson for murder.
- Second Layer: Serious felonies like rapes, robberies, and burglaries that may not be nationally known but still involve significant harm. For example, a robbery that results in a citywide manhunt.
- Third Layer: Lesser felonies, which involve less serious felony offenses, such as thefts without large losses or assaults without significant injury. An instance is a bar fight leading to minor injuries.
- Bottom Layer: Misdemeanors, the bulk of the routine, less serious cases, such as disorderly conduct or minor drug possessions. An example is a shoplifting incident involving inexpensive items.
Each layer represents the differing levels of public, media, and system attention, as well as resources allocated to them.