The History of Criminal Justice in the United States The definition of justice and the means by which it is to be meted out differ depending on an individual's background, culture, and personal morals. As a country with many individualistic citizens, the United States has always done its best to protect, but not coddle, the population in this area. Thus, the history of US criminal justice is quite broad and diverse; with each introduction of a new era, more modern technologies and ideals are incorporated into government, all with the interests of American citizens in mind. Since English colonizers were the first to establish an extravagant European society in North America, it is not surprising that many of the aspects of the American administration of justice derived from its homeland. In England, law enforcement was a disorganized mess until the year 1200 (Schmalleger 137). The police system remained static from 1285 to 1829, until Sir Robert Peel established the modern police force (Schmalleger 139). However, early American law enforcement was destined to be different, due to the differences between American and English life and environments. Early in colonial law enforcement, towns and cities inaugurated versions of the English day ward and night watch, but these processes did not remain in place for long (Schmalleger 139). As the American landscape began to broaden its horizons, its administration of justice had to expand to accommodate new situations and environments. In the early 19th century, due to the lack of law enforcement, the frontier presented itself as a paradise to outlaws and bandits (Schmalleger 139). Many citizens have taken on the task of protecting others in a form of vigilance…half of the paper…is extremely large and elaborate, very different from its humble origins (Schmalleger 145). The American government has greatly expanded over the decades to include 14 departments and 28 non-departmental conglomerates, each with its own direction and purpose regarding a specific area requiring law enforcement; in addition to the new entities, there are at least 137,929 officials employed by the government (Schmalleger 145). All officials and departments work continuously and uniformly to administer justice as fairly and expeditiously as possible. Time may pass and personal morals may change, but one of the strengths of the United States of America is its unwavering dedication to justice. Over time, the methods and laws of this country have grown and adapted, but the basis of law enforcement work remained the same - the safety and interest of the people..