The criminal justice system in Argentina, like Argentina itself, has endured a series of transformations, overhauls, purges and coups. At present, it is impossible to evaluate ArgentinaÆs criminal justice system without simultaneously plumbing the murky depths of ArgentinaÆs larger political history. The quest for peace and stability, a noble pursuit to be sure, has in Argentina unfortunately masked a recurring host of pernicious and horrifying means, including the mass slaughter of political dissidents, a near total manipulation of the mass media, severe corruption in the courts, impunity for criminal acts and amnesty for those perpetrators least deserving of it. As a consequence, the criminal justice system in Argentina has been mired in controversy and impropriety for more than half a century. Today, there is hope yet again in Argentina that a new president will set things right, reconcile past injustices by paying them due legal attention under the rubric of democracy, and restore some legitimacy and vitality to a nation that has been seemingly on the brink of collapse for decades.
In this exploration of ArgentinaÆs criminal justice system, many facets will be considered. The historical development of the criminal justice system will be explicated in some detail; the foundations of that system will be presented and questioned; criminal activity in Argentina will be cited and characterized; the intricacies of the justice system itself- the courts, the police, and the corrections facilities- will be explored. These considerations will be interspersed throughout this discussion, and will render a picture of the criminal justice system in Argentina as a whole.
Again, it would be folly to attempt a study of ArgentinaÆs criminal justice system without paying due attention to the political climate that has shaped and manipulated that system. In this, it is logical to first put the Argentine brand of due process, or...