Omar Bennett
The US Constitution protects the basic rights of citizens throughout the criminal justice process. The government cannot violate your constitutional rights. The Constitution guarantees fair proceedings when people are threatened by a loss of life, liberty, or property by the government, ensures compensation for people whose property is taken by the government, and protects people from unreasonable police searches and seizures. It also protects the right of 'habeas corpus', which means that a prisoner has the right to challenge wrongful imprisonment and the right to a speedy trial before a civilian court.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Right to vote | Extended to men of all races in 1870, to women in 1920, and to 18-year-olds in 1971 |
| Right to challenge wrongful imprisonment | The right of "habeas corpus" protects prisoners from indefinite detention and allows them to challenge their imprisonment |
| Right to a speedy trial | The right to a speedy trial before a civilian court is guaranteed |
| Right to fair proceedings | Guaranteed when people are threatened with a loss of life, liberty, or property by the government |
| Right to compensation | Ensures compensation for people whose property is taken by the government |
| Right to be free from unreasonable police searches and seizures | Protects people from unreasonable police searches and seizures |
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What You'll Learn
The right to vote
In the beginning, only white men who owned property were allowed to vote in most states. The Fifteenth Amendment, passed in 1870, extended voting rights to men of all races. The Nineteenth Amendment, passed in 1920, gave women the right to vote. The Twenty-sixth Amendment, passed in 1971, gave 18-year-olds across the country the right to vote. Before this, in 1943, Georgia became the first state to lower the voting age from 21 to 18, as state officials felt that those old enough to fight in World War II were old enough to vote.
The states also eventually dropped property requirements for voting, but it took several constitutional amendments to extend voting privileges to African Americans, women, and those between the ages of 18 and 21.
The U.S. Constitution protects basic rights throughout the criminal justice process. The government cannot violate your constitutional rights. The Constitution guarantees fair proceedings when people are threatened by a loss of life, liberty, or property by the government, ensures compensation for people whose property is taken by the government, and protects people from unreasonable police searches and seizures.
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The right to a fair trial
In addition, the Constitution outlaws "bills of attainder", which is the practice of some governments to convict citizens using legislation rather than a jury trial. This ensures that all citizens have the right to a fair trial by a jury of their peers, rather than being convicted by a legislative body.
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The right to challenge wrongful imprisonment
The U.S. Constitution protects basic rights throughout the criminal justice process. The government cannot violate your constitutional rights. The Constitution guarantees fair proceedings when people are threatened by a loss of life, liberty, or property by the government. It ensures compensation for people whose property is taken by the government and protects people from unreasonable police searches and seizures.
The Constitution also outlaws "bills of attainder", the practice by which some governments convict citizens using legislation rather than a jury trial. This further protects citizens from wrongful imprisonment.
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The right to a speedy trial
The U.S. Constitution guarantees certain basic rights throughout the criminal justice process, including the right to a speedy trial. This right applies not only to citizens but also to non-citizens, as affirmed by the U.S. Supreme Court in the 2008 case of Boumediene v. Bush. In this case, the Court held that the right of habeas corpus, which includes the right to a speedy trial, extends even to non-citizens detained on foreign territory.
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The right to fair proceedings when threatened by a loss of life, liberty or property by the government
The U.S. Constitution protects basic rights throughout the criminal justice process. The government cannot violate your constitutional rights. The Constitution guarantees fair proceedings when people are threatened by a loss of life, liberty, or property by the government. This means that a prisoner has the right to challenge wrongful imprisonment, and the right to a speedy trial before a civilian court.
The right to a fair trial is a fundamental aspect of the U.S. Constitution and is protected by several provisions. One of the most important is the right to habeas corpus, which is a Latin term meaning "you may have the body". This right allows a prisoner to challenge their detention and demand to be brought before a court to determine the legality of their imprisonment. The right to habeas corpus is protected by Article I, Section 9 of the Constitution, which states that "the privilege of the Writ of Habeas Corpus shall not be suspended, unless when in Cases of Rebellion or Invasion, the public safety may require it".
The right to a fair trial also includes the right to a speedy trial, which is also protected by the Constitution. This right ensures that a person accused of a crime cannot be held in prison indefinitely without a trial. The same section of the Constitution that protects the right to habeas corpus also outlaws "bills of attainder", which is the practice of convicting citizens through legislation rather than a jury trial.
In addition to the right to a fair trial, the Constitution also protects other basic rights, such as the right to vote. Over time, constitutional amendments have extended voting rights to men and women of all races and to those between the ages of 18 and 21. The right to vote is considered just as critical as any other right guaranteed in the Constitution and is a responsibility of every citizen to exercise.
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Frequently asked questions
The Fifteenth Amendment extended voting rights to men of all races in 1870, and the Nineteenth Amendment gave women the right to vote in 1920. The Twenty-sixth Amendment gave 18-year-olds across the country the right to vote in 1971.
The Constitution protects people from unreasonable police searches and seizures.
The Constitution protects the right of habeas corpus, which means a prisoner has the right to challenge wrongful imprisonment and the right to a speedy trial before a civilian court.
The Constitution ensures fair proceedings when people are threatened with a loss of life, liberty, or property by the government, and ensures compensation for people whose property is taken by the government.
