Jerome Skolnick, a professor at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice and a former president of the American Society of Criminology, once said, "The law often, but not always, supports police deception," which a fine definition of the conflict model. The conflict theory argues that the organizations of the criminal justice system either do, or should, work competitively to produce justice. The conflict theory also argues that worries over fame, promotions, wages, and success, which includes officers that focus on appearing to solve crimes (generating high clearance rates scores) rather than actually solving crimes, cause the criminal justice system to conflict with itself. One example of conflict within the system is that between the police and prison officials. The conflict model argues that police desire to put criminals into prison whereas prison officials who are concerned about overcrowded facilities may desire to release criminals from prison. Another example of the conflict model that I have witnessed is between local, state and federal law enforcement and there inability or lack of desire to share information. .
The consensus model argues that the organizations of a criminal justice system either do, or should work cooperatively to produce justice. I truly believe and would love to see a consensus model of criminal justice. All law enforcement, which includes local, state, and federal agencies working together, sharing intelligence and resources to take down for example a mid-level heroin drug trafficking organization. Each level has their own area of "expertise."" The state and local guys know the area and have working contacts while the federal guys have the resources and jurisdiction if needed. Of course they have invited and have been working with either the state or federal attorney's office to make sure the case and arrests qualify for the correct prosecution.
