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Volkia: Difference between revisions
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[[File:District of Volkgoroda Courthouse.jpg|left|thumb|220x220px|Courthouse for the Federal District Court of the District of Volkgoroda.]]
Volkia's legal system operates on {{Wp|common law}} and has a written constitution which provides for a federal constitutional republic. The federal court system consists of the [[Federal Supreme Court of Volkia|Federal Supreme Court]], the [[Volkian courts of appeals|Courts of Appeals]], and the [[Volkian district courts|District Courts]], all of which apply Volkain federal law and hear both criminal and civil matters. The provincial court systems are set up similarly, with minor differences between each province; all provincial court systems consist of a supreme court, appellate court, and a trial court. Provincial courts try the vast majority of criminal cases in the country. Trials for serious offenses must be tried before a {{Wp|jury}} unless a {{Wp|plea bargain}} can be reached. The Federal Supreme Court and federal Courts of Appeals have the power of judicial review across both federal and provincial law and actions, while provincial supreme courts and appellate courts may only review laws and actions within their province. Except in exceptional circumstances, court hearings must be held in public.
[[File:Volkgoroda Central Prison.png|thumb|263x263px|Volkgoroda Central Prison has been in continuous service since 1884 and is the oldest prison in Volkia.]]
Law enforcement in Volkia is generally the responsibility of local police and sheriff's departments, with provincial police providing broader services. These departments are responsible for all aspects of civil policing, both in terms of territory and infrastructure. Each department may be set up slightly differently, though generally speaking they will be headed by either a Chief or a Sheriff who may be elected or appointed. Most uniformed officers carry a pistol while military-style firearms are reserved for specialty units. There is a federal police force, the [[Volkian Federal Police|Volkian Federal Police]], which is responsible for a wide variety of tasks including general crime prevention, railway and aviation security, and protection of certain federal officials. Other federal agencies, like the Volkian Border Services Agency, will typically have more specialized duties.
While much of the world has abolished {{Wp|capital punishment}}, it is sanctioned as a legal punishment for certain crimes at all levels: federal, provincial, and military. The Volkian public has generally supported the death penalty, with a 2018 survey reflecting 72.1% believing it to be "permissible" while 21.4% said it should be abolished. Executions happen relatively infrequently, likely due to the extensive appeals process and infrequency in which the death sentence is applied. Death sentences are typically given out in cases of multiple murder, though in extraordinary cases individuals who have committed a single murder have received the death penalty. Executions could take place years after sentencing depending on the length of the appeals process; the average time from sentence to execution is about six years. Executions are carried out by hanging or lethal injection.
Roughly 87% of residents have confidence in Volkia's security institutions. The overall crime rate in Volkia is relatively low, though some types of crime are above average for a developed nation, such as {{Wp|homicide}}. Corruption in business and government overall remains low, largely thanks to sweeping reforms passed in the early and mid-1970s following rampant corruption in the 1960s.
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