The Wedding Cake Model Theory of justice developed by Samuel Walker attempts to demonstrate how cases move through the system and may be treated differently by media and society. This model is unique because it differentiates types of crimes by how serious the offense is and the victim and offender relationship (Walker, 2006). It is referred to as a wedding cake because of the different tiers or layers on a cake, with layers and the bottom are the largest with the top being the smallest. This section will explain what each layer would resemble in the criminal justice system.

Figure 1.11. The Wedding-Cake Model of Criminal Justice.

We are going to work our way from the bottom of the cake, or the most significant piece, to the smallest piece on top. In the criminal justice system, the bottom layer of the model would represent the most significant number of cases handled by the system, which often includes misdemeanors and traffic violations. This layer may also include first-time offenders of less severe crimes (Walker, 2006). Misdemeanors are the least dangerous types of crimes which can include, depending on the location, public intoxication, prostitution, graffiti, among others. Imagine getting caught tagging a park wall and never being caught for a crime before, which is where this crime would fall. These are often the crimes most of us have committed, but also most of us may not have been caught or punished. A misdemeanor may result in a monetary fine, rather than jail time.