A partly enclosed coastal body of water in which river water is mixed with seawater is called an estuary. An estuary is thus defined by salinity rather than geography. Many coastal features designated by other names are in fact estuaries (for instance, Chesapeake Bay). Some of the oldest continuous civilizations have flourished in estuarine environments (for example, the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, the Nile delta, and the Ganges delta).
âFederal crimesâ refer specifically to offenses that violate U.S. federal laws. They are investigated by federal law enforcement and prosecuted by United States attorneys in federal courts with federal judges.
A Brief Description of the Federal Criminal Justice Process. Some victims are unfamiliar with the operation of the federal criminal justice system. For others, their knowledge is limited to what they have seen on TV or in the movies, which oftentimes is wrong. To help federal crime victims better understand how the federal criminal justice system works, this page briefly describes common steps taken in the investigation and prosecution of a federal crime. Not every step described below will occur in every case.