do you think the justice system has failed ! (603 hits)
IN LIGHT OF WHAT IS TAKING PLACE WITH THE KILLING OF TRAYVON MARTIN
DO YOU THINK THE JUSTICE SYSTEM IN AMERICA AS A WHOLE IS ONLY FOR THE POOR ,,AND DOES HAVING MONEY GET YOU OUT OF A SITUATION WHERE WITHOUT IT YOU WOULD GO TO JAIL ???
SPEAK UP ,,LET'S TALK !
Posted By: David Johnson
Saturday, April 14th 2012 at 3:58AM
Your Premise is Correct. Money can purchase any one and any thing in America. Look at "King Mitt Romney", he has purchased being America's Next President!
Monday, April 16th 2012 at 2:17PM
Gordon Arnold Wright
There are many reason our justice system fails and all are not related to race or money. My problem with the system is the lack of quality jurors making determination of guilt or innocence. I find so many of our people that treat a summons to jury duty as a direct threat to their everyday life. "Oh, the inconvenience." We as a people should cherish the opportunity to serve on a jury. At least see how the system works instead having your knowledge predetermined by the media. If nothing else we need to promote this responsibility to all of our family, friends and especially the friends of our adult children. Don't complain if you don't participate in the process when given the opportunity. This as important as voting.
Monday, April 16th 2012 at 2:23PM
lorenzo ogden
I Agree. All Americans Should Participate in the American Process except Rich People who's Sons are not Required to serve in the Military like Kimg Mitt Romney. I and every one in my Family have served in the US military in one form or another and are presently serving in the Navy , Army and Air Force. What about you and yours. I know about me and mine.
Monday, April 16th 2012 at 2:57PM
Gordon Arnold Wright
The public needs to be moved away from the idea that the
criminal justice system can provide ‘the’ answer to crime. Indeed, our responses to
crime often exacerbate the problem. Criminal justice agencies in a local jurisdiction
must collaborate to get the proper message to the public and collectively say, ‘this is
what we can do, this is what we cannot do’ and then concentrate on improving the
system—particularly in the area of reducing racial disparities which result from our
collective decision-making.
Monday, April 16th 2012 at 5:05PM
David Johnson
long as racism exists within society at large, it
will be found within the criminal justice system.
Racism fuels the overt bias which can show in the
language, attitudes, conduct, assumptions, strategies
and policies of criminal justice agencies. Instances
of overt bias can lead in turn to the improper use
of discretion among actors in the criminal justice
system. Certainly, in the past two decades, much of
the overt racist language and attitudes once common in many parts of the system have come to be
considered out of bounds. Despite safeguards now
in place to reduce or eliminate overt racism, it can
still flourish behind the scenes in more subtle ways.
The need to address racism wherever and however it
manifests itself is a basic component of a strategy to
reduce racial disparity.
Monday, April 16th 2012 at 5:23PM
David Johnson
Alternatives to Incarceration
Persons of color, especially African Americans, are
less likely than white offenders to receive a sentence that keeps them in their communities to
participate in programming and are more likely
to be incarcerated. This may be related to relevant
considerations such as prior record, or may be the
result of bias or limited sentencing options. The
consequences have grown more obvious over time
as minority communities experience reduced social
cohesion, severance of important family ties, income losses, and a growing population of children
of incarcerated parents.
Tuesday, April 17th 2012 at 12:55AM
David Johnson
While the removal of certain offenders from the
community clearly is appropriate, incarceration is
often overused, especially for low-level, nonviolent
offenders. A snapshot view of most prisons and jails
reveals that they are occupied by a disproportionately large number of minorities. And for those who
are in prison, there is relatively little offered by way
of education, substance abuse, or vocational programming.
Tuesday, April 17th 2012 at 12:56AM
David Johnson
This means that they are at a great disadvantage for success upon release. Ideally, inmates
could receive the necessary education, substance
abuse and mental health treatment, and vocational
training that would prepare them for law-abiding
futures upon their release. Because minorities are
more likely to be in prison than are whites, treatment while they are incarcerated is an important
component of reducing overall disparity. Individuals who do not receive appropriate services in prison
face greatly increased odds of returning to jail and/
or prison for a new offense.
Tuesday, April 17th 2012 at 12:57AM
David Johnson
As prison and jail populations have increased, the
resources available for institutional education,
counseling, and skills development programming
have not kept up with the increased demand. This
intensifies the problems of prison management,
and returns prisoners to the community even less
equipped for effective and law-abiding lifestyles
than when they were first imprisoned. Since 1980,
drug-related offenses have been the fastest-growing
crime type for which individuals are incarcerated.
Since many drug crimes are committed to support
a drug addiction, it is essential that drug rehabilitation programs be a priority in prisons. Again, the
absence of programming has an even greater negative impact on minorities because of their greater
likelihood of incarceration, especially for drug-related offenses. A prison system’s failure to address
addiction while inmates are incarcerated is a virtual
guarantee of return to substance use and a high likelihood of return to prison.
Tuesday, April 17th 2012 at 12:58AM
David Johnson
Self-report data reveal that approximately twenty
percent of inmates in prison or jail have been diagnosed with a mental health problem (such as major
depression, mania, or a psychotic disorder), and approximately 50% exhibited symptoms of a mental
health problem in the previous year.
Substance
abuse problems are common as well. In another assessment, researchers reported that roughly half of
state and federal prison inmates meet the DSM-IV
criteria for drug abuse or dependence.
These inmates constitute a special challenge for correctional
personnel, who often are untrained in understanding their behavior or needs.
Some research suggests that African American inmates tend to be assigned more severe mental health
diagnoses in comparison to whites even when they
exhibit similar symptoms. For example, African
Americans tend to be diagnosed as schizophrenic
proportionately more often than whites, while the
latter tend to be diagnosed as presenting depressive
symptoms. The differences in diagnosis may reflect
the cultural distance between African American inmates and the generally white personnel in psychological services positions, and may result in a different
assessment of the potential dangerousness of the inmate.
Some cite the inaccessibility of mental health
services in minority communities as a reason for their
overrepresentation in the criminal justice system.
Tuesday, April 17th 2012 at 1:11AM
David Johnson
Criminal justice practitioners cannot eliminate all
disparities from the system alone. The high rates of
minority involvement in the system reflect a complex set of social, economic, and community problems; in many respects, minority overrepresentation
in the criminal justice system is the end result of
disparate treatment in other areas, such as equal
access to education, jobs, sustainable income, and
affordable housing. Criminal justice practitioners
might view themselves as being in the unfortunate
position of being responsible for repairing racial
differences over which they have little control. We
hope this manual offers feasible solutions through
describing ways by which practitioners can address
bias at various points in the system. We advocate for
a systematic, holistic approach which considers the
long-term impact of decisions on the racial composition of the criminal justice system. This should
involve the use of resources, professionally informed
discretion, leadership, accountability, public involvement, and coordination among many participants in the system.
Policymakers should remain involved and informed
about evolving best practices to eliminate the practice of disparate treatment of persons of color within
the criminal justice system. Moreover, policymakers
can advocate for reform through sponsoring legislation that remedies racial and ethnic disparity in the
criminal justice system.
Practitioners, policymakers, academics and advocates in the criminal justice field have a duty to challenge themselves to lead a national conversation on
the role of race in crime and punishment. If jurisdictions can accomplish this successfully, we can expect
to see other fields follow suit. This would be an important step toward addressing the racial disparity
that permeates our society.
Tuesday, April 17th 2012 at 1:12AM
David Johnson
The Justice System has failed many poor and black youth in this country. The numbers speak for themselves. I have compared the statistics and the system is definitely stacked against black men. No one wants to talk about it in polite society but the numbers are astoundingly against the Trayvon Martins of this country. When you look at other countries we are looking pretty bad in so many ways when in fact we use to be at the top of the list. We are putting way to much money in the punitive side of justice in nothing in the rehabilitation side. The far right has hijacked our system of government and the Black Community is too careless. We have assimilated whites in some terrible ways and actually believe we are above some situations. However, the Trayvon Martin case opened many eyes that this is actually being perpetuated against our children. We are no longer the Aristocrats our parents and Grandparents were. We come from true Aristocracy and our children are not aware of this. Too many of our youth believe what the media and the right has fed them and we as stewards have allowed it to happen. The churches quit doing their parts when the preachers became millionaires and started preaching wealth instead of salvation. Our children believe that everything has a price and that is so far from the truth. Salvation is free and always has been. We need to stand up and be the men and women we were destined to be by our ancestors. If we quit chasing material wealth and chase the wealth of knowledge we may get back on track. It was education that lifted us and it is mis-education that is destroying us.
Tuesday, April 17th 2012 at 1:17AM
Michael Hall
Brothers , Martin Luther King Jr., said we as a nation must undergo a radical revolution of values.
A radical approach to the US criminal justice system means we must go to the root of the problem. Not reform. Not better beds in better prisons. We are not called to only trim the leaves or prune the branches, but rip up this unjust system by its roots.
We are all entitled to safety. That is a human right everyone has a right to expect. But do we really think that continuing with a deeply racist system leading the world in incarcerating our children is making us safer?
It is time for every person interested in justice and safety to join in and dismantle this racist system. Should the US decriminalize drugs like marijuana? Should prisons be abolished? Should we expand the use of restorative justice? Can we create fair educational, medical and employment systems? All these questions and many more have to be seriously explored. Join a group like INCITE, Critical Resistance, the Center for Community Alternatives, Thousand Kites, or the California Prison Moratorium and work on it. As Professor Alexander says “Nothing short of a major social movement can dismantle this new caste system.”
Bill Quigley is Legal Director of the Center for Constitutional Rights and a law professor at Loyola University New Orleans. He can be reached at quigley77@gmail.com.
Tuesday, April 17th 2012 at 2:54AM
David Johnson
THE solutions is for people in your town, neighborhood or community to come together at your local mosque, church, library or recreation center to discuss the skills, talents and ideas that you collectively have. The goal should be to create economic opportunities for yourselves within your community. Focus on products and services to the elderly, young, hospitals, transportation and delivery, cleaning services, music, publishing, healthy foods, technology and renewable energy areas. Plan to Collectively Compete!!!!! Pool your resources to established community cooperatives. Move at the speed of business and think creatively and innovatively. Create something by competing collectively. Where there is a Will, there's A Way, but where there is No Will, there are Excuses and if you really don't want to do something, any excuse will do. For those tired and want take back control of your community and future, I offer respectfully offer my two cents for your consideration.
Tuesday, April 17th 2012 at 4:55AM
David Johnson
Quigley, I am a participant in seeking Justice for Trayvon Martin and All the Trayvon Martin's in the World. The Non- Violent Protest Worked when I Marched with the Late Great Martin Luther King Jr. The Non - Violent Protest is At Work in The Trayvon Martin Case. I can not March due to Health reasons but I can collect signatures and Participate in Fund Raiser,s and Stop purchasing Products from Companies that support the Genocide of Special interest Groups like Young Black Males or Young Red Males or Young Yellow Males. In Justice Any Where is UnJustice Every Where . I have never been a Procrastinator . We should All do what is in our Power to do to Eliminate the Murder of innocent Young Black Men. Contrary to Hollywood the Majority of Black Men are Not in Prison. The HBCU, The NFL, The NBA, MLB and the Military would cease to exist if All Black Men were in Prison. The Wealthy Robber Barons are not going to send their Sons and daughter,s into the Military. If they do . They send 12 mention to Protect them from Harm. The USA Found Saddam Hussein's Hide Out. The USA found and killed Osama Bin Laden . There is nothing the USA can not do. The Scientist need Human specimens to Practice Transplanting Hearts into Evil Rich Men that is why the Prison's exist. Rich People need Body Parts. Black Men are the Healthiest Men on the Planet!
Tuesday, April 17th 2012 at 10:26AM
Gordon Arnold Wright
Good topic, yes yes yes I think the worst thing for black people, unless maybe you have money- is the justice system. ONE NATION,UNDER GOD, WITH LIBERTY, AND JUSTICE FOR SOME.
Friday, April 20th 2012 at 8:39PM
betty endsley
Unfortunately, due to corruption and unjust laws, racism and of course socioeconomic status, people of color are most often betrayed by the justice system. This includes the process of sentencing and mandatory minimum edicts. Money can be a major issue but racism is the major demon, because it impacts everything else.
Monday, April 23rd 2012 at 7:02PM
Gale Frazier
We need to remember what things our parents and grandparents did to bring us to our present. Many are too comfortable, and have gotten swept up in a way of life that is detrimental to the way we are perceived as a people. Because the lifestyle has changed, doesn't mean we are so much better off as a people. We are too "laxed", or unaware as a generation, and the simple things, "OUR RIGHTS", don't matter much, any more. We do need to work on our image as a people, and stop endorsing the message to our youth that we can dress up like clowns, and be taken seriously. These kids are not understanding how certain verbal expressions in music, etc. all play into how the media portrays people of color altogether, in which group" slavemasters", want to classify you in already.
Tuesday, April 24th 2012 at 8:07AM
violet goodwin3
