EPIPHANY!!!!!!!!

Attention all! We have a breakthrough! The reason for my opinion on the issue, as well as everyone else's has nothing to do with the criminal justice system itself, but with experiences in it. I have never had a close friend/relative/pet go through any sort of intense trial, arrest, beating at the hands of police officers, so I don't feel that it treats people unfairly. It seems that the more a person has been hurt by punishments handed down by the criminal justice system, the more biased or unequal they perceive it to be.
In the past few days, I have conversed with multiple people on this issue. I have heard arguments for both sides with varying intensities in the arguments. And, as i previously said, these past experiences of people causes their views to be skewed. This isn't really an issue of equal or unequal; it is an issue of how much one has been hurt. That is where i am going to take my blog from here. I'm going to try to find what causes the views that people have. Any past experiences with the law that you would be so kind as to share would be greatly appreciated. +

Gears still being ground.

The issue of race is a touchy one that facts can be presented on either way; however, the issue of discrimination based on wealth is one that, honestly, I am embarrassed to have to discuss. The main argument that people present on the issue is that the criminal justice system favors and gives lighter sentences to the wealthy of the country. This argument is based solely one the fact that people of wealth are more likely to make bail, and can usually afford "better" lawyers. The purpose of bail is to keep the people from being packed into jails like sardines (more than they already are). Bails are not meant to reward the wealthier criminals for being successful in life by letting them buy their way out of going to jail. Odds are, if a person is given a reasonable bail and are not able to pay it, they are not receiving a very harsh sentence anyway. The bail system does not favor those with money, it is simply keeping the jails from being completely full of people who have committed petty crimes.
The topic of purchasing attorneys is an even more ridiculous issue. To become an attorney, one must go through certain schooling, take certain certification tests, etc. There is not a secret set of classes and extra schooling for people who aspire to be attorneys for the wealthy. Every lawyer, public defender or not, receives the same amount of schooling. Of course certain attorneys will be better at there job than others, but those are spread throughout the system and the difference in skill level is so insignificant that it doesn't need to be considered. Poorer people are usually given court-appointed attorneys to represent them in court. This is a known fact that no one can or will dispute. The argument is whether being appointed an attorney puts a person at a disadvantage. According to the United States Department of Justice, the number of people found guilty of crimes when represented by public attorneys is very similar to when represented by a private attorney (see chart below).

Case                   Public      Private
disposition            counsel     counsel
75 largest counties

Guilty by plea          71.0%        72.8%
Guilty by trial          4.4          4.3
Case dismissal          23.0         21.2
Acquittal                1.3          1.6

U.S. district courts

Guilty by plea          87.1%        84.6%
Guilty by trial          5.2          6.4
Case dismissal           6.7          7.4
Acquittal                1.0          1.6

As you can see, the type of attorney that someone has has little effect on the outcome of their case in the U.S. as well as worldwide.

This just grinds my gears.

It has been brought to my attention that race and wealth seem to be the major issues that people see the criminal justice system as discriminating against. Today I will focus on the race factor. Most people see the disproportional amount of African Americans in jails, and assume that this is because the criminal justice system is racially biased. What most people fail to see is that the amount of crimes allegedly committed by blacks is much higher than that of whites. So, when looking at the amount of people accused of crimes and the amount of people jailed for those crimes, the numbers are pretty equal, racially speaking. Those who see the system as racially biased are simple uneducated on the issue. I'm sure that there are the occasional racist policeman, juror, judge, or attorney, but that is inevitable. The fact is that despite these people, the system as a whole is equal when it comes to race. The fact that more colored people commit crimes is not the fault of the criminal justice system.

Equal?!

I'm sure most of you are wondering what my stand is on the question/issue of which I previous spoke. I personally believe that the criminal justice system is equal. There are obviously flaws in criminal justice, but they are not the fault of the system itself. All that makes up the criminal justice system itself if fair and equal. Any inequality that can be seen is not due to the structure itself, but another underlying, irreparable cause. Anyone who is ignorant enough to see the criminal justice system as unfair is only uninformed or misinformed on what the criminal justice system actually is and how it functions.
The dictionary definition of the criminal justice system is "a series of organizations involved in apprehending, prosecuting, defending, sentencing, and jailing those involved in crimes - including law enforcement, attorneys, judges, courts of law, prisons." The constitution as well as the federal, state, and local governments have set up laws that ensure that every person, black or white, male or female, rich or poor is not discriminated against in the system. Every person, no matter their social status must go through the same procedures once arrested and charged with a crime. The system has no specific rules that say "if you are rich, you will be given a lighter sentence." Anyone who thinks otherwise is extremely confused on what the criminal justice system is. Yes, there are inequalities in America, but they are not to be blamed on the criminal justice system itself. Using the system as a scapegoat for punishments handed out to people is nothing short of absurd. I am embarrassed that Americans would be so ignorant to say such things.

Introduction to mi blogging

Attention all ye who follow me, as well as those who are just visiting, welcome to my blog. This is an official invitation to comment on my blog as well as to my birthday party. Minus the little products of my bored mind, this blog will center around the issue of the equality of the criminal justice system. Any input on the issue would be greatly appreciated. Also, enjoy the ping pong cats.