Introduction
In this paper, I am going to be explaining how the criminal justice systems can invest back into the people, and therefore preventing crime as well as my stance on the death penalty. The criminal justice system should move away from the ideology of “if a crime has been committed, then there must be a punishment” and more towards getting help for those committing the crime while focusing on ethics. Personally, I do not believe that there should be a death penalty for many reasons. Since the criminal justice system is based on ethics and doing what it right, killing someone for the crime of killing someone (or any other crime) does not service justice.
Reinvesting in the People
Just like any system in the world, the criminal justice system has room for improvement. One way that the criminal justice system can be improved is through investing back into the people who pass through the system. There are many ways tis can be done, one of them being focusing on reasonable bail or release on own recognizance for those who’ve committed minor crimes. Both of these options greatly benefit both the accused as well as society. They allow the accused to leave jail to continue with their normal life until future court dates. It allows them to continue working to support themselves and their family. This is especially important if the person committed a crime to help their family, they would be less likely to commit another crime post trial due to the fact that they are still making money. It breaks the crime cycle. “Even if they don’t get fired from their job they might lose several days’ worth of pay, which can equate to thousands of dollars lost while waiting for trial” (What Are the Benefits Of Bail?). For example, if someone store from a grocery store food for their family, allowing them bail or release will allow them to work and earn money so they don’t have to commit the same crime again.
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In addition to bail, the criminal justice system can focus on rehabilitation of those convicted of crimes. Locking people up isn’t always the answer, as it is show by the quote “legal experts are increasingly recognizing that incarceration does little to address the underlying causes of addiction” (Three Types Of Rehabilitation For Offenders). If we want to see changes in people, the criminal justice system needs to acknowledge that those convicted have real problems and need to do their part to help them. This could be either in prison or on an off sight-center that “are often aimed at helping offenders acquire job skills, overcome substance abuse problems, or learn how to deal with common challenges they may face upon release. Some in-prison programs include adult education courses, religious services, mental and physical health programs, language courses, and job skills workshops” which can be the difference between changed individuals and repeat offenders (Three Types Of Rehabilitation For Offenders). If someone committed the crime of drug possession, prisons can work with them to stop their addiction and get them help to where they won’t do drugs in the future.
If I were a prosecutor, I would define justice as punishments for crimes while still helping the person in the wrong, I must get justice for the victim while having sympathy for understanding for the convicted. If I was the prosecutor in Christopher’s case, I would do something similar to what Adam said in the video, which is finding a way Christopher to make up for what he did while teaching him how to be successful in the future. I believe that this would be sufficient as the victim (BestBuy) got most of the stolen computers back and for the ones they couldn’t, Christopher paid them back. BestBuy in the end had no losses. Christopher wins as he learned his lesson while avoiding a criminal record that would follow him the rest of his life and negatively affect it. Society views the criminal justice system as more on their side and is more likely to respect them and not commit crimes. It’s a win all around.
The Death Penalty
The death penalty is often a tricky subject and opinions vary drastically from person to person. Personally, I do not agree with the death penalty. Today, “there are 30 states (as well as the federal government and the military) that allow for the use of the death penalty” (Mallicoat, 2020, pg 229). I see a huge issue in this as someone’s life could be taken away from them because they live in a state that allows the death penalty versus them still being alive in a state that doesn’t have the death penalty. The greatest gift we have ever received is the gift of life, and taking someone else’s life, even by means of punishment, is against nature.
I also have an issue with it from a religion stand point. I don’t believe that anyone should be killing or hurting another person for any reason. By killing that person for justice, the criminal justice system is playing God, which is entirely wrong. In addition, I believe that living out a life sentence in prison would be more of a punishment for the criminal than taking their life away; killing them gives them an escape and most would rather take the death penalty over a life sentence. Also, how does killing someone act as a fair punishment for them possibly killing someone else? The death penalty is equally as wrong as murder outside the criminal justice system.
I do believe that the death penalty constitutes as cruel and unusual punishment. If taking away someone’s life isn’t cruel or unusual, then what is? Nothing is more heinous than killing someone. The 5 ways of capital punishment are lethal injection, hanging, electrocution, lethal gas, and a firing squad. The firing squad “involves strapping the offender into a chair and placing a white cloth over the offender’s heart. Five shooters are armed with rifles, although only four of the weapons are loaded with live ammunition. The cause of death is dramatic blood loss as a result of the rupture of the heart and/or lungs” (Mallicoat, 2020, pg 231). To me, this sounds like something out of a horror movie or something you would see in war, not a way our government handles criminals. Dying by this means could be a very slow and excruciating process.
The next option is hanging which is “designed to occur when the offender is dropped through a trap door causing the person’s body to fall and his or her neck break, resulting in death. However, this method has seen a variety of botched executions, ranging from decapitations to strangulation” (Mallicoat, 2020, pg 232). If a hanging were to go wrong, the criminal could be there until they are strangled to death, which is a terrible, long, slow process no one deserves to go through, no matter the crime they committed.
Next, we have electrocution, which was designed as the more human version of hanging. It is carried out when “death occurs from a high dose of electricity over a 30-seconds period that is administered to the body through electrodes attached to the skull and leg. In some cases, multiple attempts are required to cause death” (Mallicoat, 2020, pg 232). Being electrocuted to death has to been incredibly painful and cause slow, serious damage before the body gives into death.
Legal gas was the next best option as people began to worry about pan during capital punishment. However, is it said in the case of “Fiero v Gomez that the use of cyanide gas was unconstitutional” (Mallicoat, 2020, pg 232). This gas would suffocate the person to death, which would be minutes of burning pain. Lethal inject is what is currently used in most states using the death penalty as it is viewed as the most humane.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the criminal justice system unlike any other, facing challenges never faced before. They must reinvest in society by using bail or reconciliation in order to stop reoffenders as well helping those who need it. The definition of justice cannot be a fixed idea for every person, rather changing for every circumstance. On the contrary, I do not believe in the death penalty for ethical reasons. I don’t believe in killing anyone even for punishment, as well as the methods are unconstitutional. There are other better ways of punishment, and this is the reform the criminal justice system should always be pushing for.
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