INTRO: James Baldwin, an African American novelist, poet, and more importantly a social critic. Most famously critisises, “[the] racist justice system.” (Baldwin) His words are targeting the white officials at the time, for discriminating against the African American citizens in a court of law. Back when James Baldwin wrote about his observations there were around two hundred thousand people in jail. Today, with 2.3 million people incarcerated, it’s no longer a matter of skin color but, the biases generated throughout the judicial system. The interrogators, police, and the jury staff during the process of a trial are responsible for the prejudice. Biases include, a person 's mental health, addiction, economic status, gender, and race. These
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The Equal Justice Initiative works to make the criminal justice system more fair. They said in a statement, “It is not surprising that in such a system the poor are often inadequately represented at trial. Many defense lawyers call no witnesses or fail to present any defense; some fail to make closing arguments; few object to clear constitutional error; and most are reluctant and unwilling participants in a trial process that is adversarial in name only.” (“Council”) It’s not that poor people can’t afford a lawyer it’s that lawyers often carry a persona not to help to the best of their ability. A study done in Philadelphia researched 3,475 juvenile delinquents. “[They] found that police referred lower class boys to juvenile court much more often than upper class boys, even for equally serious offenses with similar prior arrest records. When it came to upper class boys, the police were more inclined to treat the matter informally with their parents.” (Terence) This shows a great divide between the wealth gaps and the treatment associated. To bring it into perspective, “In 2009, when Robert H Richard IV, an unemployed heir to the DuPont family fortune, pled guilty to fourth-degree rape of his three-year-old daughter, a judge spared him a justifiable sentence – indeed, only put Richard on probation – because she figured this 1-percenter would "not fare well" in a prison setting.” (Walshe) The United States in effect operates two distinct criminal justice systems: one for wealthy people and another for poor people and minorities (Walshe). Yes, many people who are in jail are poor but rich people go to jail too. Some
The Equal Justice Initiative works to make the criminal justice system more fair. They said in a statement, “It is not surprising that in such a system the poor are often inadequately represented at trial. Many defense lawyers call no witnesses or fail to present any defense; some fail to make closing arguments; few object to clear constitutional error; and most are reluctant and unwilling participants in a trial process that is adversarial in name only.” (“Council”) It’s not that poor people can’t afford a lawyer it’s that lawyers often carry a persona not to help to the best of their ability. A study done in Philadelphia researched 3,475 juvenile delinquents. “[They] found that police referred lower class boys to juvenile court much more often than upper class boys, even for equally serious offenses with similar prior arrest records. When it came to upper class boys, the police were more inclined to treat the matter informally with their parents.” (Terence) This shows a great divide between the wealth gaps and the treatment associated. To bring it into perspective, “In 2009, when Robert H Richard IV, an unemployed heir to the DuPont family fortune, pled guilty to fourth-degree rape of his three-year-old daughter, a judge spared him a justifiable sentence – indeed, only put Richard on probation – because she figured this 1-percenter would "not fare well" in a prison setting.” (Walshe) The United States in effect operates two distinct criminal justice systems: one for wealthy people and another for poor people and minorities (Walshe). Yes, many people who are in jail are poor but rich people go to jail too. Some