The Imbalance of Crime & Punishment in the USA.
September 19, 2018 by Staff
Filed under Politics, Weekly Columns
(Akiit.com) Despite having walked on the moon, mastered the skies and the seas, and practically wiping out dozens of life-threatening diseases, humanity is still faced with a huge array of problems in the modern world. Countries are always fighting with one another, with numerous wars being waged overseas. Closer to home, though, there are problems of their own. Crime is a very real issue in the USA, and the imbalance of justice is glaring when you look at the differences in the ways that people are treated. To give you a better understanding of this problem, along with helping you to combat it, this post will be exploring some of the different factors which can affect that way that the law treats you when you’ve done something wrong.
Social Status: While a lot of people would argue that America isn’t a class-based country, it’s easy to see the impact social status can have when it comes to crimes. People who have spent a long time building up their position in society, working as part of churches or community groups, are often treated with far more leniency than those who haven’t been part of them. For example, when a politician commits a crime, they can often get away with it, and this can be a result of their position within a political party, rather actual innocence.
Race/Faith: It is painful to know that developed countries still hold onto old ideas which hold no merit. But, even in very modern and progressive areas, the color of your skin or faith you hold close to your heart can dictate the way you are treated in the eyes of the law. In the case of George Zimmerman, for example, this prejudice was strong enough to see him acquitted of murder, partial based on the fact that he is a white christian. If the tables were turned, and it were a black muslim in his place, it’s easy to see that things probably would have gone very differently.
Wealth: Of course, like most things in the USA, money is usually a key driving factor in the decisions which are made in court. If you are able to pay for a better lawyer, you will have a much better chance of a limited sentence, even if you’ve committed a serious crime. Thankfully, lawyers like David Moorhead work against this trend. Providing strong support for those who couldn’t afford it elsewhere, people like this are slowly changing the way that criminal cases can play out. You shouldn’t be able to get away with doing something wrong simply because you have a fat wallet, as this defeats the object of justice in the first place.
Location: Throughout the USA, there are a lot of different laws and rules, often dictated by the state which a criminal is living in. This means that where one crime can result in a slap on the wrist, you could face a long sentence for it elsewhere. It doesn’t make sense to have vastly different punishments like this, especially when you consider that it is the poorest and more marginalised areas which often have to live with the strictest rules, only working to perpetuate the issues which already exist there.
Education: Finally, as the last area to consider, it’s time to think about education. This part of life should be a right, with everyone receiving the same level of schooling regardless of their location, wealth, or social status. This isn’t the case, though, leaving a lot of criminals who have come from poorer areas to struggle when it comes to understanding their crimes. If you’ve had access to a better school, you have a much stronger chance of being able to defend yourself, with those who studied at the very best often having friends in high enough places to sway the legal process and come out with a result which suits them.
The law in America is a very twisted thing. A lot of the aspects which influence decisions in court have nothing to do with the crime which has been committed, creating a level of unfairness which can see certain groups pushed down and forced into further offences. Of course, though, there are always people working to change these issues. Lawyers, lawmakers, and members of congress are always working hard to address the lack of balance in justice, and this can instill at least some comfort. In the future, there could be a day when everyone is treated the same in this sort of process.
Staff Writer; Jerry Moore