Funny that these are your words today….I had just read an entry from the posts of “Humans of New York” in which a drug dealer gets five consecutive life sentences for not cooperating…but a murderer, rapist, pedophile could get considerably less….such is justice.
Hello Q,
The human justice system started off with the best of intentions but over the years it has failed.
A former chief justice in Singapore (1990 to 2006), a brutal man, whose big claim to fame was he cleaned up the backlog of pending cases. His solution was very simple. You’re found guilty, you remain guilty! If you dare to appeal, I’ll increase your sentence. He set the precedence and all the subordinate judges fell in line. This is especially damning in Singapore where we don’t have a jury system and for the vast majority of cases, one judge makes the decision. Can you imagine how easily this led to the travesty of justice.
He even tried to institutionalize the telecast of criminal cases on TV. Mind you, these are people who were “charged” with a crime – not guilty yet – but apparently, he wanted to resort to the “show and shame” game. Such was the level of his understanding of justice.
Oops, my comment got away to fast, insert ” …..each society’s belief in a supreme ……. Although I am beginning to wonder if I take these beliefs back to their origins, I may get to economics.
Good morning, Ian, and obviously you’ve given much thought to this.
Many people have a romanticized idea of justice – mostly gleaned from Hollywood TV series.
The fact is, most laws in most countries are sound. But the law does not stand in limbo.
It is part of the investigative-prosecutorial-judicial process. Put another way, the law (and human justice) is only as good as the process leading up to it. In this – all countries fail (!) – admittedly, some more often than others.
When we hear of police beatings on the streets, prejudiced judges and how lawyers (on both sides) try to game the system…
Ultimately, the ordinary citizen charged for a crime and even if he wins in a criminal case – is out of pocket for tens of thousands of dollars.
Most simply cannot afford the price of justice.
Expedience? That’s another story.
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Is it really, or is it also founded on of a supreme being who endorses our desires?
Hello Jane,
It all depends at what level one wishes to view “human justice” I suppose.
You’re right about ” founded on a supreme being who endorses our desires.”
Peace,
Eric
Funny that these are your words today….I had just read an entry from the posts of “Humans of New York” in which a drug dealer gets five consecutive life sentences for not cooperating…but a murderer, rapist, pedophile could get considerably less….such is justice.
Hello Q,
The human justice system started off with the best of intentions but over the years it has failed.
A former chief justice in Singapore (1990 to 2006), a brutal man, whose big claim to fame was he cleaned up the backlog of pending cases. His solution was very simple. You’re found guilty, you remain guilty! If you dare to appeal, I’ll increase your sentence. He set the precedence and all the subordinate judges fell in line. This is especially damning in Singapore where we don’t have a jury system and for the vast majority of cases, one judge makes the decision. Can you imagine how easily this led to the travesty of justice.
He even tried to institutionalize the telecast of criminal cases on TV. Mind you, these are people who were “charged” with a crime – not guilty yet – but apparently, he wanted to resort to the “show and shame” game. Such was the level of his understanding of justice.
Scary indeed!!
Oops, my comment got away to fast, insert ” …..each society’s belief in a supreme ……. Although I am beginning to wonder if I take these beliefs back to their origins, I may get to economics.
Your second comment gets closer to the bone 🙂
I’m beginning to wonder if there is such a thing as human justice.
Good morning, Ian, and obviously you’ve given much thought to this.
Many people have a romanticized idea of justice – mostly gleaned from Hollywood TV series.
The fact is, most laws in most countries are sound. But the law does not stand in limbo.
It is part of the investigative-prosecutorial-judicial process. Put another way, the law (and human justice) is only as good as the process leading up to it. In this – all countries fail (!) – admittedly, some more often than others.
When we hear of police beatings on the streets, prejudiced judges and how lawyers (on both sides) try to game the system…
Ultimately, the ordinary citizen charged for a crime and even if he wins in a criminal case – is out of pocket for tens of thousands of dollars.
Most simply cannot afford the price of justice.
Expedience? That’s another story.
Is it really, or is it also founded on of a supreme being who endorses our desires?
Hello Jane,
It all depends at what level one wishes to view “human justice” I suppose.
You’re right about ” founded on a supreme being who endorses our desires.”
Peace,
Eric