The disparity between how society perceives the criminal justice system and how it actually works is a common occurrence that tends to skew how one impacts the other. A popular view of how the justice system works is provided by the media, which carries a great deal of sensationalism in an attempt to entertain the masses. Unfortunately this tends to instill the idea that justice is a series of one-liners and neatly completed cases that, regardless of their outcome, are final and without any further consequences. The idealized view of the criminal justice system is far different from its true form and purpose.
Interaction between the average individual and the legal system is often minimal thanks to socialization and the media influence that is so pervasive. Unfortunately this has the effect of giving a false impression of how things work. The idea that what is seen in the media is how the legal system works often is enough to keep many people from openly breaking the law, though the realism is often not desired as it paints a rather stark picture that many do not desire to see. In reality the legal system is both far more strict and even less forgiving than it is depicted in the many television shows that showcase the more violent and technical aspects of how justice works.
The supposed reality of how such shows operate however tends to convey a sense of
socialization that keeps people from crossing the line between what is legal and illegal. While it
is far too obvious that these programs are meant for entertainment value, the emotions and
sensations they are designed to invoke in their viewers is at time enough to keep society intact
and fearful enough of the consequences that they will seek to obey rather than break the law.
Those fictitious tales and criminal trials that show how twisted and ultimately doomed to fail the
justice system can be are not how reality works, but they are a mirror for how the justice system
is in a sense meant to be. In believing in a fiction the reality is by comparison both better and worse in the minds of those who seek to follow the law and its many precepts.
The impact that society and the criminal justice system have upon each other is far more complicated than the television shows. As stated above the average citizen will seek any means to avoid interaction with the justice system in order to keep their personal record intact. The criminal justice system, though created by the society it is meant to serve, has more of an impact upon the aforementioned society initially. Created by society, the criminal justice system is essentially a system of checks and balances that is decided upon based on how people wish to live.
The laws that govern people are agreed upon based upon prevention (Hart, 2002). Unfortunately this is also one of the many things about the justice system that society tends to think is sorely lacking. When it comes to the act of preventing crime it has been determined that the general approach is quite a bit off track according to a large majority of society. The minority still believes that the justice system is headed in the right direction, lending yet another dimension to the impact that the one has on the other.
While the manner in which society impacts the justice system and vice versa is by and large an imperfect system, it is more complicated than the simple opinions that are guided by the media and its many representations of how the law works. Different demographics, socioeconomic status, and other various factors play a large part in how society views the efficiency of the justice system. A great many individuals believe it doesn’t work the way it should, that those who stand at the forefront of the legal system pick and choose who matters and who doesn’t in terms of the law, though the overall opinion is that it works well enough to continue as it is.
Changes are bound to occur as each new generation finds a flaw in the current system. As society continues to evolve the justice system does so, albeit much, much slower. These changes are generally affected by society’s needs, wants, and ability to convey both in a manner that elicits a response that is not negative. Too often knee-jerk reactions that are not well-thought out enough to warrant the desired changes, and the negative impact that results creates resentment and possible frustrations that can lead to actions that, when taken, impact both society and the legal system in a way that is anything but effective.
Those who believe that the legal system works tend to either ignore most issues that arise or simply go with the flow in order to keep the status quo. Such individuals are more often than not the part of society that seeks to instill order and justice in a manner that is enforced upon them by officials that are chosen by the society they come from. Such individuals don’t generally wish to fight the system and find that it works fine even when it doesn’t. In this way society impacts the legal system by keeping the equilibrium that, be it flawed or not, has been established.
The majority of society, those who don’t believe that the current system works, are those who often bring about the most change, be it for good or ill. Those individuals are often those who either misjudge the legal system and how it works or, in a rare moment of clarity, find a reason to truly affect change in a positive manner for the majority of society. In this way society can impact the legal system in many upon many ways, most of which are seen on a day to day basis in the form of everything from protests to petitions to the election of law enforcement agents and those placed higher up in the criminal justice system. The impact that society has upon the legal system is such that it does in fact control who reaches each selected office and how certain laws are implemented.
There are a number of ways in which society and the legal system can reach a state of equilibrium that might be beneficial to both and minimize criticism. For instance, bringing back the idea of community policing might enable more people to better understand who is protecting them and allow officers to gain a much deeper knowledge of those they are pledged to serve and protect (Henry, 2015). With this effort put into place the general public might very well become better able to understand the legal process and how it really works.
Going deeper than this into the legal system and how it functions it would be a great benefit to educate and involve society in the process of working to actually increase preventative methods towards reducing crime rather than strengthening reactions after such acts are committed. Such measures can include allowing society to know what goes on in prisons once sentences are handed out, such as solitary confinement, which is reputed to do more damage than good. Even informing the public about prison violence and the effect it has upon the justice system could help, as according to Fyodor Dostoevsky the measure of society can often be determined by how it handles the criminal element within its ranks (Stone, 2012).
The use of alternatives to violence, the implementation of leadership and accountability in prisons, and even the further education of society upon what happens within the walls of any such institution might well have a positive impact upon those involved. If society would step forth to act out against the injustice that is seen the impact to the legal system would undoubtedly change in accordance to reflect the desire for a more humane and equalized system of law enforcement. From understanding the process of enforcing the law to the legal precedents that manage to keep people equal yet separate in the eyes of the law, society needs a better understanding of the rules they must live by and agree to. A knowledgeable society is one that can exercise better decisions in regards to how the rules they set are followed and enforced.
References
Hart, P.D. (2002). Changing Public Attitudes Toward the Criminal Justice System. Open Society
Foundations. Retrieved from
https://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/reports/changing-public-attitudes-toward-criminal-justice-system
Henry, J.S. (2015). Top 10 Ways to Fix the Criminal Justice System. Huffpost Crime.
Retrieved from
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jessica-s-henry/top-10-ways-to-fix-the-cr_b_6362274.html
Stone, M. (2012). You can judge a society by how well it treats its prisoners. Mephitic’s BS
Ramblings. Retrieved from
https://mephitic.wordpress.com/2012/09/05/you-can-judge-a-society-by-how-well-it-treats-its-prisoners/
