9th July, 2011
Sociological significance: Post Mortem - Death Investigation in America
The film Post Mortem: Death Investigation in America was viewed. This Frontline Video depicted irregularities in the social structure as it pertained to death investigations over time. Due to political infringements, lack of integrity and proper expertise applications causes of death were inappropriately detected and either innocent people were accused or many guilty went free.
Hence, it would be essential to examine this film from the perspective of social justice and the extent to which it is being practiced within the society highlighted in this documentary Post Mortem: Death Investigation in America. To elaborate on social justice from the down to earth approach embraced by Henslin the concepts down-to-earth sociology, cultural diversity, critical thinking, new technology and influence of mass media on everyday life would be referenced for clarification. (Henslin, 2011).
A down-to-earth sociological approach to social justice as it relates to what was viewed in the film clearly demonstrated a great degree of injustice towards people who were charged for murder based on incorrect pathology reports from inefficient examiners. Likewise, many murders went unnoticed for the same reason. As such, where is social justice in this regard.
Critical thinking later took precedence after reports were re-examined for the truth by qualified pathologists who had no cultural attachments to the political neither legal system in that society. Importantly, the body which was exhumed after alerts that the 80 year old was actually, beaten by an attendant at the facility is evident of the justice aligned to Death Investigations in America.
The question is often asked how effective new technology is in supporting social justice as it relates to Post Mortem: Dead Investigation in America. My assumption is that it has been very instrumental in confirming convictions in the legal system with measured against an autopsy report. Apart from vast improvements in post mortem techniques the discovery of DNA testing as a means of confirming evidence is an awesome scientific contribution to the discipline.
People who have been wrongly convicted; placed behind bars for decades; ostracized by the media and society can now have retrials to prove their innocence. The unfortunate experience is that reality of social justice is not attained because even when the innocent are freed the justice system does not compensate these victims for the damage which had been caused due to a dysfunctional social structure.
The influence of mass media in validating social justice in any society is very important. Hence, sources such as Frontline have been created to educate the public on how to affirm justice in day to day interactions with the forces in their own social structures. Mass media influence targets interest groups since what is reported goes around the world. Most mass media are politically censored so if there is a political agenda to fulfill this is what the media would carry to indoctrinate the public.
Conclusively, Post Mortem: Death Investigation in America has many unresolved social justice issues. When viewed from the paradigms of down-to-earth sociology, cultural diversity, critical thinking, new technology and influence of mass media certainly, massive infrastructural rehabilitation is imperative.
Works cited
Henslin, J. Essentials of Sociology: A Down- to- Earth Approach. 9th. New York: Pearson. 2011.
Print.
Post Mortem: Death Investigation in America." Frontline. Web. 9th July, 2011.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/post-mortem/
Henslin, J. Essentials of sociology:a down to earth approach. 9th. . New York:Pearson. 2011. . Print. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/post-mortem/
