Issues In Criminal Justice

University Of Arizona Global Campus

CRJ 201 Introduction To Criminal Justice

Week 2 - Journal

Elisa Fleming

Dr. Sean Grier

06-08-2022
 Issues in Criminal Justice

There are many issues that have been linked to the criminal justice system. The criminal justice

system is supposed to protect the rights of the people. It also keeps bad guys off the streets. The

maintenance of control helps the citizens sleep better at night. “The criminal justice system thus

reflects various organizations legally responsible for the investigation of crime, the determination

of guilt, and the administration of justice. “In America the criminal justice system is made up of

the police, courts and corrections”. (Wright, 2012, para 2, p.1.2). The article that I chose for this

paper is called: The Truth About A Lie: The Criminal Justice System, Is It Just? When it comes

to an issue that is linked to the criminal justice system, law enforcement and the judiciary system

make a big contribution of the problem of mass incarceration due to intersectionality and

systemic racism that plays a major role. The judge does the sentencing while the police help with

the massive arrests that are not all just. Many are unjust. Socioeconomic issues in poverty that

many minorities face that are incarcerated is more than just an income concept it emphasizes the

disadvantages especially those with low income or no income at all are faced. Community

psychologist and social justice advocate Dr. La’ Shawn Yavonne Littrice explains that the

injustices of incarceration has worked against Black and Brown people. Mass incarceration is

based on race, class, gender and wealth. You know it’s a problem when Blacks and Whites are

being charged for the same crime but the Black person tends to do more time for the crime.

Community Psychologists are trying to find the answer. Many Black men are just targeted
because the police have to make a certain amount of arrests to meet a certain quota. Lattrice,

(2021)

You even see the prerecorded body cam videos of police planting drugs in the cars of Black

Individuals. Why is this happening ? Isn’t the police also breaking the law and when they do

they don’t get much time or is suspended without pay. Something has to be done. Social and

criminal injustices are happening right in front of our face but not much is being done about it.

Many times there are hidden biases in the criminal justice systems that tend to make it harder to

detect the actual racial injustice that may be going on. There should not be any favoritism when

it comes to law enforcement and the judiciary system. Another issue that is associated with mass

incarceration is that we need bail reform. Everyone deserves to go to court to fight their case.

Many Black men are held without bail and many can’t even afford to hire a good lawyer to

defend them. If you have money you will have more of a lead way. Mass incarceration tends to

focus more on the underserved communities that can be associated with poverty, unemployment

and illegal drug use. If we don’t comes together to stop this and change the policies for a

stronger one that protects the wellbeing of others then this will keep going on for generations to

come. Many that are incarcerated have done nothing wrong they were just arrested for being

black. They were falsely accused and most of their life was taken away already by the time they

are found to be innocent. Blacks have always had the stigma of being animals thats why they are

treated as such. This should never be the case. Dr. Littrice explains that incarceration is not the

answer but rehabilitation, stricter policies, intervention and prevention resources is the way to go.

Littrice, (2021) There has been strong evidence that’s has been linked from early problem

behavior to teen delinquency which can lead to future serious adult criminality. Children that
grow up in any adverse situation where they face hardships, life threatening situations, or may

even have parents who are criminals tend to have a higher chance at becoming delinquents

themselves.

Huchison (2015) Many children in the United States especially those in low incomes

communities tend to lack certain resources such as the proper healthcare. Those in low income

areas do not have access to proper healthcare because they can’t either afford it, or if they do

have health insurance they may not still have access to the best doctors who will treat them

seriously. This is due to the neighborhood or area of service they are in. High class individuals

will have access to the best treatments and doctors. The lack of shelter, food, and even mental

health services is essential for proper human development. The lack of these resources have been

linked to economic, social, abnormal development that marginalizes certain groups of people that

increase the persistent criminality that we see today. Huchison (2015) Crime is everywhere.

Deviant behavior seems to be the new norm. When speaking about crime, and the criminal

justice system its imperative to also imply the life course perspective. Someone may ask, what is

the life course perspective and how does it apply to me ? Well, the truth is it applies to all of us.

We all experience certain events that tend to change or influence our future behaviors or

decisions for the best or the worst. The life course perspective is the understanding of the

relationship between human behavior and time. Sociologist Dr. Glen Elder coined the term to

explain that the 5 principles such as human life span development, Historical time, our

geographical place, timing, linked lives, does have a major influence in our behaviors and

decisions. For example depending on the relationship with our families can impact the way we
see or view ourselves. The cohorts of certain groups of association are usually linked together.

The sociohistorical and geographical location is based on our developmental path that is

influenced and transformed by certain conditions and events that have occurred during a specific

time period. The geographical location is the place where that person lived at the time the events

occurred.

For example in 1974 in the journal article called Children Of The Great Depression: Social

Change In Life Experience Dr. Glen Elder expressed the impact that the Great Depression had on

family relationships, work roles and economy that heavily influenced certain behaviors. Elder,

(1974) Both sociologists Janet Giele and Glen Elder express that life course is "A sequence of

socially defined events and roles that the individual enacts over time" (Giele and Elder 1998, p.

22). When it comes to the social learning theory this also plays a vital role when explaining how

our social environments play a major role in how we learn behaviors of the people around us as

well as tending to associate ourselves with those we feel are similar to ourselves. Psychologist

Albert Bandura coined the term Social Learning theory (1977) In Banduras Book called the

Social Learning Theory he expresses that "most human behavior is learned observationally

through modeling: from observing others one forms an idea of how new behaviors are

performed, and on later occasions, this coded information serves as a guide for action." Bandura

1977. Behaviorist B.F. Skinner would agree that negative / positive reinforcement or

punishment is a consequence based on our actions that cause certain wanted or unwanted

behaviors that would be repeated or not repeated. Skinner, (1953) For example, Juveniles learn

crime related behaviors based on exposure to others. Families and friends that have more of an
intimate connection tend to have a major impact on how, when, what and why we tend to learn

what we do. It is also imperative to also understand that that a person does not have to be in

direct contact to observe and engage in violence from others. For example, things we see in the

media tend to influence our beliefs, behaviors, thought processes, or our overall mindset about

certain things.

Dr. Edwin Sutherland, who was a criminologist was known for the term differential association.

The differential association theory expresses the root cause for most deviant behaviors. Constant

interactions with others can help someone learn the views, values, attitudes and motives for

criminal behavior. Sutherland, (1947) If a person already has an interest for that specific situation

the views of others that confirm their beliefs can also have a heavy influence for certain wanted

outcomes. For example, this can be learned at home, In school and as well as other social

functions. Sutherland expresses that criminals and non-criminals have one thing in common and

that is the use of needs are equal but the motivations behind those needs are not the same.

Sutherland, (1947) So for example a person who has the need to eat because they are hungry but

have no money to buy it may steal the food. This would be considered a crime but this is how

they felt was rational in order to fulfill their need. But someone who is a strong believer in

morals may ask a friend or family or beg in the street before they steal food to supply that need

to eat. Either way they feel the need to support that physical need for food. The motivations and

values behind it may be different.

Wright, J. (2012). Introduction to criminal justice [Electronic version]. Retrieved from

https://content.uagc.edu/

Littrice L. Y. (2021). The Truth about a Lie: The Criminal Justice System, is it Just?. American

journal of community psychology, 67(1-2), 179–183. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajcp.12509

Skinner, B. F. (1953). Science and human behavior. New York: Macmillan.

Sutherland, E. H. (1947). Principles of criminology (4th ed.). Philadelphia: Lippincott.

Hutchison, E. D. (2015) Virginia Commonwealth University Emerita and contributors.

Dimensions of human behavior : the changing life course. Los Angeles :SAGE,
Elder, G. H. (1974). Children of the Great Depression: Social change in life experience. Chicago:

University of Chicago Press.

Giele, J. Z., & Elder, G. H., Jr. (Eds.). (1998). Methods of life course research: Qualitative and

quantitative approaches. Sage Publications, Inc.