Writing Prompt: What do you believe is the most unfair thing about the criminal justice system?? The Worst Part, Mark T. The worst part of the criminal justice system in general is the fact that they treat us as if we are subhuman. For the most part, the system claims to rehabilitate, but in reality, all they do is punish. Tragically, the punishment does not stop the moment one walks out of prison. On September 12, 2018, I walked out of prison after serving 21 years, 4 months, 3 weeks, and 6 days, and every day of my incarceration felt like a perpetual state of misery. I did not realize that I would be greeted by over 44,000 collateral consequences upon my release. These collateral consequences immediately marginalized me upon my release, making successful reentry incredibly difficult. The two consequences that have made progress incredibly difficult are I cannot go further than 50 miles from my residence without written approval from my parole officer and his supervisor. Prior to the Civil War, slaves could not leave the plantation without written approval from their so-called masters. These policies, although centuries apart, are one and the same. I do not have a single family member within 50 miles of my current residence. My daughter lives in San Diego, my terminally ill father lives in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and all of my siblings life on the East Coast. I cannot see any of them because they are all beyond the 50-mile radius. I ask for a pass to go to Los Angeles in order to work in different areas of the Anti-Recidivism Coalition, the non-profit organization that I currently work for. When that pass was denied two weeks ago, they told me that they would not be signing any passes for the remainder of the year due to COVID-19. So I will not be able to travel outside of Crescent City, a place where I hardly know anyone, until next year. Instead of being confined to cotton fields like my ancestors, I am being confined to a city. Where is the justice in that. The fact that I cannot vote is reminiscent of the three-fifths clause of the United States Constitution (1787) which declared that, for the purposes of congressional representation, enslaved blacks in a state would only be counted as three-fifths of the number of the white inhabitants of that state. The disenfranchisement of Black voters, like myself and my great-great grandparents, is not a new phenomenon in the United States of America. Black voters have been systematically turned away from state polling places since this country’s inception. In the not too distant past, poll taxes, literacy tests, fraud, and intimidation tactics were all used to deny African Americans the right to vote. Today, our past criminal records have been weaponized and used to deny us the right to vote. Again, different tactic, same outcome—the disenfranchisement of otherwise qualified voters. I am not, nor is anyone else on this planet, three-fifths of a human being. I am a son who loves and respects my parents. I am a father who loves and cherishes my daughter. I am an uncle who does everything in my power to support and guide my nieces and nephews. I am a brother who has seven siblings, all of who I love with all of my heart. I am a citizen of the United States of America who loves my country, and as such, I want to see our country live up to its full potential. In order for that to happen, we all must have a say in this democracy. Fair, Avaeta A. What’s fair? Do the crime, do the time, Does the time fit the crime? How much time is enough? How many lifetimes will they do? When will it be enough for you? Lady Liberty is blind, Blind to the injustice There’s no such thing as blind justice When they get out, IF they get out, They are still judged Wasn’t the time enough? Justice, Justin D. The criminal justice system is missing the justice. The penance and punishment model of behavior modification has proven to be unreliable. Antiquated tools of oppression for social control return from overt, to covert, and now back to overt. I see illegitimate vengeance from the state disguised as justice. I see unfair punishment masked as accountability. When is the system held accountable? When will the people hold the system accountable? Neglect, for the homeless, hungry, and uneducated? Where is the accountability for the many injustices that we know, we absolutely know, lead to devastating outcomes for people? Abuse, for the violence perpetrated against marginalized people. The separation of countless families, where is the accountability for this atrocity? How many innocent men have been put to death? Society, the state, the system, it engages in legal acts defined as legal for itself, yet citizens are classified as criminals for partaking in the exact same behavior. This is the ugly hypocrisy we must live with. Forgiveness is expected to come quick when the state engages in criminal acts, and we the people are expected to move on. Redundant Questions, Ellen
It's funny that we call a system wrought with inequality "the justice system," Created to keep us safe - But who is "us?" It's hard to believe in justice if you're black or brown, If you're poor or undocumented, If you live in a certain zip code or live in specific housing. The judge becomes a magician - Suddenly turning young people who can't vote, buy cigarettes, or even drive into adults who must survive - A place where the clothes are too big the people are too strong, and compassion is too small. Wrong place, wrong time, wrong color, wrong name. We can justify justice a million different ways, but until everyone experiences equal opportunity and equitable treatment, we will continue to feed a system of injustice, One where you can pay bail and keep your job, and without cash, you may go to jail. So what's wrong with the justice system? This feels like another conversation where you're not listening.
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