Supremely Dysfunctional: A Look Into Our Modern Day Justice System

In 2015, a Tumblr controversy nicknamed “dress-gate” began when a Tumblr user posted a picture of a dress, asking the internet to help her decide on the true color of said dress. The internet answered and the picture went viral when it seemed no one could agree on the colors of the dress and interestingly enough, no one could even remotely see the other side’s colors in the picture. It’s as if people were viewing two completely different images. That story leads me to a seemingly unrelated but extremely important question. What is justice?

Although deep down every human being claims to want justice, everyone has their own perspective of the justice that they strive to reach and long to see fulfilled. And although we would hope for this high ideology to be easily agreed upon and reachable, the truth is that so often, our ideas of justice have a great deal to do with our own personal experiences and opinions. So how does a society achieve such a lofty standard when we see just how intensely two sides can disagree on whether a dress is black and blue or white and gold? Or, more importantly, whether a man is innocent or guilty? 

Keep in mind the age old saying “There are two sides to every story.” Assistant Professor Dr. Anna King’s article Just Mercy Through Cultural and Convict Criminology, published in the Journal of Criminal Psychology, explores cultural criminology. Dr. King uses the example of how different two photos of the same object can look when taken by two different people. In other words, two different perspectives. 

How easy it is to convince ourselves the evidence agrees with our side after we’ve immediately formed an opinion. “For social researchers, a point of view inevitably shapes the nature of the processes employed and the conclusions reached (Becker, 1967). Though less often acknowledged, and rarely made explicit, the emotional and moral stances researchers find themselves assuming toward their subjects (e.g. Jewkes, 2011; Sparks, 2001) that play a potent role in the creation of images of crime and criminals.” (King 81) Now that’s a lot to unpack but she makes her point explicitly. Criminology is inherently based on perspective. 

The Supreme Court Justices were intended to be appointed not to make the law but to ensure it is carried out. Unfortunately, today we see how carefully judges are chosen to ensure they are not “ruling from the bench.” There is a reason political parties go up in arms over which president is able to choose the next judge because regardless of what they are elected to do, opinion and bias will always shape an individual's perspective. While the intent behind the Supreme Court was pure, humans are not. Just as some Tumblr users saw black and blue and others saw white and gold, a Supreme Court justice, or any judge for that matter, will always interpret the law based on their personal bias. 

As Dr. King continues, “Ultimately, both the product and process of conducting empirical research are part of the same social world that creates images of crime and criminals that loop ‘between the mass media, criminal subcultures, and crime control agencies’ (Ferrell, 2007, p. 3) too often easily lending themselves to the creation of false realities that quickly translate into intractable criminal justice policy.” (King 81)

While it may seem negative, my main take away is this: No one is perfect (neither the criminals or the judges.) But the beauty in the creation of the Supreme Court is that is meant to be close to perfect. It was meant to uphold precedent and set precedent for the future. It was meant to rely on what we know from the past with real, hard logic and evidence. It is also meant to keep the rest of the government in check by serving those who believe they have been wronged. When I read cases that have been unanimously decided or have bipartisan support, it makes me believe that there is at least one branch of our government that tries to do what is right, no matter their own thoughts. True justice is nothing more than revealing the truth and being willing to act on it. The Supreme Court's power enables some to act and some to be set free.

My Top 5 Sources of News and Information

Today's media outlets are constantly at war with each other trying to prove their own credibility and, at the same time, throwing as many opinions and viewpoints to their readers as possible. While it's a difficult world to trust in, there is still something to be learned in each article you read. My personal mantra is: get a second opinion. These five news sources below are the ones I typically trust the most and usually the sources I go to to double check other news outlets. 

#1 - The Wall Street Journal

My main source of news is the the Wall Street Journal, which is often referred to as the world's most credible newspaper. Despite its slightly liberal bias, it has become a widely-used resource for both journalists and readers. It's often ranked among the top newspapers in America because it provides detailed information that isn't found anywhere else. 

As a financial daily, its articles are aimed at those with a business background, but it also provides interesting content for people like me, without any investment experience whatsoever. Their articles also provide access to the people who make decisions in finance, business and politics. Each morning, I receive The 10-Point: A Guide to the Day's Top News in my inbox, which helps me stay on top of the most important national and international issues and events each day. Here's a screenshot from today's 10-point. (1/19/2022) 

#2 - Fox News

I also use Fox News because they provide unwavering support for the United States, while also presenting news from a conservative angle. In my opinion, Fox is probably one of the few networks that provides unbiased coverage when it comes to international affairs. They supply an alternative perspective that other networks don't have when it comes to international issues like trade with China or military strategy in North Korea (or lack thereof). I gain the most knowledge when it comes to the range of stories that Fox publishes as most credible networks choose not to cover many of the stories that Fox does.

#3 - New York Times

The New York Times is another one of the most trusted sources of journalism in the world. Since it’s been around for over 200 years it has an impressive archive of information about all events that have occurred on earth, reported reputable news stories, and provided important information to readers on a wide range of topics. I enjoy reading their pieces because of the wide amount of resources and sources they offer.

#4 - Politico

Politico’s investigative journalism is regularly praised by both media and politicians. Their mission is to enhance the public's understanding of US politics through coverage of local, state, and federal legislation, as well as international relations. In my opinion, unlike many other news sources, Politico doesn't engage in soft-ball journalism. Rather than writing articles that read like press releases or biased blogs that only repeat what a politician said during a speech, it writes original news stories with political insight and thorough commentary. Politico isn’t where I go to find an “inside scoop,” but instead unbiased truths about our political system.

#5 - BuzzFeed

In addition to traditional reporting and analysis, BuzzFeed News also has a large

focus on investigative reporting. This source is new for me. Since they published a whistleblower article last December entitled: "Secret CIA Files Say Staffers Committed Sex Crimes Involving Children" this news source caught my attention and I have continued to be impressed with their commitment to finding the truth. While I don't always read their traditional news reports, I have gained a lot of respect for their investigative reporting and continue to read new articles they publish.