Injustice in the Adversarial System Essay Example for Free

In evaluator in the Adversarial System EssayDonald Black discussed in his book The Behavior of integrity, when a society begins to grow and become more labyrinthine so does its effectual frame. The linked States uses a governance that may no longer be fit for handling all the complex problems it is faced with. guild has come to learn through the judge frame that virtue is very hard to find. The nature of the adversarial carry through may pr in timet it from reaching the true tendency of every sanctioned system justice. This writing argues that the system in place now is not the correct maven for the stage society is in now. The adversarial process in place does not search for the core prizes of Justice and Truth its inadequacies necessitate errors in the legal system. The legal system should abolish its apprize of winning at all cost and the methods it uses to touch this outlet. This paper leave not only shed light on the flaws in the legal system, just now p resent former(a) structures that may be better suited for the present stage of society.BlueprintA few brief critiques of the adversarial process include that during a exam procedure both sides are given the opportunity to present facts to the board or judge, this ceases attorneys to withhold evidence and benefit the side they represent. This confuses the courts instead of elucidating the verity. Cases much(prenominal) as this should not be able to come to a blood offensey or not guilty verdict, because guilt female genitalianot be proven with a leg of accuracy (Meadow, 1996). Stratification in law does lead to inequality and perpetuates injustice in society.The procedure that is employ in our poisonous justice system has the index to lead to a false confession and create mistrust in the system. Bias in our legal system does lead to injustice. All of these factors do create injustice in our legal system by sending innocent people to prison and/or by letting convicted felo ns free. There are some(prenominal) a(prenominal) theories in how to solve the problems with the adversarial process and the legal system in general, but society must change the way it reasons before anything can truly change. tarradiddle of Common natural law and the Adversarial ProcessTo better understand the adversarial process it must first explain through its history and origins. Common law practice actual the adversarial process England adopted common law and made its practice known throughout the world. Legislators began codifying the law, this later became common law. It was written so that it could be interpreted by the court system. When the courts make a ending in how that law is to be applied it is preserved, and able to be used as a guide business line for other cases of the same nature. This proved to be a problem, determinations made by settle were based on the customs of the time period, which became rigid and did not easily al miserable for change (Cantor, 199 7). The English form of common law prohibited representation in court however, during the eighteenth century some courts where beginning to allow legal representation in English common law.Eventually as time progressed, the role legal representation, lawyers, would grow and be more influential in society. The objet dart the Lawyers played in the court system would eventually be the aspect that separated the adversarial process implemented today in the United States from the processes in England. Law became more and more complex so the use of lawyers or professionals of the law was essential in American law making. new research by Randolph N. Jonakait, refreshing York Law School professor, counsels that the United States adopted an adversarial process that somewhat resembled the English model at the time.Besides the already mention use of lawyers, the U.S differed greatly from England, during the eighteenth century America had prosecution with a public defender present in the co urt room compared to no legal representation for the accused in the English model. Also in New Jersey around the same time period, attorneys usually appeared for the prosecution and the defense which in England was rarely practiced. These conclusions demonstrate that the United States was a forerunner in the creation of the adversarial process that is present today (Jonakait, 2009).Search for TruthLawyers and Their TacticsOne of the main concepts of the adversarial system is the oppositional presentation of facts. The tactile sensation behind this is it leave behind disc everywhere all truths to the matter. This leads to the conclusion of the first flaw that realistically everyone involved in the case is not in search of the truth. Lawyers are more apt to hide the evidence that is not favorable to their side regardless of whether it would prove the innocence or guilt of the person on trial (Schroeder, 2012). Clients hire lawyers to win the economic state of the lymph node is dir ectly related to the skill level of the lawyer they can afford. Lawyers who are more expensive will use any simulated military operation necessary to ensure a win.The search for truth is not a key value its keeping your client pleased, being the defendant or the state. Attorneys are known to use questionable tactics so that they have the best possibility of winning their case. These tactics include creating doubt in the control board of guilt or innocence, or even by hiding evidence from the jurors. The search for truth and the execution of justice cannot be fully performed if lawyers proceed to use unethical tactics.Solutions to the Hiding of EvidenceA purposed solution to hiding evidence can be demonstrated with a value demonstrated from the inquisitorial system, everyone in the court room works together in search for the truth and justice. The judges, or investigative magistrate, are trained in their profession, taking specific schooling about law making them a vital resource t o the legal system. While court is proceeding the judge is allowed to consume questions to keep a case in order. Using a system that does not glorify winning would help the hindering of evidence and other tactics being eradicated form the court room. Although, one flaw with this system is the judge is granted too much federal agency and control over the proceeding, more justice is still found here searching for truth.Stratification in LawIt is proven that once arrested, black and minority defendants are fare worse in the execrable justice system than their white counter parts (Westervely Humphrey, 115, 2008). This is due to racial stratification in law and a bias based on race in convictions. Instrumentalist would say law is used to dominate conventions, and is structured so that it can benefit certain groups by disadvantaging other groups, by allowing this to happen it perpetuates inequality (Bucher, 2012). Many minorities are unable to pay for legal representation in this sit uation the courts provide representation for them. This disadvantages minority individuals in low social class because they lack resources to secure a good lawyer, while high social status clients are able to easily obtain skilful lawyers.This perpetuates stratification because upper class individuals can evade the penalties of the legal system, unlike refuse class individuals who cannot afford strong legal representation (Vago, 2012). Marxist theorists would confirm that laws serve the interest of the upper class, and because they use them like a tool, keep the upper class in power. This reinforces inequality in society through the criminal justice system, because the upper class will always be able to have access to more resources they will also always use those resources against the lower class (Bucher, 2012).Process in Criminal JusticeIs Justice Served?The pressure felt in a case created by media and the public eye have the ability to cause investigations to be sped up. The en dangers the adversarial process to make mistakes and possibly out of convenience and pressure convict the first person they think act the crime. one time police officers make an arrest they tend to not pursue any other possible leads until the person they have in custody is proven to be innocent. This hurts the search for truth because officers become close minded and search only for evidence to convict that individual. Another factor that can deter the search for truth is false confessions. False confessions, among other factors, are commonly created due to unethical interrogation tactics or confused eye witnesses testimony.A confession is one of the most powerful pieces of evidence that can be presented in court (Westervely Humphrey, 36, 2008). Even if the confession is false, juries have been known to take into consideration testimony even when told not to. False confessions are usually given by suspects who are coerced, confused, have doubt in-self-importance, or shame. All this can be attributed to the psychological games used by interrogators, intentional or unintentional (Gudjonsson, 1992). Can true justice be served when police use unethical tactics to get their confession? This is a question scholars who study ethics have pondered with for decades.Bias in LawThere are many principles to consider when a jury is deciding a verdict. Racial beliefs, media and number of factors can influence a jurys verdict (David F. Hall, 1984). Since each individual interprets the process of the trial differently it greatly influences the decision of case. The way society is socialized leads to certain bias to people of different races, genders, sexuality, and backgrounds. These factors greatly influence a cases outcome, even though lawyers are allowed to select their jury it is impossible to know each person individually (Albonetti and Hagan, 1982). In common law, legislature creates the laws that are written down and left for interpretation by the judges of the cou rt, this is called statutory interpretation (Bucher, 2012).The strength of this system of law is the ability that law has to change downfall is that it leaves room for bias in the interpretation of law. Some scholars suggest that law and the legal system is patriarchal. The feminist legal theory suggests that the legal system is male dominated and perpetuates gender discrimination (Bucher, 2012). Language can be biased in law the United States suffers from this weakness. In the Declaration of Independence biased language is evident. All Men Are Created Equal a line from the Declaration of independence has brought forth discussion and conflict because of biases behind the words.Women have fought for their rights to be considered equal because society takes the patriarchal documents literal, progress is slowly made. Everything, including law, can be interpreted differently, making the judges job detrimental to the court process. The discretion of the authority in the court system, alt hough important, also creates inconsistency in the legal system. African Americans account for 49.4 percent of the 1.3 million Americans in prison (Westervely Humphrey, 2008). Two different theories can explain the bias in society that explains the high population of African Americans. These theories are the Individual Explanation Theory and the Structural Explanation Theory.Individual Explanation TheoryThis theory focuses on the behavior and traits of those involved in a trial. Racism is a factor in explaining why an innocent person is tried. This happens because the adversarial system does not focus on searching for the truth and allows the jury to makes a decision on beliefs and prejudices of a certain race. Stereotyping is also included when a jury convicts someone on account of preconceived notions of a group (Westervely Humphrey, 2008).Structural Explanation TheoryThis theory provides two explanations for the bias. The first is the Blalocks Power-Threat Hypothesis. The hypo thesis states that the increase in minority conviction is due to whites trying to keep power and control over minority races by disadvantaging them. The second explanation states that the treatment of minorities in the criminal justice system is a reflection of societal beliefs. equating in the criminal justice system is not possible until everything else is equal (Westervely Humphrey, 128, 2008).Plea-Bargains and its deficienciesDue to the amount of offenders that go through the U.S. court systems prosecutors are more possible to use plea-bargains to settle cases quickly. It is estimated that roughly 90-95 percent of all criminal convictions are arrived through pleabargains (Vago, 118). This tactic can be linked to stratification and inequality, when a person on trial does not have the finances for a good lawyer the assumption is that they will lose. This makes a plea-bargain more appealing, as it is the best option to avoid a longer sentence (Kipnis, 1976). The Standing Committ ee on Legal Aid and Indigent Defendants summarized the state of representation as follows Overall, there is abundant evidence in this report that defense services for the poor are inadequately funded. As a result, millions of persons who have a built-in right to counsel are denied effective legal representation (Mosteller, 2011).This is another factor to cause change in the legal system so that truth can properly be found. The ability to plea-guilty hinders the search for truth and justice. In the inquisitorial system guilty pleas and plea-bargaining are not allowed so that the system can properly search for the truth. It does not give the accused rights, unlike the United States.While in the United States the adversarial process gives the accused the ability to plead guilty for a lesser sentence which some would consider soft on crime. In the adversarial process after a confession is given, the investigation is typically over even if the individual is innocent. In the inquisitoria l system a confession is not warranted since it is the duty of the court to come up with evidence and prove guilt (Berger, 1972).InjusticeWith all this bias in our legal system this gives room for errors in justice. An error in justice is any departure from an optimal outcome of justice for a criminal case (Frost, 2004). There are two types of errors that can be described systematic and random. Systematic is when there is an error inside the law that consistently creates injustice. When a law is in enacted and it oppresses a certain group consistently this is systematic injustice. Random errors are created while criminal justice officials are enforcing the law and the error is sporadic (Frost, 2004). Both of these can create errors of due process, which is when the rights of the accused are violated. The first error is miscarriage of justice an guinea pig of this is when an innocent man is convicted of a crime.The second type of error of due process is error of impunity, when an er ror in the procedure of due process is committed and as a result guilty convict is set free. Both of these do create great mistrust in the legal system and deter people from getting involved within its legal processes (Sherman, 2002). This can lead to what Black was suggesting when he stated that law will shift back to a more primitive family based form of sanctions, because of mistrust in the authority that was supposed to protect them.ChangeWith new understandings of societal factors (race, gender, sexuality) the adversarial system needs to be revised so that it aids the search for truth or it will be blinded by these factors. Society has grown complex and so has its problems with in the legal system. The courts must come up with different resolutions for crimes and convictions, not just a one size fits all solution. In essence the adjudication system is not wrong, but the misuse of evidence and human error leads to mistakes. One might ask should we change the adversarial system e ntirely or fix the many flaws within the system.The current process being used relies on the state (prosecutor) to determine if the court should or shouldnt present the evidence accumulated from the crime, or if that would benefit the accused in some way. All evidence should be given to a neutral party, such as the court, and have the court system decide what should be done. This would remove the ability of the prosecutor to hide facts that could be essential to the investigation (Westervely Humphrey, 2008).In an ideal system the court should base their decision after learning all the facts, without any evidence withheld from either side. There can be a mixture of different processes, which can better achieve justice in a complex society. For example, a different process would be needed to determine if a dangerous criminal is guilty than that of finding parental rights. Forms such as the inquisitorial investigation, mediation, private problem-solving, group negotiating processes co uld be used to search for truth.ConclusionThe adversarial systems values do not match what the goals of the system should be. In the ideal system restorative and rehabilitation justice would be utilized to the fullest in order to help the people going through the criminal justice process learn and become productive members of society. Societys beliefs are that of retribution and vengeance. Society as a whole wants to see criminals punished for crimes that they feel where committed upon them. To completely change the beliefs of the criminal justice system, society needs to change its values from retribution and vengeance, to a form of justice that will help society instead of looking for revenge.Values in the criminal justice system represent what that society believes in. The belief in winning shouldnt be enforced, like the adversarial process has done, because it does not accomplish what the main goal of the criminal justice system is to provide justice to the citizens of the coun try the system serves, on with the search for truth. The values of rehabilitation and restoration should be the foundation on which we build our new system. If this is done than our society will begin to help its self in creating a strong nation that is just and true.ReferencesAlbonetti, Celesta and Hagan, John. Race, Class, and the Perception of Criminal Injustice in America. American Journal of Sociology, Vol. 88, No. 2 (Sep., 1982), pp. 329-355 Berger, Moise. The Case Against Plea-Bargaining. American Bar Association Journal. Vol 62.pg621.(1972) Black, Donald. TheBehavior of Law. The University of Michigan, Academic Press. 1976 Bucher, Jacob. Law and Society. Lectures. Baker University. 2012 Cantor, Norman F. 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