American Justice

4 Pages 1107 Words

America is a country that has long been praised for its principles of democracy, freedom, and equal justice for all. Our country was founded on those principles, as well as the idea that all are “innocent until proven guilty”. Our society today tries to uphold these principles, and as stated by the New York State Courts, “the mission of the [New York State] Unified Court System is to promote the rule of law and to serve the public by providing just and timely resolution of all matters before the courts.” (New York State Guide to the Courts, page 1). Over time, however, the system has been eaten away by politicians and others who are more concerned with their own gains than with the greater good. The judicial system in America has become a mockery of all that it once stood for; it is now a dog and pony show in which all the participants are more interested in the media’s attention than in ensuring that justice is served.
Initially, the American judicial system was founded on the idea that “law is reason free from emotion” (Aristotle). The founders of the system strove to create one that provided equal justice for all, regardless of race, creed, religion, and gender. The idea was to break away from the Napoleonic principle of “guilt until innocence is proven”, and provide a haven for all American citizens. If accused of a crime, you were guaranteed several basic, unalienable rights. The judicial system functioned exactly as designed. Attorneys for the defense and the prosecution, as well as the judge, were largely unconcerned with public opinion, and presented their cases based on actual fact, and a desire to uphold the integrity of the system they were representing.
At some point in history, this attitude shifted. It could be attributed to the growing influence of the media, or it could be a symptom of a much larger evil; the exact cause is unknown. What is glaringly clear is that nowadays, the judicial ...