There are many challenges and issues facing police, courts, and corrections. With so many competing priorities, the concepts of justice and social justice can help guide reform efforts and priorities.

Using what you know about criminal justice and social justice, create your list of top 3 priorities to address and answer the following questions:

Describe why you feel a particular issue on your list is the most urgent.

Discuss why the other issues, while still priorities, need less attention.

Select 2 of your classmates’ posts, and respond to them using 1 of the following prompts:

How do the priorities chosen by your classmates reflect the challenges facing the criminal justice system?

How should reform priorities be determined?

Maria Soriano

Hello fellow peers and Professor Fuller,

What a great 5 week! This week’s discussion is about the many challenges and issues facing police, courts, and corrections. The top three priority issues that I would address are police reform and accountability, criminal justice sentencing and incarceration reform, and court backlog and access to justice. The third issue I would address is court backlog and access to justice. Although backlogs can cause trials to be postponed and prevent cases from being resolved quickly, they do not represent the same urgent threat to public safety and trust that police wrongdoing does. It is nevertheless essential to creating an equitable and effective judicial system. Court procedures should be streamlined, public defender money should be increased, and alternative conflict resolution methods should be promoted. The second issue I would address is criminal justice sentencing and incarceration reform. Condemning and imprisoning change is a later necessity, though it is still essential. Many people are imprisoned for nonviolent offenses, which leads to overcrowded prisons and the spread of criminal behavior patterns. To reduce the cultural and monetary costs of mass imprisonment and to ensure that a just punishment is meted out fairly, it is crucial to focus on this issue. Efforts should include alternatives to detention, drug courts, and a reduction in mandatory minimum terms. The top and most important issue I would address is police reform and accountability. Police accountability and reform is a top priority. This is due to the public’s declining trust in law enforcement caused by instances of excessive force, racial profiling, and police brutality. Rebuilding this trust and making sure the police are held responsible for their actions are essential. The safety of the public and how they view the justice system are directly impacted by this serious issue. These issues can be considerably reduced with changes to areas like use of force regulations, body-worn cameras, and community policing. Good luck everyone on your education journey. 

Michael Gard

In the realm of criminal justice and social justice, there exist numerous pressing challenges and issues that demand our attention. When contemplating the top priorities for reform efforts, it becomes crucial to scrutinize these concerns in terms of their urgency and impact on our society. Among the many issues, my list of top three priorities includes:

Police Accountability and Reform: This issue takes precedence due to its immediate impact on citizens’ safety and well-being. Ensuring that law enforcement agencies are held accountable for their actions is essential to rebuild public trust and confidence. (Ashley Nellis & Komar, 2023) Implementing transparent and effective mechanisms for reporting, investigating, and addressing police misconduct can mitigate the prevailing tensions and injustices. Urgent reforms in training, use-of-force policies, and community policing are vital to prevent unwarranted harm.

Prison and Sentencing Reform: Our justice system’s overreliance on mass incarceration is a persistent problem that continues to disproportionately affect marginalized communities. Prioritizing sentencing reform, with a focus on non-violent offenses and drug-related crimes, can lead to reduced prison populations and better rehabilitation opportunities. (Ashley Nellis & Komar, 2023)Alternative sentencing programs and restorative justice models should also be promoted to address the root causes of criminal behavior.

Access to Legal Representation: Many individuals, particularly those with limited financial means, face significant barriers to obtaining legal representation. Addressing this issue is critical for ensuring that everyone has a fair chance in the criminal justice system. (Ashley Nellis & Komar, 2023)Expanding access to legal aid, bolstering public defender services, and reforming bail and pretrial detention practices are necessary steps in this direction.

While these three priorities are crucial, it’s essential to acknowledge that other issues in the criminal justice system also demand attention. Issues like mental health intervention, reentry programs, and the intersection of race and justice, though no less important, may need slightly less immediate attention because they can be addressed through comprehensive reform in the core areas of police accountability, sentencing, and legal representation. A focused approach allows us to make significant strides in the system and then channel those improvements toward addressing these equally critical issues, ensuring a more equitable and just criminal justice system for all.

References

Ashley Nellis, P., & Komar, L. (2023). The First Step Act: Ending Mass Incarceration in Federal Prisons. Retrieved from https://www.sentencingproject.org/policy-brief/the… 

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