1
Courts
Unit 4 Assignment
Renee C. Bridgeman
Purdue University Global
CJ526: Academic and Professional Communications in Public Safety
Professor David White
May 28, 2021
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Courts: Social Injustices in the Judicial System
There have been many concerns about the validity and reliability of the judgments made
in the judicial system in the United States. Some sources have argued that the judicial system is
characterized by many social injustices such as racism, selective prosecution, perception of
homophobia, and gender discrimination, which compromises judges’ validity and sentences
(Reynolds, 2015). This paper will identify some social injustices in the judicial system that
affects the validity of the judgments made in the judicial system. Included in this paper are
racism, selective prosecution, discrimination on gender, and perception about homophobia.
Racism
Many reports have indicated that race has an impact on court proceedings. According to
the study conducted by Barak, Leighton & Flavin (2010), the race has a significant effect on the
final sentencing decisions. This study examined the impact of race on the pretrial release
decision for drug offenders. The study found that race has a significant effect on a judge’s
findings to release a defendant with recognizance, with blacks less likely to be released. The
study also found that race is a concern in making decisions related to bail amount, with blacks
more likely to be released on large amounts of bail than whites. According to this study, blacks
are viewed by the court as more dangerous and blameworthy. This makes blacks Blacks be
released in their recognizance. Based on the argument of this study, I find that being significantly
black affects the outcome of a criminal process. Since blacks have been criminalized and viewed
as guilty even if they are innocent, the court finds it unwise to release them without imposing
affine a fine or sentencing them to serve a jail term. The worst scenario may occur when a black
is a defendant involving white police or a white person. Here, the court may rule based on skin
color and consider the narrative that blacks are criminals.
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The title of the paper is a de facto level 1 heading.
Subsequent headings within the introduction should be level
2-5 headings. The heading for the next and subsequent
sections should be a level 1 heading.
See Section 2.27 and Table 2.3 in the APA Manual.
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authors, include the name only of the first author plus
“et al.” in every citation. See Section 8.17 and Table
8.1 in the APA Manual.
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are designated by proper nouns and are capitalized.
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and “white” (do not use colors to refer to other human
groups; doing so is considered pejorative.” See
Section 5.7 in the APA Manual.
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Selective prosecutionProsecution
If a court fails to make a correct ruling, the defendant claims that they should not be held
criminally liable for breaking the law. The claim of selective prosecution normally happens when
courts discriminate against the defendants by choosing to prosecute them. The claim of selective
prosecutions is usually tagged with forbidden reasons. Most people who are more likely to raise
concerns over selective prosecutions are generally the minority groups, such as blacks, especially
when the judge deciding the case is white (Reynolds, 2015). Some claims may involve
arguments that entail age, gender, or religion. In such cases, the defendants may be tried by the
court but fail to be persecuted, or the defendant may be persecuted because of a bias. Some
reporters have claimed that there is no exert way these allegations can be proved unless the
defendant appeals for further hearing. This may give the defendant a chance to present the claims
before the law and provide all the evidence to prove the allegations. As issued by the
Constitution, it is unlawful to prosecute an innocent suspect due to their race, age, or religion.
Though these cases have reduced with time, some reports indicate that they exist in the United
States, and it is common for white judges against black suspects (Tonry, 2011). In 2010, over
200 cases were reversed by the high court because they were decided based on race. The
Constitution provides heavy penalties in such vices by claiming that when a judge is found guilty
of such allegations, their licenses may be revoked, or they may be put under compulsory
suspension.
Perception on Homophobia
People’s right to marry same-sexsame sex has been significant controversy over many
years until the previous government ascended into the issue and made it a law. The government
allowed marriage between sexes. This decision has also faced many critiques as many people
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accusing the government of enabling such “immoral” behaviors into the country. Since this
decision was made, over 1million Americans have married of the same sexes, and today the
practice is like a norm to the people. Religious groups with other human activists have continued
to condemn this act by prejudging the people associated with it and making people have a bad
attitude. Reports indicate that LGBT victims continue to face a difficult moment in the hands of
the public and the judicial system; with others claiming that their status is used against them in a
court ruling. Society is reported to have developed hostile behavior against LGBT victims by
considering them deviants and rebellious. Homophobia is a form of prejudice written to affect
the judicial system by influencing court outcomes adversely (Tonry, 2011). There are certain
instances that defendants have complained of being prosecuted based on their marital status. The
reports indicate that judges with homophobia are less likely to release LGBT suspects even when
there is nonot enough evidence to prove their detention. In other wordswords, those homophobic
judges tend to impose heavy bail amounts on LGBT suspects instead of non-LGBT victims over
the same claim.
Homophobia encompasses a range of negative behaviors, attitudes, and feelings towards
homosexuality. It is also a negative attitude against lesbians, gays, bisexuals, or transgender
(LGBT). Homophobia is defined as prejudice that is based on ignorance and is majorly related to
religious beliefs. It is evident in hostile behavior such as discrimination and violence based on
sexual orientation that is non-heterosexual. Some of the recognized types of homophobia include
religious homophobia and state-sponsored homophobia. How homophobia is manifested includes
emotions and social. Social and emotional homophobia has adverse effects on LGBT victims.
This can be realized through court proceedings involving LGBT victims, how the judgments are
made, and the more likely parties to win such cases (Tonry, 2011). The more homophobic group
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is the religious group. According to religious groups, it is the action against the Biblical
teachings, and they are encouraging moral decay. They condemn homosexuality and consider it
evil. This is a case of homophobia that has continued to increase in society today. In the judicial
system, when these cases had not been legalized, they had a heavy penalty, and the victims were
also offered large bail amounts that they could not afford. This was done to condemn the act and
to intimidate people from associating with them. However, when LGBT was legalized, the court
system had to adjust. The only problem is that the judicial system’s adjustment in accepting these
changes is prolonged, with others developing homophobia against the victims.
Discrimination based on gender
The judicial system advocates for integrity and fairness as the main values that a judge
should have. However, with some judges having a negative attitude towards others, it isn’t easy
to understand how they should impart judgment when confronted with cases that violate or
against their values. In the U.S,United States gender diversity is a significant concern, with the
government demanding that women must be represented in all fields and must be accorded equal
rights and freedom as men. Today, gender diversity at the workplace stands at 48%, and the
country is determined to make it above 50 % in ten years. In the judicial system, women occupy
30% of the total judges (Barak, Leighton & Flavin, 2010). The women’s population has also been
steadily rising following the campaign against gender discrimination and education for the girl
child. The government has been more concerned with girl children’s lives by putting their
interests ahead of men. Despite the efforts, there are still discrimination cases based on gender in
many workplaces, including the judicial system. Discrimination based on gender is reported to
significantly impact how judgment is imparted in the judicial system, as many cases reveal that
some cases are not decided on fairgrounds. Other reports indicate that women judges are harsher
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“et al.” in every citation. See Section 8.17 and Table
8.1 in the APA Manual.
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in making a judgment against their fellow women. In contrast, others claim that women judges
are harsh when making a judgment against male suspects as to women. These are arguments that
have no proof but continue to affect the judicial system’s way of operating.
Conclusion
Based on the findings in this paper, it can be concluded that, like any other workplace,
the judicial system is also suffering from social injustices, which undermines its ability to give
reasonable judgments. This paper recommends that judges be trained on cultural diversity to
enable them to overcome the challenges they face, which are associated with working with
diverse suspects.
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References
Barak, G., Leighton, P., & Flavin, J. (2010). Class, race, gender, and crime: The social realities
of justice in America. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers.
Reynolds, K. (2015). Disparity despite diversity: Social injustice in New York City’s urban
agriculture system. Antipode, 47(1), 240-259.
Tonry, M. H. (2011). Punishing race: A continuing American dilemma. Oxford University Press.
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Commented [DW8]: This source is peer-reviewed and
counts toward the peer-reviewed requirement in the
assignment.
The number of scholarly peer reviewed journal articles used
in support of your paper did not meet the requirements as
specified in the assignment. Recall from the instructions, that
it is necessary to summarize findings from prior “research
studies,” which are typically published in peer-reviewed
academic journals.
To locate articles in peer-reviewed journals, go to the
University Library, check the “Scholarly (Peer Reviewed)
Journals” and “Full Text” options, select the period of 2016-
2021.
Two of 3 required
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No Progress Introductory Emergent Practiced Proficient Mastery Grading Score Relative Weight Points
0 1 2 3 4 5
Identify.
Student work
demonstrates no
understanding or
progress towards
achievement of this
outcome.
Student attempted to
identify a topic in an area of
professional interest and
related policy or leadership
issues with supporting
points, but was
unsuccessful.
Student identified a topic in
an area of professional
interest and related policy or
leadership issues and one
supporting point.
Student identified a topic in an
area of professional interest
and related policy or leadership
issues and two supporting
points.
Student identified a topic in an
area of professional interest
and related policy or
leadership issues and three
supporting points.
Student identified a topic in an
area of professional interest
and related policy or leadership
issues and four supporting
points.
5 10% 5
Research.
Student work
demonstrates no
understanding or
progress towards
achievement of this
outcome.
Student used sources that
were not peer-reviewed.
Student used peer-reviewed
sources but did not properly
cite/reference the sources.
Student used one peer-
reviewed sources and properly
cited/referenced sources.
Student used two peer-
reviewed sources and properly
cited/referenced sources.
Student used three peer-
reviewed sources and properly
cited/referenced sources.
4 10% 4.25
Conduct.
Student work
demonstrates no
understanding or
progress towards
achievement of this
outcome.
Student conducted research
to support assertions and
completed a draft that
incorporates one of the
following stylistic criteria:
Interesting to read,
Accurate, Supported,
Precise, and Concise.
Student conducted research
to support assertions and
completed a draft that
incorporates two of the
following stylistic criteria:
Interesting to read, Accurate,
Supported, Precise, and
Concise.
Student conducted research to
support assertions and
completed a draft that
incorporates three of the
following stylistic criteria:
Interesting to read, Accurate,
Supported, Precise, and
Concise.
Student conducted research
to support assertions and
completed a draft that
incorporates four of the
following stylistic criteria:
Interesting to read, Accurate,
Supported, Precise, and
Concise.
Student thoroughly conducted
research to support assertions
and completed a draft that
incorporates all of the following
stylistic criteria: Interesting to
read, Accurate, Supported,
Precise, and Concise.
5 20% 10
Formatting/ Layout The project was not
submitted.
The project was submitted,
but the formatting (e.g.,
spacing, margins, font size,
etc.) contains errors that are
excessive and distracting.
The title page and reference
page are missing.
The project demonstrates an
attempt to adhere to the
formatting guidelines as
outlined in the instructions
(e.g., spacing, margins, font
size, etc.)–errors are frequent.
The title page and/or
reference page may be
missing, incomplete, or
contain some formatting
errors.
The project demonstrates an
attempt to adhere to the
formatting guidelines as
outlined in the instructions (e.g.,
spacing, margins, font size, etc.)-
-errors are not egregious. The
title page or reference page are
included but may contain
formatting errors.
The project adheres to the
formatting guidelines as
outlined in the instructions
(e.g., spacing, margins, font
size, etc.) with minimal errors.
The title page and reference
page (listing all sources used)
are included but may contain
minor or negligible formatting
errors.
The project adheres to the
formatting guidelines as
outlined in the instructions (e.g.,
spacing, margins, font size,
etc.). The title page and
reference page (listing all
sources used) are included and
conform to course/ assignment
guidelines.
4 10% 4.25
Source Attribution
No attempt was made
to distinguish
between ideas from
sources and those of
the author. Paper
may be plagiarized.
Reference list does
not match text
citations.
Ideas from sources are not
clearly distinguishable from
those of the author. The
following are infrequent or
non-existent: Signal
phrases, inclusion of URLs,
author names, publication
titles, in-text citations, and/or
(when appropriate) quotation
marks. Reference list does
not match text citations.
Ideas from sources are
usually distinguishable from
those of the author by the
use of any of the following:
Signal phrases, inclusion of
URLs, author names,
publication titles, and/or in-
text citations. Quotation marks
are rarely used when
appropriate. Reference list
matches 50% of the text
citations.
Ideas from sources are
generally distinguishable from
those of the author by the use
of two or more of the following:
Signal phrases, inclusion of
URLs, author names,
publication titles, and/or in-text
citations. Quotation marks are
sometimes used when
appropriate.
Ideas from sources are usually
distinguishable from those of
the author by the use of two or
more of the following: Signal
phrases, inclusion of URLs,
author names, publication
titles, and/or in-text citations.
Quotation marks are used
when appropriate. Reference
list matches text citations.
Ideas from sources are clearly
distinguishable from those of
the author by the frequent use
of in-text citations. Quotation
marks are always used when
appropriate. Reference list
matches text citations.
5 10% 5
Mechanics
Student work
demonstrates no
understanding or
progress towards
achievement of this
outcome.
Grammatical, punctuation,
and spelling errors pervasive
and distracting.
Grammatical, punctuation,
and spelling errors significant
and distracting.
Frequent grammatical,
punctuation, and spelling errors.
Minor grammatical,
punctuation, and spelling
errors.
Technically flawless,
mechanically and grammatically
compliant with APA guidelines.
4 10% 4.25
Organization
Student work
demonstrates no
understanding or
progress towards
achievement of this
outcome.
Organization and structure
detract from the analysis.
Analysis is disjointed and
lacks transition of thought.
Organization and structure
are not easy to follow and
interfere with meaning.
Paragraph and sentence
transitions need significant
improvement.
Organization and structure
developing but still some illogic
in flow. Transition of thoughts
needs some improvement.
Organization and structure are
clear but presentation could
be more precise. Minor flaw(s)
in flow of analysis.
Organization and structure of
the paper are clear and easy to
follow. Logical flow of ideas.
5 20% 10
Language
Student work
demonstrates no
understanding or
progress towards
achievement of this
outcome.
Language inappropriate,
mundane, and unfocused.
No central theme or thesis
present. Not written for the
appropriate audience.
Random, choppy, and/or
awkward language
significantly detracts from
analysis. Not written for the
appropriate audience.
Language ordinary, imprecise,
and/or lacks interest or
precision. Central theme or
thesis present but not explicitly
presented. Written for the
appropriate audience.
Language functional,
appropriate, and acceptable.
Written for the appropriate
audience.
Variety of sentence length and
structure. Language rich,
precise, and vivid. Central
theme or thesis clear. Written
for the appropriate audience.
5 10.0% 5
100%
Overall
Grading
Score:
47.75
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