The Criminal Justice System In Cecelia Ahern's Flawed

The cases each plagued by a substantial degree of preconceived notions attest to the ignorance of people. In such a situation it was evident that the accuseds’

In the article "A Jail Sentence Ends. But the Stigma Doesn't." , James Forman argues that in the US there is not enough forgiveness to those who have been incarcerated. Forman brings the debate on the life of an inmate who is released and then trying to get back into the sway of life.

Looking from a social aspect, the consequences of a criminal record results in immediate discrimination against those that can fully participate in society and be treated as an equal individual. It is due to their label as criminals and its negative connotation that strips them from receiving fair treatment from then on. Even after serving their time, those with a criminal record face long-term challenges in obtaining employment and housing as well as the right to vote. It is important to understand that these are basic necessities needed in order to survive in this society. It is unfair that their status becomes dwindled down to being denoted as a lesser being

I have to agree with Alexander (2012) that being labeled a felon condemned individuals to second-class citizenship perpetuate the cycle of criminal behavior. I have seen firsthand individuals being released from prison as a felon back into society and how Jim Crow practices outcast them from society. For example, newly released individuals from prison are indeed released with a financial debt owed to the Criminal Justice System. Many of the individuals often have to pay restitution to victims, court costs/attorney fees, and fees owed to the Probation department. Individual parolees are required to pay money to their probation officers every visit and some parolees may be required to visit their probation officer every month.

From there, the employer is able to refuse to hire them if they have checked yes. If the “felon” needs a place to stay, they can also be discriminated against by public housing. Additionally, in some states, being branded a criminal results in the ineligibility of receiving food stamps. Just as Nixon intended, the so-called “war on drugs” has also disrupted black communities. In cities of extreme incarceration, communities find it hard to reconstruct their economy as people are more than likely working low-paying jobs due to being refused again and again by higher paying jobs for being a criminal.

They just assume it was something bad and they won’t hire them. Alexander Acknowledges that “You’re now branded a criminal ,a felon, and employment discrimination is now legal against you for the rest of your life. ”(Alexander3) Jobs have the right to not hire a criminal if they don’t want it is not discriminating by law. So basically if you don’t know someone that owns a business or knows someone in a job that can explain to the person that hires that you’re a change person and wants the opportunity to excel in life you will not get a job nowhere.

Labels manifest how people are viewed by themselves and society. There are always two sides to a story, positive and negative. Labels are constructive because they can give one an impression of belonging to a group or community. They make it easier to categorize people based on characteristics. Contrastingly, labels can convey false expectations which can encourage stereotypes.

Convicted Felons and the Labeling Theory Paige Leary November 30, 2015 Criminology Delinquent, criminal, felon, all are labels that society give people who have been convicted of crime and therefore believed to have no respect for the law. Once an individual has been associated as someone who has no respect for the law they are often ostracized from their social groups. When a criminal has been denied by their friend groups they often begin to associate with people who are “like” them meaning that they are now associated with people who also engage in deviant behavior (Forensic Psych). All of the delinquent behavior that occurs after they have been ostracized from their original social group has been often the cause of them being

The retribution part is to punish the person for the crime that they permitted against society, and the incapacitation part is to remove that person out of society so they do no further harm. Deterrence means the prevention of future crime, and the rehabilitation teaches life skills and in the betterment. However, author Sandiford says that instead of solving crime, mass incarceration has infected our communities and striking them with devastating symptoms, and prison costs have skyrocketed, inmates ' families have been torn apart, and the system is overwhelmingly stratified by race and class (Sandiford,

When a person is described as a felon it “presents a significant barrier to reintegration” (Labels). Labels create harmful stereotypes that place expectations on people that are hard to break. Once labeled, felons are forever regarded as such. This places so much power into one word. This power then denies “people with criminal records jobs, housing, education” and other resources in life (Labels).

The punishment is that they are with us” (Paragraph 2). Instead, prisons focus on rehabilitation. Most citizens understand that in order to have long term effects, it take long processes that take a while to get used to. “The country’s well-education population [appreciate] that almost all prisoners will return to society. They understand [...] that the more the penal system can do within the small window of opportunity during a prisoner’s incarceration, the better it will be in the long run” (Paragraph 15).

Innocent people who are being condemned have negative effects on them. Being arrested for a crime that they did not commit looks bad on their record. Even though they are not guilty, people “... label them ‘criminal,’ ‘murderer,’ ‘rapist,’ thief,’ ‘drug dealer,’ ‘sex offender,’ [and] ‘felon’...” (Stevenson 15). These labels can not be removed, and people have to live with them for the rest of their life.

This example highlights that there might be a threat to society once the juveniles are released, because of the chance that they could resort to recidivism. Some may argue, however, that juveniles deserve a second chance at redemption because they could have actually regretted their actions, and they may have matured over time to understand the cruelty of their behaviors. This perspective, however, does not take into account the fact that there is a high risk of recidivism when juveniles are released from prison, meaning that it is more than likely that the juveniles have not been ensured full accountability for their horrendous actions. Another example of re-offense is from the James Bulger case, a

They have more opportunities because they have not been locked in a cell for a number of years. Instead in restorative justice the offender is required to do things like community service and communicating with the victim of their crime. Giving offenders more options after they have committed a crime can help them get back on their feet because they would have a better chance of getting a job. They would have a better chance of getting a job because they wouldn’t be out of a job as long as if they were in jail for years. Also hopefully by the offender not spending years in jail and doing things like community service they learn their lesson and will be less likely to commit another crime in the future compared to someone who spent years in jail.

However, crimes are committed whilst in prison, such as drugs and assaults. Some critics say the ‘three strikes and you are out’ law where repeat offenders get a longer sentence are wrong, as the third strike could be a lesser crime such as public disorder. Nevertheless, if just incapacitation and no rehabilitation some critics say will be costlier to society as they will go out and reoffend and, they are not employed and pay taxes. Rehabilitation is also a punishment which should improve the offender's behaviour and stop them committing crimes. Advocates of rehabilitation state prison does not work; however, critics of rehabilitation state prison does work as the criminal cannot commit a crime against the public while incarcerated (Cavadino, 2007 p 36/56).