It is amazing how many people find the realities of criminal justice to be an eye opener. So many wander through life believing that policemen exist to give them directions and, God forbid, they never tell a lie.
In this wonderland, the Old Bill always get their man, and it is always the right man. They never smash in peoples teeth with a revolver to get a confession. They would never put a plastic bag over a suspects head to suffocate an admission out of them.
The Crown Prosecution Service never withhold bits of evidence helpful to the defence. Witnesses are never shepherded towards the most helpful form of words. And Judges never adopt the prosecutions role and harass defence witnesses.
We need the psychological comfort that a belief in Justice brings. To accept the harsh reality would shake our faith to the core and the world just wouldn't make sense. And so we live in a state of perpetual denial, minimizing any discrepancies out of existence.
Should you ever be stopped by a copper, though, and find yourself enmeshed in the criminal justice system, you will invariably be shaken out of your complacency. Perhaps, on that basis, everyone should be slung in prison for a few months?
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Perhaps everyone should, for me it was the best education money can't buy. And when you get out you will know how to be one step ahead.
ReplyDeleteperhaps this and while your at it bring national service back.
ReplyDeleteNational service?! And then the birch and the "short, sharp, shock". Give me strength...
ReplyDeleteum, no, I really really don't want to go to prison just to be shocked into realizing how the dreadful police and judicial system lacks humanity, no, ... and I don't want to go into the armed forces either ... bah.
ReplyDeleteHAHA! Ben, you're classic!
ReplyDeleteI completley and utterly agree with you on your points about objectivity. I am not formaly trained in such concepts, but i have a deep yearning to seek knowledge and truth.
You must be refering to prejudice, bias and all the nasties that have blighted humanity thru history.
Oh my god! We're back to the mirror aren't we?
People are far to afraid to face themselves at this time. They can't look away forever tho, ha! and when they do look, they will fall, cry, cry and cry in shame of what they have done! And, d'yknow what Ben?
You'll be there to pick them up and forgive them.