Criminal Justice And Injustice Essay

The American criminal justice system is supposed to uphold the law, but it has also been a source of injustice and abuses that have impacted the basic rights of those incarcerated. The prisoner's rights movement came about in the United States in the late 1960s in response to the poor conditions and poor treatment of prisoners. Prior to the 1960s, federal and state courts either refused to hear cases regarding the rights of prisoners or treated them in such a way as to make it clear that prisoners had few civil rights. The courts then became involved in prisoner's rights cases as people realized the conditions of prisoners were inhumane. In the Warren Court era, which extended civil rights, the Supreme Court issued a series of opinions that

The court's refusal to set standards for the treatment of prisoners led to many injustices within the criminal justice system. This is shown when Jason Yanofski, a forensic psychiatrist with the San Quentin State Prison, remarked, “Courts believed that their role was only to sentence criminals to be incarcerated and that they should not be involved with what happened to criminals once their term began. This meant that correctional departments had complete authority over handling inmates within their prisons and whether or not they were afforded any rights at all,” (Yanofski). The court's limited authority to enforce jail sentences also contributed to the fact that they had no obligation to ensure that prisoners were treated humanely while incarcerated. Due to this, jails became overcrowded, lacked essential sanitation, and frequently experienced brutal and inhumane treatment. One of the key issues facing prisoners during this time was overcrowding due to the lack of equality. Amy C. Evans, who has a BA/MA in Criminal Justice, notes, “Prior to the 1960s, prisoners were perceived as slaves of the state without civil rights and at the mercy of prison administrators as to what privileges they were allowed. The federal government followed a Hands-Off Doctrine that allowed prisons to decide on what conditions prisoners lived in, what privileges they could have, and what punishments could be meted out,” (Evans). This remark emphasizes how prisoners at the time lacked basic liberties and rights. It suggests that prisoners were the property of the state and not entitled to the same civil rights as other citizens. Prisoners experienced systemic injustices because of the absence of resources and support from the government and other organizations. Some prisoners were made to sleep on the floor or share small cells, while others endured poor living conditions, unsanitary