Criminal Justice Empathy Essay

Empathy is the ability to understand the emotions of others and the ability to evaluate a situation based on someone else’s perspective. Empathy should play a role in the justice system. Reducing excessive force and unnecessary arrests and increasing confidence in the police is a benefit of empathy in the system. Looking at the influence and situation of a crime when delivering a punishment is showing empathy. Reviewing mental health is a way of showing empathy in the system. When incorporating empathy into the justice system, it reduces unnecessary arrests and increases confidence in the police, determining the influence of an offense, and reviewing mental health causes shows empathetic understanding. Incorporating empathy into the justice system has benefits on the police department because it reduces excessive force and increases trust and confidence in the police. According to Stevenson, the Atlanta police assumed he was a criminal because he was black and in his car late at night, which caused them to illegally search

In Just Mercy, “one of the country’s least-discussed postwar problems is how frequently combat veterans bring the traumas of war back with them and are incarcerated afterward” (Stevenson 75). This statement made by Stevenson shows that mental health isn’t something that is considered often in trials. Stevenson talks about the many war veterans who serve the nation and end up incarcerated because their traumas caused by the war are not considered in trials. Incorporating empathy into the justice system involves reviewing mental health as a cause of criminal offenses. Considering mental health is a sign of empathy and understanding of the individual. Mental health issues are major causes of criminal offenses committed, so it should be reviewed. Overall, reviewing mental health factors before delivering a punishment is showing empathetic