Our Flawed Justice System Applies Temporary Fixes — Like Financial Compensation — to Address Deeper Issues

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We’ve seen it countless times before. It’s a repetitive and exhausting narrative: “Unarmed Black Man Killed,” or “After 31 Years, Black Man Exonerated.” These headlines have become so familiar that they no longer shock us. More often than not, our legal system prefers to apply superficial solutions rather than effect real change. Instead of addressing the root causes of injustice, it continues to arrest, convict, and imprison innocent individuals, particularly those from Black communities.

Take the case of Marcus Anderson, who was sentenced to death at just 19, alongside his brother, Caleb Brooks, then 15. They endured 31 years in prison for a crime they did not commit, only to be exonerated in 2014. Recently, they were awarded $1 million for each year served and an additional $13 million in punitive damages, totaling $75 million — the largest settlement in the state’s history.

However, there lies a fundamental issue with this monetary compensation. No amount of money can restore a person’s lost years, just as identifying and convicting a murderer cannot resurrect the victim. Financial awards serve only as a temporary fix for a much deeper, systemic issue.

Marcus and Caleb were wrongfully convicted of the 1983 rape and murder of young Sarah Lane, an 11-year-old girl from Red Springs, North Carolina, whose body was discovered in a nearby soybean field. Given the horrific nature of the crime, the urgency to bring the perpetrator to justice is understandable. The crime was brutal; however, the real culprit, a man named Thomas Reed, was connected to the scene through DNA evidence found on a cigarette.

Much like the infamous Central Park Five, the only evidence linking Marcus and Caleb to this heinous act were coerced confessions they provided as teenagers. They recanted shortly after, claiming duress, but their pleas were ignored. A local news outlet reported on their convictions: “The two were never linked to the crime scene but signed confessions shortly after the body was found. Following multiple retrials in the ’90s and early 2000s, new evidence was uncovered in the police department’s archives.” This is where systemic reform needs to begin — at the initial response to a crime.

A late-2020 study from the National Registry of Exonerations revealed that over half of wrongful convictions stem from official misconduct by police or prosecutors. Disturbingly, these cases disproportionately impact people of color. The study highlighted that Black individuals convicted of murder were about 50% more likely to be innocent than their white counterparts, and innocent Black individuals were 12 times more likely to be convicted of drug offenses than innocent white individuals.

Professor Samuel R. Gross from the University of Michigan Law School noted in an interview that misconduct by law enforcement is a frequent issue, leading to a consistent stream of wrongful convictions. He added that without a centralized database for court statistics, the extent of these missteps is likely far greater than what is documented.

Organizations like The Innocence Project are dedicated to exonerating those wrongfully convicted through DNA evidence and raising awareness about the failures of our justice system. They emphasize that even when a person is released and compensated, their lives remain irrevocably altered. Having experienced incarceration’s impact through my mother’s four years behind bars, I understand this struggle.

The Innocence Project states, “Years lost to wrongful imprisonment result in deprivation of family connections and professional opportunities. The nightmare continues long after release. Without financial support, housing, or medical care, and with a criminal record that often remains, the consequences of wrongful conviction endure.”

When individuals exit prison, they carry the weight of their experiences, making it challenging to rebuild their lives, especially when wrongful convictions are involved. The justice system must facilitate a smoother transition back to society if we wish to reduce recidivism rates, although this could conflict with the profit motives of private prison systems (which we hope will soon become a relic of the past).

It seems logical that our justice system would prioritize ensuring the right individuals are prosecuted while upholding their rights to fair trials and appropriate sentences. Yet, too often, this does not occur, especially when it’s easier to target individuals of color.

Recently, the confirmation of Angela White as the new head of the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division is a step toward progress. Notably, she is the first Black woman to hold this position. During her confirmation hearings, she stated, “Our nation is healthier when we respect the rights of all communities.”

Bryan Stevenson, the author of “Just Mercy,” encapsulated the issue when he remarked in an NPR interview: “One of the most painful realities is our failure to recognize the trauma and hardship we inflict when we treat people unjustly.”

As we reflect on the anniversary of George Floyd’s death, it’s clear our justice system has a long journey ahead. Nonetheless, we must persist in our efforts until these cracks are not only patched but fully healed. For more insights, check out this article on home insemination kit, and you can learn more about the topic at Cryobaby’s home insemination kit. Additionally, UCSF provides excellent resources for those interested in pregnancy and home insemination.

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Summary:

Our justice system frequently resorts to superficial remedies like financial compensation instead of addressing the root causes of wrongful convictions. The cases of individuals like Marcus Anderson and Caleb Brooks highlight the systemic failures that lead to innocent people, particularly from marginalized communities, being imprisoned for crimes they did not commit. Reform is essential to ensure fair treatment and prevent future injustices.


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