I agree with Brandi’s point of view on the Texas justice
system but there is more behind it than just the budget issues. The Texas justice system is a slow, unbalance,
under budget and unfair system. It’s a structure
that works of the idea of due process, a concept that assets administration of
laws that do not violate the sacredness of private rights. In other words, it’s
a set of rules that set up the legislative branch that doesn’t grantee fairness
and just follow the laws. It’s obvious in the United States Constitution. The 4th,
5th, 6th, 8th, and 14th amendments are a great example of
this. Even though due process
establishes the rules for the Justice System, the ‘players’ themselves have
create issues too for the system.
Before the Sentencing
Reform Act was passed in the 1970’s and in the 1980’s at Federal level, there
was a big issue with disparity and leniency among judges in the court
system. For example, some judges’ sentences
were based on sex and race (discrimination). Strictly speaking, similar offenders
convicted of similar crimes were serving different sentences. This made the
public themselves worried about sentencing disparity. But on the other hand, Some Judges may have given
a lighter sentence for a major crime for an offender. Once the Sentencing
Reform was passed, decision making on sentencing switch from the judge to prosecutors
and determinate sentencing (fixed sentencing) was created for equality among
offenders.
Although the
Sentencing Reform Act was a key element of the national shift to crime control
in the 1980’s and beyond, parole was being eliminated for offenders and there
was a big incarceration boom. Now this might sound like this is positive, but
The United States has the highest Incarceration rate in the world and an over
populated prison and jail system because of it. Crime is still a big issue in the United
States and the Texas system is part of this matter. Without of doubt, I agree on Brandi’s argument
that the Texas justice system being chaotic but the budget issue is just one of
the issues behind this mess.
Link to Brandi's Blog: http://brandigovt.blogspot.com/
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