The Weaknesses Of the Canadian Justice Society
In the Canadian justice system, as well as many other justice systems around the world, there are many weaknesses that must be addressed. These include bias, which leads to discrimination, inaccurate evidence, incompetent or untrustworthy lawyers, and some aspects of the YCJA. Bias is present everywhere in the justice system; arresting officers can have bias towards the accused, lawyers can have bias towards the accused, witnesses can have bias towards the accused, and jurors can have bias towards the accused. Each brings their own past experiences and their own point of view, and those cannot be completely ignored. This can greatly affect how the person views the case, and so how they act. Bias cannot be eliminated, but it can be reduced. Inaccurate evidence stems from incorrect forensic science and misleading witnesses. Some forensic sciences don't work at all, while other forensic evidence will be analyzed incorrectly. Misleading witnesses come from false memory and witnesses with bias (going back to bias again). They provide inaccurate evidence, which affects the case and the verdict. Incompetent or untrustworthy lawyers will provide a weak defence or offence, or their defence or offence will be filled with underhanded methods, and so the verdict will be swayed in a negative direction. Some aspects of the YCJA should be fixed; some may think that the charges might be too easy, while others protest at the privacy the youth offender can maintain, no matter what the crime. The YCJA is also plagued with discrimination, as is the rest of the justice system. The charges can be only counselling or community service, so you might think the offender might get off too easy. Also, 12 to 14 year-olds cannot be charged with adult sentences, so even if they commit the worst crimes, they can only get the harshest crime for youth, and their privacy will still be protected and they won't get a criminal record. So, in conclusion, there are many weaknesses in the Canadian justice system, among which are discrimination, inaccurate evidence, and some of the aspects of the YCJA. These weaknesses should be addressed by the Canadian government and the public, and attempts should be made to do something about them.