Justice

Within our society, there is continuous debate about what is just, what is a just punishment, what just conduct is and how people should be treated fairly. We all have distinctive opinions and morals and react differently when presented with a situation causing us to have slightly varied views on what is ‘just’. However, society generally agrees on what is fair and equal, but when we disagree with a punishment, sentence or even when people are acquitted, we feel vulnerable, angry and possibly scared; believing our rights, the way we could be treated and our own justice is diminished.

Society determines what is just or fair through the use of laws and rules governing our behaviour and our actions. Society is made safe through laws and rules so we can live in peace and harmony, within our rights. When people suffer, are discriminated or abused, society expects the justice system to provide a ‘fair’ punishment for the person responsible for causing this harm. Society believes in the consequences for dreadful, unjust crimes. But when our justice is breached, our rights as humans are breached; we are restricted and weakened until fairness and equality are restored. Presently, the community fear going into Melbourne’s CBD at night after the recent and reoccurring, alcohol fuelled bashings. People are restricted as they feel their right to travel in the city at night is violated, believing it is unsafe and risky due to the irresponsible actions of others. Until safety is established in the city by authorities and one’s rights slowly return, justice will remain diminished and many will continue to pollute the streets with violence. In To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Tom Robinson is wrongly accused and convicted of raping Mayella Ewell. Tom is denied justice in the highly racist and prejudiced time of the 1930’s because of the colour of his skin. The prejudiced community of Maycomb desire the punishment of a black man who has committed a crime. This shows that...