Problems within the Criminal Justice System Essay

Problems within the Criminal Justice System
The Criminal Justice System (CJS) like any other social institution is fraught with problems. One such problem that I am well acquainted with is racial profiling. Alexander Michelle in her book The New Jim Crow Mass Incarceration in an Age of Color Blindness explains that the CJS discriminates heavily against the minority black communities, which is outright racism. One third of all inmates in American prisons are black, yet they are minority race in the US. She elaborates further that such racial discrimination is chiefly done through the system of mass incarceration. Here, African American persons are apprehended on suspicion of committing criminal offenses, after which they are brought into the CJS. In the CJS, they are labeled felons and criminals and upon release, their fundamental rights are withdrawn from them. They are denied their right to vote are subjected to legal discrimination in jury service, employment, public service, etc. (Alexander, 2013).
There are several reasons for the existence of racism in the criminal justice system. Firstly, is the existence of racial biases in the society. This factor is an indication that racial discrimination in the CJS is merely a reflection of the reality in the society. Another reason is the long standing history of racial discrimination in the CJS that has made it a norm so that many new officials inadvertently discriminate against African Americans not because of prejudice but because of its repeated occurrence (Riley, 2015). Thirdly, is the War on Drugs that was declared by the then President Ronald Reagan in 1982 in response to the alleged crack cocaine crisis in the inner city neighborhoods. As a result of this war, blacks have come to be painted as crack whores, which confirms the worst negative racial stereotypes about the poor black neighborhoods (Griffith, 2012). Then there is also corruption within the CJS. Fifthly, are the policies in place that make it quite tough for poor AfricanAmericans to obtain redress when they have received an unjust treatment in the justice system (Quigley, 2011).
To remedy this problem, firstly the system of mass incarceration should be abolished. This initiative will bring about a reduction in the number of blacks who are incarcerated. It will also ensure that many more AfricanAmericans retain their fundamental rights as human beings. Secondly, is that drugs like marijuana should be decriminalized and rules regulating their use be enacted. Marijuana has been proven to have many benefits. Researchers in Harvard found out in their experiments on lung cancer that the active component of bhang can be used to impede the growth of tumors (Horsley, 2013). Various other studies on bhang have shown that it has a positive side, thus decriminalizing bhang will see a significant reduction in the number of minor drug offences in as much its users will reap crucial benefits from its use. Law enforcement officials and other critical figures in the justice system should be educated on the significance of ethics so as to curb