Justice--In a Minute

America has traditionally been known as being a nation in a hurry. This fact has been borne out in many areas recently such as driving by a fast food establishment for a take-out dinner, driving by to leave clothes for cleaning, driving by to check out a DVD, and even driving by to go to church or to get a flu shot. I suggest that we also consider drive-by courts, similar to Judge Judy's, but much faster--perhaps to obtain justice in a minute or so.

My first experience, after sixty-four years of life, within a courtroom took place this week in Little Rock. A very close relative had made an accusation and filed a police report a few months back with the police department. The charge for the defendant was aggravated assault and third degree battery. My husband and I chose to observe the proceedings and lend as much moral support as we could. We had assumed testimony would be heard and then a decision would be rendered by the judge. Instead, when we arrived in the courtroom, we were all informed that the decision had already been made by the judge, the defense attorney, and the prosecutor BEFORE the trial. My relative was asked if he still wanted to proceed with the testimonies; he said "yes," knowing the outcome ahead of time but wanting to get the trial on record. The judge ruled shortly that the trial would be suspended for a year. Evidently, this move is to allow the defendant either to behave and quit threatening to kill everyone involved, or to go ahead and be violent again. Frankly, I would have preferred that the three decision-makers take more seriously spousal abuse and violent attacks. I now see why the police get discouraged with the judicial system.

Other observations I have about justice-in-a-minute decisions are that most of the defendants in court that day were minorities--either African-American or Hispanic. I am not one to say that shoplifting, petty theft, not paying rent, and other crimes are related to race or culture. I do believe, however, that the relationship between economic need and crime is strong. Until we as a society can provide decent wages and an adequate standard of living, this trend will continue.

Another observation I have concerns the number of domestic battery cases that came before the judge for their minute of justice. The women, without fail, claimed that whatever violence that took place in the family structure was their fault. I somehow doubt it. Once again, we see the difficulty of abused women actually testifying against their significant others. It is simply easier to claim fault and walk away with the accused hand-in-hand, the no-contact order forgotten, only to wait for the next violent fight.

Perhaps I am naive to believe justice can exist in America. I do not believe, however, it can be doled out in a minute, or less.