Youth Criminal Justice “To what extent is the justice system fair and equitable for youth?”
Fair Consistent with rules, logic, or ethics In other words fair is… just, equitable, impartial, unprejudiced, unbiased, objective, dispassionate, free from favoritism, self-interest, preference
Impartial emphasizes lack of favoritism Unprejudiced means without preconceived opinions or judgments Unbiased implies absence of a preference Dispassionate means free from or unaffected by strong emotions
Equitable Free from bias in judgment: In other words equitable is… disinterested, dispassionate, fair, fair- minded, impartial, indifferent, just, nonpartisan, objective, square, unbiased, unprejudiced.
Discussion Questions Why do you think the justice system needs to be fair? Do you think the justice system is fair? What are you basing your judgment on? Is it a fair evaluation?
Blind Justice Why would you want justice to be blind? What would you want justice to weigh in the balance?
Did you know… Since the Renaissance, Justitia has frequently been depicted as a matron carrying a sword and measuring balances, and sometimes wearing a blindfold. Her modern iconography, which frequently adorns courthouses and courtrooms, conflates the attributes of several goddesses who embodied Right Rule for Greeks and Romans, blending Roman blindfolded Fortuna (luck) with Hellenistic Greek Tyche (fate), and sword-carrying Nemesis (vengeance) Justitia is most often depicted with a set of weighing scales typically suspended from her left hand, upon which she measures the strengths of a case's support and opposition. She is also often seen carrying a double-edged sword in her right hand, symbolizing the power of Reason and Justice, which may be wielded either for or against any party. As stated above, Lady Justice is often depicted wearing a blindfold. This is done in order to indicate that justice is (or should be) meted out objectively, without fear or favor, regardless of identity, money, power, or weakness:
Student Task Journal Prompt # 9