Some cases take too long to complete and deliver justice. Zain’s case shows the importance of conducting background checks when hiring people charged with dispensing justice. By virtue of his position, Zain was expected to ensure that the people guilty of committing offenses were handed the appropriate sentences. As such, his work required that he be objective and professional. The American criminal justice system has a history of injustice, mainly because there have been wrongful convictions. Over the years, there have been convictions that have been overturned after those convicted have spent years and maybe decades in prison. Racial minorities have been the main victims of injustice in the criminal justice system because of prejudicial prosecutors and juries (Western & Wildeman, 2009). For instance, David McCallum was wrongfully convicted of murder when he was only 16 years. He spent 28 years in jail before the conviction was overturned which means that he wasted the best years of his youth locked up in prison for a murder he did not commit (Saul & Greene, 2014). Had the people charged with dispensing justice done their job with the sole objective of ensuring justice and not a conviction, McCallum would not have been wrongfully convicted. Efforts to reform the criminal justice system and minimize wrongful convictions would ensure that those who are hired to examine evidence and dispense justice are individuals that are ethical and have the skills and competencies required to perform their duties ethically and professionally. Having background checks helps to ensure that those who are hired in criminal justice meet these criteria.
Zain’s case also shows that there is a need to have both the defense attorney and prosecutors present when confirming that the evidence collected matches the suspect to the crime. Zain was able to conduct illegal activities to enhance his reputation because there was no oversight. Immediately DNA testing was introduced, the justice system found it difficult to apportion crimes to those who did not commit them. While there are people that are still being wrongfully convicted, the introduction of more scientifically sound methods of testing evidence validity has minimized wrongful convictions. There is a need for the criminal justice system to employ more advanced technology and checks and balances to ensure that people charged with ensuring justice perform their jobs ethically and professionally. Additionally, creating checks and balances would ensure that the police department does not have the monotony of determining whether a piece of evidence should be attributed to a suspect.
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Finally, to effectively eliminate wrongful convictions, there is a need for law enforcement and state prosecutors to do their jobs properly. To achieve this, the police and criminal justice departments must undergo a cultural change. The institutions must develop and entrench cultures that enhance the dispensation of justice as opposed to increasing conviction numbers. As the system is currently set up, the police and criminal justice departments are usually more focused on securing convictions as opposed to determining the truth (Western & Wildeman, 2009). Without a cultural change, the criminal justice system and law enforcement will continue to determine the guilt of suspects based on how they look or from where they come. Such a trend betrays the very core objective of the criminal justice system. The word ‘justice’ can be equated to fairness, meaning that people get what they deserve. When those charged with ensuring that justice is dispensed are not focused on attaining justice but convictions, it defeats the essence of having a criminal justice department. A change in culture would lead to more focus on treating all criminals without prejudice and ensuring that justice is served.
References
Saul, J., & Greene, L. (2014). Man wrongfully convicted of murder freed after 28 years. New York Post. Retrieved 9 November 2019, from https://nypost.com/2014/10/15/man-wrongfully-convicted-of-murder-freed-after-28-years/
Western, B., & Wildeman, C. (2009). The black family and mass incarceration. The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science , 621 (1), 221-242.
