Throughout Frank Schmalleger's Criminal Justice: A Brief Introduction, there are freedom versus safety questions that are left up to debate for the reader. Take for example the following portion of text for review,
"In 2009, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas spoke to a group of high school essay contest winners in a Washington, D.C., hotel ballroom. Thomas used the occasion, which was dedicated to our nation's Bill of Rights, to point out the importance of obligations as well as rights. 'Today there is much focus on our rights,' said Thomas. 'Indeed, I think there is a proliferation of rights.' But then he went on to say, 'I am often surprised by the virtual nobility that seems to be accorded those with grievances. Shouldn't there at least be equal time for our Bill of Obligations and our Bill of Responsibilities?' The challenge for the criminal justice system today, it seems, is to balance individual rights and personal freedoms with social control and respect for legitimate authority. Years ago, during the height of what was then a powerful movement to win back control of our nation's cities and to rein in skyrocketing crime rates, the New York Post sponsored a conference on crime and civil rights. The keynote speaker at that conference was the mayor of New York, Rudolph W. Giuliani. In his speech, Giuliani, who sought the Republican nomination as a presidential candidate in 2008 identified the tension between personal freedoms and individual responsibilities as the crux of the crime problem then facing his city and the nation. We mistakenly look to government and elected officials, Giuliani said, to assume responsibility for solving the problem of crime when, instead, each individual citizen must become accountable for fixing what is wrong with our society. 'We only see the oppressive side of authority... What we don't see is that freedom is not a concept in which people can do anything they want, be anything they can be. Freedom is about authority. Freedom is about the willingness of every single human being to cede to lawful authority a great deal of discretion about what you do.' You Decide How can we, as suggested by Justice Thomas, achieve a balance of rights and obligations in American Society? What did Giuliani mean when he said, 'What we don't see is that freedom is not a concept in which people can do anything they want, be anything they can be'? Is it possible to balance individual rights and personal freedoms with social control and respect for legitimate authority" (Schmalleger, 2017)? Prompted critical thinking questions such as these allow the reader/learner to develop their own thoughts about freedom, safety, and the criminal justice system. What are your thoughts? Reference: Schmalleger, F. (2017). Criminal justice. Place of publication not identified: Pearson. In this 21st century world we live in, technology is a normal part of everyday life. A digital alarm clock wakes us up in the morning. We make a quick phone call before we get to our desk to send that important email. We use an app on our cell phone to make dinner reservations. The list goes on and on. Yet, how often do you think about how you could implement this technology to your career?
Are you a judicial officer still shuffling around a thousand different pieces of paper into hundreds of different files? Maybe one of these court data entry systems would work for you. If you are currently a law enforcement officer then, is your unit currently utilizing public safety software such as Spillman Technologies? You would be amazed at the difference technology can make in your work setting if you are willing to do a little research, take a chance, and learn something new. |
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