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Is it really fair?
Aug. 30th, 2024 01:30 amA big problem I see with law law as currently implemented is that there are a lot of extra, unacknowledged punishments for anyone that isn't well off.
What happens if you are held without bail or you can't afford to pay bail? Unless your trail comes *really* quick, you are going to lose your job. You are going to lose your apartment. and you are going to lose all your possessions that weren't on you when you were arrested.
That seems to me to be more than a bit unreasonable. Especially if you are eventually found not guilty. Even if you *are* found guilty, those losses aren't counted against any fines you may have to pay. That's even *more* unreasonable.
Sure, to make things "fair" would be a major pain and cost a lot. But the alternative is definitely unjust.
So, at a minimum, your things would have to be put in storage at no cost to you. And something would have to be done about your job and your living situation.Arrangements for you to get something equivalent when you get out maybe.
And your lost income should count as part of any fines imposed. And, at least *before* trial, money should be set aside to compensate you for that lost income if you weren't convicted.
If you were convicted there'd be all sorts of arguments about what should be done with that money.
Now consider, those two things *alone* would make the justice system to work a *lot* harder at having speedy trials instead of the months and even *years* long waits we see now. It'd be *cheaper* to hire the extra judges, lawyers, etc to get things settled in a timely manner.
Before objecting "but what if they are guilty?" please consider that loss of job, possessions etc *is* a punishment no matter how much we ignore it currently. As such, it is often *excessive*. And even when it isn't, since it's ignored, it may make the official punishment excessive.
What happens if you are held without bail or you can't afford to pay bail? Unless your trail comes *really* quick, you are going to lose your job. You are going to lose your apartment. and you are going to lose all your possessions that weren't on you when you were arrested.
That seems to me to be more than a bit unreasonable. Especially if you are eventually found not guilty. Even if you *are* found guilty, those losses aren't counted against any fines you may have to pay. That's even *more* unreasonable.
Sure, to make things "fair" would be a major pain and cost a lot. But the alternative is definitely unjust.
So, at a minimum, your things would have to be put in storage at no cost to you. And something would have to be done about your job and your living situation.Arrangements for you to get something equivalent when you get out maybe.
And your lost income should count as part of any fines imposed. And, at least *before* trial, money should be set aside to compensate you for that lost income if you weren't convicted.
If you were convicted there'd be all sorts of arguments about what should be done with that money.
Now consider, those two things *alone* would make the justice system to work a *lot* harder at having speedy trials instead of the months and even *years* long waits we see now. It'd be *cheaper* to hire the extra judges, lawyers, etc to get things settled in a timely manner.
Before objecting "but what if they are guilty?" please consider that loss of job, possessions etc *is* a punishment no matter how much we ignore it currently. As such, it is often *excessive*. And even when it isn't, since it's ignored, it may make the official punishment excessive.
