thinklegalwithjanelle

[thinklegalwithjanelle]

Week 7- Privacy & Information

Welcome back one and all to this another blog!!!! For this week, we will be discussing the importance of privacy or confidentiality within the criminal justice system.

Information should only be shared with authorized persons but at times citizen’s private information is shared with unauthorized persons, and usually citizens fear sharing information with law enforcers or other criminal justice workers based on fear that their information will be made known to unauthorized persons.

A lot of citizens saw when crimes were committed but they are afraid of sharing it with law enforcement officers because they may very well lose their lives and often times police officers and gangsters are ‘friends’, so some citizens are cautious as it relates to sharing private information to police officers.

The case of where a witness worked with Police to provide information on the Klansman Gang stated that it was hard to do so because some police officers are friends with these gangsters.

Please see more information on this story here- https://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/working-with-police-was-hard-witness-tells-court/

 Any citizen would love to do good by sharing information with the relevant authorities about crimes that were committed to help solve various cases but it is not always safe to do so, because at times law enforcement officers cannot be trusted and it is not done in a confidential manner.

 See you all next week for more exciting blogs!!!!!!!!!

  Sources- https://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/working-with-police-was-hard-witness-tells-court/

#jcf #confidential

[thinklegalwithjanelle]

Week 6 – Corruption

For this week we will be discussing corruption. So sit back, relax and enjoy.

The question is asked; does corruption exist in the criminal justice system? Yes, it does exist. But is it prevalent? This is what we will find out in this week’s blog.

 Corruption is deep-rooted and entrenched in the criminal justice system mainly because of greed and it is even more prevalent than what we think because when officials are charged with corruption, there is not much penalty or consequences for their actions.

Since officials are not usually given the consequences when they enter into corrupt activities, citizens lose their trust in the Criminal Justice system because if judges, lawyers and police officers are taking part in criminal activities, then citizens will believe that those officials do not have the authority to correct them when they step out of line with the law.

The case of the Jamaican Police officer who was charged with smuggling cocaine from Jamaica to the United States of America was quite surprising and disappointing. When the police officer was arrested, she was still serving in the Jamaica Constabulary Force and has been a part of the force for 18 years.

Imagine! A police officer who should be leading by example is taking part in corruption.

Please see the rest of the story here - https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl/pr/jamaican-police-officer-charged-smuggling-cocaine-jamaica-south-florida-inside-her-body

 Corruption has plagued this nation and it continues to do so by officials within the Criminal Justice System. The government of Jamaica fail to add real penalties to officials who enter into corruption which aids in the prevalence of corruption.

 Source-  https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl/pr/jamaican-police-officer-charged-smuggling-cocaine-jamaica-south-florida-inside-her-body

#jcf #corruption #officials

[thinklegalwithjanelle]

Week 5- Ethical issue- biased judgements

Welcome welcome welcome back to think legal with Janelle, where I blog about ethical issues in the criminal justice system. Sit back! Relax! Do enjoy this blog! If you have questions, or comments, feel free to leave them in the chat.

 For this blog, we will be discussing biased judgements that are always made within the criminal justice system and this is one ethical issue. Interestingly, some decisions are made based on favoritism and prejudice. In the criminal justice sysem, decisions are often times made by Judges, jurors, police officers and soldiers because of prejudice, friendship or even favoritism which is wrong. The criminal justice system should remain impartial and unbiased in all decisions so it can have little to no corruption.

 The question is asked if true justice will be achieved when decisions are made based on prejudice and favoritism and the answer is no. True justice comes from a place of honesty and fairness not necessarily making decisions because you favor the person.

 I have witnessed where law enforcement officers make decisions based on solely knowing the person to whom they are making the decision for. Also, some lawyers are prejudice too and judges who will make a decision because that judge is friends with a particular lawyer or favor that lawyer more than the other. At times, it may be hard to not have close friendships with people but we have to be mindful of how it can thwart our minds when making decisions, especially in the criminal justice system. If there is an issue between the judge and lawyer, it should be stated so another judge can be appointed in the case. This method is important because it lowers prejudice or the judge making a ruling that may be impartial which promotes true justice.

 An example of making decisions based on impartiality is in the case of Mr. Floyd Green who some would argue that he broke covid protocols and was not locked up by members of the Jamaica Constabulary Force but when other citizens does it they are locked up immediately. Please see attached reference below for more information on this case.

  It is important that criminal justice personnel represent themselves in a fair and impartial manner. Decisions made because of favoritism or prejudiced has an effect of an individual’s freedom or even their imprisonment or lives so it is important that decisions be made only out of fairness and as a result I am helping you the blog readers to understand that this issue exists within the CJUS system.

 Stay safe!!! See you all in the next blog to discuss exciting topics!!!!

 Reference- https://www.televisionjamaica.com/primetimenews/video/25750-jcf-rejects-claims-of-bias-in-floyd-green-039-s-case

Image source - https://alcorfund.com/insight/decision-making-biases/

#jcf #ethics

[thinklegalwithjanelle]

Week 4- Ethical issue – “Are Cjus workers superior to the law” ?

Good day to you all and welcome back to think legal with Janelle!!!! I hope that you all have been informed thus far and ready to share in the comments your queries and any other information relating to the blog.

 For today we will be discussing another ethical issue that is prevalent among Law Enforcers and that is the need for more acknowledgement of the law as criminal justice or law enforcers seems to be superior to the law at times, so sit back, relax and be informed.

 The law in Jamaica makes it very clear that each of us must be in accordance of the law and as a result of such, no citizen, government official or law enforcement worker is superior to the law. Hence, the law is important for all of us to acknowledge and as a guide to not overstep.

 Various instances are reported where the law is not observed. This includes two police officers who were charged because they disregarded the disaster risk management act, they also tried to break in a shop and were in possession of illegal firearms but yet there are laws they enforce for the general public to follow with great charges and punishment attached to them but some law enforcers are taking part in criminal activities.

 (Please see link for more information about this case)

   https://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/news/20220106/two-policemen-among-four-persons-charged-kingston

  Again, no one is above the law and it is just right that criminal justice workers observe the law more, even though they enforce the law for others to follow. They should proudly observe the law because by them observing the law, it may influence others to do same because the general public is looking on at times in scrutiny to ensure that not only them is following the laws but also those who have authority to enforce the law.

 At times, it is quite evident how law enforcers do not observe the law and are not charged and citizens will view this to be unfair. One other example is where citizens speed and are charged when they are caught but when Police Officers do so they are not charged even though it is not an emergency case.

 See you all next week for more exciting blogs!!!!!!! Stay safe!!!!

 Reference- https://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/news/20220106/two-policemen-among-four-persons-charged-kingston

Image source -

https://freecolorado.com/2018/07/11/are-police-above-the-law/

#ethics #jcf #citizen #law

[thinklegalwithjanelle]

Week 3:  Ethical issue- Bribery

Welcome you all back to think legal with Janelle!!!! It’s a pleasure to have you all back once more to discuss another ethical issue, sit back, relax and do enjoy this blog.

 For many who probably do not know, there is a difference when someone gives you a gift from someone bribing you. A gift is where an individual receives something from the kindness of the giver but bribery means the gift is used to persuade someone to uphold the wrong of another which is corrupt.  A video will be attached to the blog to explain further what bribery is.

  Often times, members of the criminal justice system are bribed and this is sad because they are breaching ethical guidelines because some criminal justice workers take bribe from the general public but may mistake it as taking a gift when the intent behind the individual giving a sum of money or favors was to just persuade the criminal justice worker from using the full force of the law for whatever crime the individual committed.

 One case of bribery is where Mr. Cain who is a Juror was charged with bribery in the case of popular dancehall artist Vybz Kartel as he was trying to persuade other Jurors in this case. The judge Maxine Ellis in the Kingston and St. Andrew parish court stated that the case was against him. Mr. Cain was previously detained in 2014 during the time Vybz-Kartel and his co accused were to be charged because he offered 500,000 jmd to bribe the other Jurors. A link will be attached to this blog with more information on this case.

 This case was interesting to read and it was unethical because Mr. Cain tried to bribe the other Jurors and justice should not be corrupted based on a specific individual, it must be applied equally to all no matter the race, social status or gender.

 Even though bribery is prevalent in the criminal justice system, the police continues to work on limiting bribery and citizens should desist from bribing officers too and we as citizens can be charged for attempting to bribe law enforcers or other members of the criminal justice system.

 Thank you for tuning in!!!!! see you all soon for blog #4!!! Stay bless!!!!!!!! Stay informed!!!!

  Reference- 

Video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DBHqQDeVa20 

Image source - https://www.freepik.com/premium-vector/giving-money-illegally-unethically-bribery-concept_12843921.htm

https://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/news/20181018/judge-rules-juror-must-answer-charge-trying-bribe-peers

#bribery #gift #jcf #jamaica constabulary force #ethics

[thinklegalwithjanelle]

Week 2- Breaching Human Rights

Welcome back to think legal with Janelle. For this week, we will be discussing “breaches in human right”.

 Human rights are for all and human rights were made to protect you and me across different region and seas. Even so, human rights continue to be breached even with human rights in place. In Jamaica, the Jamaica constitution lays out our rights as citizens. Hence, we have the right to life, right to live in any area of Jamaica, right to security, right to be treated fairly and other rights. Based on chapter III of the Jamaica constitution, the state has a duty to protect and respect the right of citizens.

 An ethical issue is where police violate the rights of citizens by preventing them from enjoying their right to life. Surprisingly, this is still an issue today even though the right to life is inherent and should be taken into consideration and law enforcement officers that infringe on this right should be penalized.

 One example of a case that involves infringing on human right is where Mr George Williams was forgotten in the criminal justice system for 50 years and the director of public prosecution Ms. Paula Llewellyn assisted in his freedom and he wasn’t tried for a case and isn’t at his best to make a petition and no one was there to verify that he in fact committed a crime. Hence, his right to life, liberty and security was infringe upon and also his right to due process.

 For this case, we can see were some of his rights were infringed on by the judiciary and this is not acceptable. Human rights must be protected!

 See you all in the next blog!

 Reference-

Image source - http://internationalpresentationassociation.org/women-children/human-rights/

TVJ (2020, June 25) Man lost in the penal system for 50 years freed [video]

#human rights #law enforcement #constitution #jamaicaconstitution

[thinklegalwithjanelle]

Week 1- Introductory Blog

I want welcome you all to “Think Legal With Janelle”!

 My name is Janelle Roberts and I am a currently attending the Northern Caribbean University. I am pursuing a degree, specifically a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice. I am doing the course Ethics & Jurisprudence and to partially fulfill the requirements for this course, it is required of me to cover six (6) blogs which surrounds ethical issues, specifically in the Criminal Justice System.

 Some of you may not know what Ethics is, which is completely fine because I am here to heighten your knowledge about Ethics and a video will be attached to this blog that you can check out within your free time.

 Ethics is very important, even in the Criminal Justice System and when Criminal Justice workers perform ethical standards, it ensures that each citizen is treated fairly and just. So, ethics is basically when a question or choice to be made clashes with morals and at times different aspects of the criminal justice system experiences ethical issues.

  With that being said, each blog promises to be informative, interesting and will cover one ethical issue.

 See you in the next blog!!!

 Reference- https://youtu.be/u399XmkjeXo?t=1

 https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.istockphoto.com%2Fphotos%2Fcode-of-ethics&psig=AOvVaw25b8Elj7unnLJQvwZDZjeI&ust=1645128363446000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CAsQjRxqFwoTCODfiPCChfYCFQAAAAAdAAAAABAD

#ethics #criminal justice