US Justice system
debeli
Posts: 583
There is much hoo-hah about the recent death in custody of a woman called Sandra Bland.
The story is a very sad one and there are many more facts to be revealed... but one fact among many demonstrated to me the gulf of difference between the justice systems in the UK and the US.
She was found dead in her cell on the morning of her third day in custody. She was speaking to a state trooper who had stopped her car because of a failure to signal. I realise that the situation then escalated, but this was essentially a routine traffic stop that became tetchy, confrontational and then arrest-worthy.
These things happen. But this woman was on her third day in custody still hoping that her family and friends might raise bail for her.
I know the US (state and federal) systems put a lot of store by incarceration, but this aspect alone of this tragic tale makes me jolly glad to live in the UK. There must be more constructive ways to counter stroppy members of the public who won't get out of their car when asked to do so.
The story is a very sad one and there are many more facts to be revealed... but one fact among many demonstrated to me the gulf of difference between the justice systems in the UK and the US.
She was found dead in her cell on the morning of her third day in custody. She was speaking to a state trooper who had stopped her car because of a failure to signal. I realise that the situation then escalated, but this was essentially a routine traffic stop that became tetchy, confrontational and then arrest-worthy.
These things happen. But this woman was on her third day in custody still hoping that her family and friends might raise bail for her.
I know the US (state and federal) systems put a lot of store by incarceration, but this aspect alone of this tragic tale makes me jolly glad to live in the UK. There must be more constructive ways to counter stroppy members of the public who won't get out of their car when asked to do so.
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She was lucky she never had MC patches on her back or they may have just shot her at the side of the road.Trek,,,, too cool for school ,, apparently0
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With so many campaigns for clarity in the legal system, why would anyone want to mess around with a system that is so black and white?To err is human, but to make a real balls up takes a super computer.0
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I didn't have to read beyond the title. If there is money to be made out of the dysfunctionality of a system, it will never get fixed.To err is human, but to make a real balls up takes a super computer.0 -
I'm spending more and more time in the USA and the more I live there, the less I like it.
I would hate to be stopped and I am white. If I were black I would be petrified.
I have an awful lot of friends in the USA who are black and Hispanic and they all have stories of horror stops and this isn't just young people. It can be a woman in her 50's collecting grandchildren from school.
Look at the incarceration rate in the U.S. It is very unpleasant reading.Living MY dream.0 -
Land of the free...0
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Plenty of people die in police custody in the UK Jeez we even gun downed asparky on his way to work on the tube.
The U.S. Is far from perfect but neither r we, access to justice iIs a big problem even the Tories acknowledge this.0 -
Land of the free...
Land of the 2m prison inmates.
5% of the world's population, 25% of the world's prison population. Either 'Mericuns are 5x badder than everyone else, or is a seriously dysfunctional justice and prison system / industry. Know which I reckon. Y'all take care there now.0
