Allowing Eons of Unequal Justice is where Today Adults fail Tomorrow Leaders

Ask the questions of those who commit crimes and often you may get the answer that it’s the only way that they know how to survive.  There is no truth in that statement but many who ask really could care less about the answer or a solution so it’s widely accepted and we all move on.  But if you want to really know the real reason, the ultimate excuse which can be proven, it is the years and years of unequal justice found permeating from within our justice system.  Many have talked about it and some have even made some attempts to deal with it but soon they either run out of energy or just plainly give up.  All the while those who they say could do better can’t because the process doesn't allow them to.

If you are financially well-off, then justice will be something you think nothing about and often you will take for justice.  If you are not financially well-off then justice will be something you may never know about.  Justice for most people are everyone having to follow the same rules and if I commit an infraction, I get the same sentence as you do for making that same choice considering all things equal.  But all things are never equal, one may receive a break that no other may get and it’s all trending toward your defense team unless of course you are a poor white person or a minority then you is at the mercy of your public defender, good luck with that.

For years, the public defender office here in Winnebago County has left so many lives ripped apart that it is pathetic and no records are kept of it.  No local investigative reporter has looked into this story and none will if they wish to continue doing that job.  Our local public defender officers show up only to hear what the prosecution is proposing then present this to their client, not once considering the innocence of any of them.  When the law says that if you cannot afford an attorney, one will be afforded for you, they literally mean one of their own will go through the motions but never really offer any effort.  That my friends are unequal justice.

Unequal justice is also where the prosecutors get in a habit of not even trying to prepare properly for a case because they know the defense will be weak and will go along with anything they say.  The millions of young lives being ruined here in this very county extends far beyond this county.  Now they have a record which will prevent them from ever being able to turn their lives around because no matter what they do, that charge will be with them and the seal broken if the need ever arises.  Many who faces this system, knows that they are not going to get a fair shake so they choose the lesser of two evils and accepts that plea bargain.  Some will find the strength to overcome it while the majority keeps running into that brick wall and finally gives up.

Now they feel their only course is crime so they embrace it and seek to find the honor in doing something that will never be honorable.  Maybe one day, Hollywood will make a story about them but that is the best that they can hope for.  This is the condition we leave our world to our children because none of us found the courage or backbone to stop this trend or make the changes.  Everyone runs to their individual corners and whisper “as long as it’s not me” only to find some years later that because of our inaction, the sin of doing nothing has now been visited upon our children.  Good job.