Throughout the first half of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Sirius Black poses a threat as a dangerous prisoner who has escaped Azkaban. According to rumors from the Ministry of Magic, Sirius Black has escaped in order to target Harry Potter, a third-year student at Hogwarts School of Wizardry. From the beginning of the book, Harry must take cautious measures to avoid being detected by Sirius Black, often with the help of the caring adults around him. The focus on Sirius Black is intriguing from the beginning, yet Rowling purposely does not reveal the truth behind Black’s conviction until the end of the book. Rather, the information we as readers gather about Sirius Black is only through gossip and the media. The controversy surrounding Black’s imprisonment and escape reveals the issues within the criminal justice system of the Wizarding World that is mirrored in reality as well. As Harry Potter and his peers continue through their third year at Hogwarts, several …show more content…
According to Rowling, Azkaban is guarded by dementors and is supposedly inescapable. When the truth about Peter Pettigrew’s betrayal and Sirius Black’s loyalty to James Potter is revealed, it is confirmed that the criminal justice system of the Wizarding World did not conduct a fair trial for Sirius Black, and they falsely kept him in imprisonment. This means that even without a fair trial, Black spent a large portion of his life in Azkaban guarded by dementors. According to Hagrid, who was once in Azkaban for a short period of time before being found innocent, the dementors don’t care. “Long as they’ve got a couple o’ hundred humans stuck there with ‘em, so they can leech all the happiness out of ‘em, they don’t give a damn who’s guilty an’ who’s not.” (p. 221). Hagrid’s insight reveals the inhumane psychological torture of the Azkaban prison system, which is especially wrong for innocent
In the documentary 13th by director Ava DuVernay, a racial stigma is investigated regarding the skin colors of those being incarcerated in the U.S. prison systems. Some questions being introduced in 13th leave us intrigued and those relate to the presidents at the time handling every situation differently. Those questions and many more will be answered along with a critique of the handling by those in power regarding incarceration. Many symbols with meaning are introduced in 13th, such as the whites power over the media, their exaggeration of the release of Birth of a Nation and the presidency itself. The documentary goes in-depth into the incarceration of many blacks, and it does that with the questions it asks.
Author and lawyer Bryan Stevenson chronicles the unjust and inhumane stories of multiple prisoners throughout the South. He tries to appeal and save each individual from unethical sentences that were handed down upon them. Stevenson uses this book as way to shine a very bright light on the unfair practices and sentences that consistently happen throughout American court rooms to the mentally ill and the vulnerable. He is able to provide a prologue for each prisoner and case he encounters that provides crucial information that can potentially alter whether each client would end up dying in prison, or have the potential to see life outside of cement walls and bars. Stevenson is able to show readers the unfair practices of not only prosecutors
When the quiet Arkansas town was perturbed by the murder of three young boys, a scapegoat was necessary. The town had never had to deal with any terrible situation of such degree before. In order to ensure someone was punished for the murders, the prosecution pursued a group of three boys who “fit the part” so to speak. Simply because they were unintelligent or wore black, they were prosecuted and, perhaps, wrongfully convicted for twenty years. It is impossible to say whether the conviction of the boys was wrongful, and therein lies the problem.
Ava Duvernay's documentary "13th" does a great job of capturing the problems with the criminal justice system in North America. It draws attention to problems with excessive minority representation and racial injustices in the system. This paper will examine the central issue and main message explored in the documentary "13th". It will also explore my initial reaction to the film and whether any specific case or facts challenged my pre-existing views on the prison system. Additionally, a comparative analysis will be conducted between the intersection of race, crime, and criminal justice in Canada and what is presented in "13th".
Finally, at the end of the article Girault exposes the ruling of the Booker vs. United States (2005) case by alluding the outcome of SRA was unconstitutional and was in conflict with its goal, however, the Supreme Court feared to many prisoner would be released. (Girault 230) After using personal anecdote of his own experience on receiving a stuff sentence as a first time offender and using credible sources, Eric Girault urges the reader to get on board with the only logical thing to do is to completely over turn the
Just like Kalief, 97% of the African Americans who are currently sitting in prison never saw a trial (Averick, 2016). The criminal justice system stopped being about who guilty or innocent, but rather on the amount of money greedy white-privileged men can earn based on the number of people in a prison. Kalief Browder endured physical and emotional pain, for a crime later shown he didn’t commit. Browder was released after the charges were dropped, but two years after, he died by suicide (Averick, 2016). The life of Kalief Browder and his family will forever be scarred because of a system who sees people as dollar signs.
Michelle Alexander explains how our society uses Mass Incarceration to control those in the African American community starting with the War on Drugs. She discusses how slavery and Jim crow were used to control the African American community, and when those ideas became stale government officials were searching for a new way to control the community. Thus, Mass Incarceration became the new caste system. This book has opened my eyes in various aspects. I have a better understand of the justice system after reading this book that I have had from watching the news and other media outlets.
In conclusion "Just Mercy" serves as a powerful portrayal of racial bias in the criminal justice system during the late 20th century. Bryan Stevensons' narratives shed light on systemic injustices faced by African Americans and other marginalized communities. Supported by media sources such as The New York Times' report on racial disparities in criminal justice and scholarly articles on sentencing disparities based on race "Just Mercy" effectively demonstrates how pervasive this issue was. "Just Mercy," continues to show that it provokes contemplation expertly leads readers on an introspective journey through the shadows of our criminal justice system where we are confronted with the heartbreaking consequences resulting from racial bias. Through riveting narratives
The Jail and The New Jim Crow both describe how our justice system is generally based on people’s conceptions of things, and how our own justice system is creating a new way of discriminating people by labeling, incarcerating the same disreputables and lower class that have come to be labeled as the rabble class. In chapter two, of The New Jim Crow, supporting the claim that our justice system has created a new way of segregating people; Michelle Alexander describes how the process of mass incarceration actually works and how at the end the people that we usually find being arrested, sent to jail, and later on sent to prison, are the same low class persons’ with no knowledge and resources. These people commit petty crimes that cost them their
One of the main strengths of Berryhill’s book is its toughness. The author has done extensive research into the case, and the book is packed with details about the legal proceedings and the people involved. Berryhill’s writing style is clear and engaging, and he does an excellent job of bringing the story to life for the reader. He also provides valuable historical context about the criminal justice system in Texas during the 1960’s and 1970’s, which helps the readers understand the broader implications of Brown’s case. Another strength of the book is its focus on the human aspect of the story.
Individuals residing in these areas experienced high incarceration rates and widespread mistrust about the criminal justice system's ability to serve justice. Alexander thoroughly dives into the negative effects of mass incarceration on the prison population, especially in minority populations. She explores the history and the sociological effects that have led up to and resulted in this continuous predicament. In the novel, Alexander stated, “The collateral consequences of a criminal record, such as restrictions on voting, housing, and employment, create a permanent underclass of individuals who are unable to fully participate in society.” (Alexander 140).
“there were in 2005 some 9 million prisoners in the world, more than two were being held in the United States.” More prisoners are in the United States, some have committed big crimes and some were locked for committing violent. The author describes that more black man are on prisons, some are high school dropouts and some are just working men. The author considers this issue as more than technical issue. The author connects the Nation of Jailers as his personal issue.
They were hanged from chains and whipped till they were no longer able to scream. This unjust treatment was aimed to tame mental individual from “lashing out.” Their mental conditions were unrecognized; they were forced to endure harsh “punishments” due to their mental state of mind. The stand
The consequences of crime are explored in The Other Wes Moore, the book shows the impact of the criminal justice systems on both lives of Moores and how it can affect many different people. On page Page 147 the other Wes Moore robbed a bank, this led to him getting sent to jail. One wes moore was able to avoid getting caught up in the criminal justice system, while the other wes was sentenced to life in prison because of a robbery. After the other wes was arrested and now he currently spends life in prison (Page 157). The book highlights significant consequences that can result from involvement in crime, and the ways the criminal justice system can shape a person’s future.
Learning the significance in regards towards the criminal justice system, and noticing certain aspects and turning points made me realize just how important it is to continue to progress and overcome over every situation we may come across in our life. Both concepts of the books acknowledge the hardships that inmates face and provides many positive examples of how individuals overcame them. As for Mr. Smith Goes to Prison Jeff Smith discussed prison reform and his own personal experience in the prison system he had experienced. Jeff Smith's lifetime of advocacy and civil service make him perfectly suited to write this insightful and damning account of our Criminal Justice System.