Greetings, All! Dwayne, here!
Thank you Ms. Snyder for opening this subject up for discussion -- it is long past due. Keeping in mind that my perspective is from growing up and living in Canada all my life; however, I still see a great number of commonalities b/w the American CJS (Criminal justice System) and the same here in Canada. My perspective also comes from working both sides of the bars -- I have been a jailer, and I have been a prisoner; and part of my current work is as a Peer-Counsellor in a variety of fields, including ex-cons.
What I have seen, over my 50+ years, is an unsettling disconnect among the various parts of the CJS. The Prosecutor, the Defence Attorney, the Police, Department of Corrections, Mental/Medical Health History, the Judge, and the Defendant him/herself -- each and every part brings their perspective to the Courtroom; and, each one thinks their side of the story is the most accurate. Some parts of each story -- often vital parts -- don't get heard! And then, when issues of Mental Health status are added-in, it is as if the entire courtroom shakes their heads, "Ah! here we go again..." AND, if those Mental Health issues stem from previous abuses suffered as a child, it is as if the whole place takes a collective gasp and thinks, "Woah! It's locked-in now!" And yet, each party has their own version of "what" is locked-in and "why". Unfortunately, I have NEVER seen full disclosure of every aspect of any case, taken into consideration... And, thus, "Justice" is not fully served.
Then, after the trial and sentence, after any rehab and probation, a new factor gets added-in -- the Community. Once the "defendant" has become the "ex-con", most of all the other perspectives drift away and no longer matter. The ex-con... Mental- Health client... abuse survivor becomes isolated and withdrawn. Why?!? Because the majority of the Community refuses to acknowledge Court-appointed rehab & treatment programs as being effective enough to satisfy Society's craving for "punishment"... that's right, I did not say "Justice". In the end, all Society wants (in my own opinion) is "punishment". We, as a Society, have not evolved beyond the cry for gladiatorial "sport". As a group and as individuals, we so refuse to acknowledge our own insecurities, that we act on the "better" option of dragging a person through the dirt of their past mistakes... rather than deal with our own journey.
And, where does that leave the abuse survivor... the Mental Health client... the ex-con? Alone... unsure... unable to establish an effective support-system... drowning in their own past.
Peace & Blessings,
Rev. L. Dwayne Decker