|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
by Maria Liza Spiridon, Co-founder of Justice Forgotten
We often hear complaints about taxpayer money spent on lawyers and courts after a crime. But what about the exorbitant amount of money spent because of the crime? Consider the cost of first responders, police, highway patrol, and other personnel who responded immediately. Consider the cleanup, the repairs, and the hidden costs: trauma therapy, lost wages, and the emotional toll on direct and derivative victims and witnesses. A crime that, in many cases, could have been prevented.
Instead of just focusing on the legal costs, we need to address the root causes of crime. How can we prevent these incidents from happening in the first place? Investing in prevention is a far more effective use of taxpayer funds than simply rehabilitating after lives have been irrevocably changed.
While a fair legal system is essential and a constitutional right, it often fails victims. The public court hearings for Morales highlight this. His family endured a prolonged ordeal when the public defender requested a six-month extension, while the District Attorney was denied an extension and given only two weeks to prepare. This disparity raises serious questions about justice, especially given the strong evidence that could have led to Morales being tried as an adult and the lack of transparency in the juvenile transfer hearing. We need a system that truly delivers justice, not one that adds to the suffering of victims.
“When a wise man points at the moon the imbecile examines the finger.” Confucius
Maria Liza Spiridon
Co-founder of Justice Forgotten
www.justiceforgotten.com
