What Are The Pros And Cons Of The Criminal Justice System
Assignment 5: Persuasive Paper Part 3: Possible Disadvantages, Answers, with Visuals Celebrity DUI , The Law And The Get Out of Jail Free Card
Research & Writing 12/8/2013
Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan, Amanda Bynes, Khloe Khardasian, Brandy Norwood and Mel Gibson are famous celebrities best known for their Hollywood status and onscreen behaviors. The celebs mentioned are also famous for their off-screen behaviors (DUI arrests.) Now we don’t ever like to think ill of these famous people, or look at them in the negative , as they entertain us, make us smile and we often spend our free time watching their craft. It makes you wonder if justice is blinded by the shine of a “Superstars” status? Briskman asked the question, “Have the criminal implications of breaking the law for celebrities lapsed over the years? Or have celebrities realized that, thanks to their popularity and financial prosperity, top-notch attorneys are able to side step the traditional harsh penalties?”(Briskman,2010.) The constitution of the United States begins with the three words, “We The People” and that stands for all people. Our criminal justice system needs to be …show more content…
reminded of the beginning of our constitution when sentencing occurs. We as a people of this civilized nation need to take some responsibility for the bias of our criminal justice system. We lift and hoist the celebrities to a high pedestal and treat them with such high regard that an obvious boundary needs to be made clear. We as a people need to not tolerate this type of injustice. We need to make our voices heard and hold those accountable if this type of behavior continues. It seems that, if you are famous, make an “error in judgment,” and wind up on the wrong side of the law, your chance of coming out unscathed is highly likely. The average person does not have this opportunity or chance to escape severe punishment because they do not have the same access to the resources as those with celebrity. The average person is not provided with the same number of chances or opportunities to get his or herself together if there has been repeated trouble with the law. It seems as though, if you have celebrity status coupled with a lot of money, you will be able to get a great lawyer who will persuade the court to rule in the favor of the celebrity.
There seems to be a flaw in the criminal justice system.
It has become increasingly apparent that justice is not blind to the status of the defendant. This indeed is a huge problem. The criminal justice system “needs to look beyond celebrity status and financial and view every person as someone who has broken the law.” (Briskman, 2010). Often celebrities are given lighter sentences, rehabilitation or extensive lengths of probation as punishment, which is unfair to say the least. Surely the welfare and concern for safety would be considered at sentencing but this isn’t considered in most cases. If celebrities are allowed to simply pay fines to extend their freedom, why is this not being extended to the common
man?
From a moral perspective, what type of message are we sending to all people when celebrities are allowed to get probation for criminal offenses? I feel as if we are also sending a message a bad message to children and that message is that if you have status or celebrity, you are above the law. ? We need to make sure that we teach all people law doesn’t work for some us but all of us. We also need to hold those accountable when they show a bias to celebrity. We are giving too much power to the famous and we are making them feel privileged. Although a person has attained celebrity status, it doesn’t mean that status should be regarded higher than the law.
In order for society to get a handle on the difference of treatment of criminal actions by the famous verses the common man, we need to take a hard look at ourselves and determine why we allow this to occur. We cannot fault the criminal justice system alone for allowing fame to get celebrities off more easily, as human nature seems to step in to allow those we admire and enjoy to get a break. The key to success with the law should not be based upon status. Success with the law, should be based upon the facts, evidence and the truth. In order to stop this trend, we the people have to stand up for the common and not allow this to continue. We are the people who made these people, so we are the ones to make sure they know all people matter. We as a people need to make to protest some of the sponsors and TV studios. We need to make sure our voices are heard. The solution for eliminating preferential treatment celebrities get when arrested for DUI seems simple, hold celebrities accountable for their behavior. This would be a multi-tiered approach providing a longterm solution. The criminal justice system, when it comes to charging and prosecuting celebrities, needs to look beyond celebrity status and financial resources and view every person as someone who has broken the law. The first step towards a solution should involve some type of pledge made from the judicial system to show the American public that they can be fair in their practices. The pledge will demonstrate that the justice system will always give a fair ruling. This major step would make a profound statement about our system of criminal justice. This message would resonate deeply in the Hollywood Hills. Surely, if celebrities were no longer allowed to simply pay a fine or have a long probation to extend their freedom they would be more inclined to curb their behaviors. A pledge by the criminal justice system would also send a greater message of equality, to the common man of these United States. The worst extreme was, Martha Stewart from when she was arraigned on charges of insider trading. She received five months in a minimum security prison and then five years of house arrest. Did her life become affected by this tragedy? It did not, and she is still making money with her brand at K-Mart, as well as hosting her shows and writing her books, which still bring her in a pretty penny.
Another solution would be to use social media to report on these infractions by celebrities. Some people think that social media entities like TMZ or Hollywood Insider are crude and bash celebrities when they are caught doing wrong. I tend to disagree. Social media outlets will inform us of the wrongdoings of celebrities and detail the biased treatment celebs receive. There is no official watchdog group to monitor the justice given to those with status so why should we not allow TMZ to report the findings. There is difference between an invasion of privacy and reporting a crime. Criminal actions under most circumstances would be considered public record.
Celebrities should not feel a sense of entitlement or be given preferential treatment under no circumstances when a legal violation has occurred. We as a people need to make a clear argument about the “free passes” that celebrities get when in trouble with the law. We need to take a stand and make it clear that celebrity status does not automatically qualify you for some type of immunity when crimes are committed. Society as a whole must send a strong message to Hollywood, “clean up your act, no more free passes.” We need to make sure we have life skills classes to demonstrate good and acceptable behavior. We also need to hold those who provide this preferential treatment accountable. Our law enforcement officials and criminal justice officials also need to be held accountable for letting celebrities off the hook. We can no longer accept things as “that’s just the way it is” we have to make people responsible for their actions.
The key is to speak up. If we don’t illustrate the preferential treatment given to celebrities as a criminal act they will go unnoticed and unpunished. We have to show the statistics and use previous cases as a precedent. We also have to use the social media outlets. If we draw attention to these cases we have a better chance of it getting noticed by more people which will give more weight to the cause. TV Shows like Access Hollywood and Entertainment tonight seem to gloss over the celebrity infractions with the law. Saturday Night Live creates parodies and mocks celebrity run-ins with the law so which explains why at times celebrities are given a pass. We also need to show our children this is not the moral compass to live by. We need to make it clear that having money may put you in a different income bracket but it does not allow you free reign to do whatever you feel. We need to not only educate our children about right or wrong but we need to make sure they do not emulate the negative behaviors exhibited by celebrities.
Ultimately, everyday people need to hold those who are able to impact laws accountable. While criminal penalties have not loosened over time, there have been loopholes contributing to the early release of the rich-and-famous. It is highly possible that the court system does not want to make the time to deal with the mistakes that many celebrities so often make.
Oddly enough it causes scandals, news coverage, increased publicity and scrutiny. Society has to prioritize what is important. We don’t like to think that the celebrities who we know and love could do any wrong. While there have been many to get in trouble with the law and somehow evade a harsh penalty before we need to make a concerted effort to stop this trend. If we are to believe in our justice system we need to make sure justice is able to see beyond status.
A possible disadvantage to making celebrities more accountable to their preferential treatment would be a backlash from celebrities. Celebrities could argue that they are being discriminated against because of position or social standing. Celebrities could argue that they too work hard and have every right to the best counsel they can afford. The Miranda states that “ if you can afford an attorney on will be appointed to you..” Most celebrities are able to afford a good attorney or multiple attorneys and in theory this should have not baring on how the law treats them.
From a legal standpoint, a disadvantage could be the creation of a legal precedent that could affect future cases. The reality of the situation is that for most of the time, sentencing is light, from anything to anger management classes to drug rehabilitation center which could cause repeat offenses. Is it because they have high-paid lawyers that can win any argument against the best district attorney’s which could be the cause reversals of previous cases due to preferential treatment. There could be countless guilty verdicts overturned if it is proven that preferential treatmen, were given to those with celebrity status. Any reversals of cases would provide catastrophic results to economic, political and moral standings.
Ultimately, the answers for this issue lies with all people. The reality of the situation is that for most of the time, sentencing is light, from anything to anger management classes to drug rehab. Drunk driving is a serious and potentially deadly offense and we never lack of Public Service Announcements or MADD Commercials. However, it also appears to be one of the favorite pastimes of high profile celebrities. Therefore, in this day and age of the Hollywood role model how are people to take drunk driving seriously if the rich and famous are laughing it off? We have to make sure that our law makers and criminal justice is working for all of us and not some of us. We cannot simply complain about what has happened but we need to change things for the better. DUI’s are serious offense and it needs to be taken seriously all of the time. We need to make sure that social status, position are not considered when a DUI has been committed. We need to make sure that the sentencing guidelines are the same for all regardless of creed, color, gender or bank account. People need to remember that mistakes and accidents happen to all people . We as a society truly need to be fair to one another. The national blood alcohol level is .08, but the drunk driving laws are different in each state and that is the only difference that should matter
Shining Some Light on Celebrity DUIs: 2006-2010
Michelle Rodriguez (The Fast and the Furious): Dec. 1,2005. 2nd DUI. 5 days in jail$500 fines
Paris Hilton (Reality TV): Sep. 6, 2006. 0.08 B.A.C. 3 years probation. $1,500 in fines.
Nicole Richie (Reality TV): Dec. 11, 2006. 96 hours in jail.
Mike Tyson (Boxer): Dec. 29, 2006. 24 hours in jail. 3 years probation.
Khloe Kardashian (Reality TV): Mar. 4, 2007. 30 days in jail.
Lindsay Lohan (Mean Girls): May 31 and Jul. 24, 2007. 96 hours in jail. 180 days electronic monitoring. Other drugs involved.
Keifer Sutherland (24): Sep. 25, 2007. 4th DUI. 48 days in jail. 5 years probation.
Scott Weiland (Stone Temple Pilots): Nov. 21, 2007. 192 hours in jail. $2,000 in fines.
Richie Sambora (Bon Jovi): Mar. 25, 2008. 3 years probation.
Carmelo Anthony (NBA player): Apr. 14, 2008. 0.148 B.A.C. $1,049 in fines.
Craig Robinson (Pineapple Express): Jun. 29, 2008. 2nd DUI. 3 years probation.
Shia LaBeouf (Transformers): Jul. 27, 2008. 1 year suspended license.
Charles Barkley (Former NBA player): Dec. 31, 2008. 0.149 B.A.C. 10 days in jail.
Chris Klein (American Pie): Jun 16, 2010. 2nd DUI. 0.20 B.A.C. $1,800 in fines.
References
Barnett, D. (2007). Hollywood Celebrities above the Law. Entertainment Scene 360. Retrieved 11/16/2013, from http://www.entertainmentscene360.com.
Briskman, M. (2010, October). Get Out of Jail Free Card: Fame and Money. Law Commentator. Retrieved 11/16/2013, from http://www.lawcommentator.com Topher (2011, March). Celebrity DUI Arrests of Last 5 Years. Total Dui Blog. Retrieved 11/15/2013, fromhttp://www.totaldui.com/blog/celebrity-dui.
Laurie (2007, July). Celebrities Arrested for DUI. Yahoo Voices. Retrieved 12/8/2013., from http://voices.yahoo.com/celebrities-arrested-dui
Duke (2013, October) Lamar Odom pleads not guilty to DUI. CNN Entertainment. Retrieved 12/8/2013, from http://www.cnn.com/2013/10/09/showbiz
http://www.totaldui.com
Research & Writing 12/8/2013
Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan, Amanda Bynes, Khloe Khardasian, Brandy Norwood and Mel Gibson are famous celebrities best known for their Hollywood status and onscreen behaviors. The celebs mentioned are also famous for their off-screen behaviors (DUI arrests.) Now we don’t ever like to think ill of these famous people, or look at them in the negative , as they entertain us, make us smile and we often spend our free time watching their craft. It makes you wonder if justice is blinded by the shine of a “Superstars” status? Briskman asked the question, “Have the criminal implications of breaking the law for celebrities lapsed over the years? Or have celebrities realized that, thanks to their popularity and financial prosperity, top-notch attorneys are able to side step the traditional harsh penalties?”(Briskman,2010.) The constitution of the United States begins with the three words, “We The People” and that stands for all people. Our criminal justice system needs to be …show more content…
reminded of the beginning of our constitution when sentencing occurs. We as a people of this civilized nation need to take some responsibility for the bias of our criminal justice system. We lift and hoist the celebrities to a high pedestal and treat them with such high regard that an obvious boundary needs to be made clear. We as a people need to not tolerate this type of injustice. We need to make our voices heard and hold those accountable if this type of behavior continues. It seems that, if you are famous, make an “error in judgment,” and wind up on the wrong side of the law, your chance of coming out unscathed is highly likely. The average person does not have this opportunity or chance to escape severe punishment because they do not have the same access to the resources as those with celebrity. The average person is not provided with the same number of chances or opportunities to get his or herself together if there has been repeated trouble with the law. It seems as though, if you have celebrity status coupled with a lot of money, you will be able to get a great lawyer who will persuade the court to rule in the favor of the celebrity.
There seems to be a flaw in the criminal justice system.
It has become increasingly apparent that justice is not blind to the status of the defendant. This indeed is a huge problem. The criminal justice system “needs to look beyond celebrity status and financial and view every person as someone who has broken the law.” (Briskman, 2010). Often celebrities are given lighter sentences, rehabilitation or extensive lengths of probation as punishment, which is unfair to say the least. Surely the welfare and concern for safety would be considered at sentencing but this isn’t considered in most cases. If celebrities are allowed to simply pay fines to extend their freedom, why is this not being extended to the common
man?
From a moral perspective, what type of message are we sending to all people when celebrities are allowed to get probation for criminal offenses? I feel as if we are also sending a message a bad message to children and that message is that if you have status or celebrity, you are above the law. ? We need to make sure that we teach all people law doesn’t work for some us but all of us. We also need to hold those accountable when they show a bias to celebrity. We are giving too much power to the famous and we are making them feel privileged. Although a person has attained celebrity status, it doesn’t mean that status should be regarded higher than the law.
In order for society to get a handle on the difference of treatment of criminal actions by the famous verses the common man, we need to take a hard look at ourselves and determine why we allow this to occur. We cannot fault the criminal justice system alone for allowing fame to get celebrities off more easily, as human nature seems to step in to allow those we admire and enjoy to get a break. The key to success with the law should not be based upon status. Success with the law, should be based upon the facts, evidence and the truth. In order to stop this trend, we the people have to stand up for the common and not allow this to continue. We are the people who made these people, so we are the ones to make sure they know all people matter. We as a people need to make to protest some of the sponsors and TV studios. We need to make sure our voices are heard. The solution for eliminating preferential treatment celebrities get when arrested for DUI seems simple, hold celebrities accountable for their behavior. This would be a multi-tiered approach providing a longterm solution. The criminal justice system, when it comes to charging and prosecuting celebrities, needs to look beyond celebrity status and financial resources and view every person as someone who has broken the law. The first step towards a solution should involve some type of pledge made from the judicial system to show the American public that they can be fair in their practices. The pledge will demonstrate that the justice system will always give a fair ruling. This major step would make a profound statement about our system of criminal justice. This message would resonate deeply in the Hollywood Hills. Surely, if celebrities were no longer allowed to simply pay a fine or have a long probation to extend their freedom they would be more inclined to curb their behaviors. A pledge by the criminal justice system would also send a greater message of equality, to the common man of these United States. The worst extreme was, Martha Stewart from when she was arraigned on charges of insider trading. She received five months in a minimum security prison and then five years of house arrest. Did her life become affected by this tragedy? It did not, and she is still making money with her brand at K-Mart, as well as hosting her shows and writing her books, which still bring her in a pretty penny.
Another solution would be to use social media to report on these infractions by celebrities. Some people think that social media entities like TMZ or Hollywood Insider are crude and bash celebrities when they are caught doing wrong. I tend to disagree. Social media outlets will inform us of the wrongdoings of celebrities and detail the biased treatment celebs receive. There is no official watchdog group to monitor the justice given to those with status so why should we not allow TMZ to report the findings. There is difference between an invasion of privacy and reporting a crime. Criminal actions under most circumstances would be considered public record.
Celebrities should not feel a sense of entitlement or be given preferential treatment under no circumstances when a legal violation has occurred. We as a people need to make a clear argument about the “free passes” that celebrities get when in trouble with the law. We need to take a stand and make it clear that celebrity status does not automatically qualify you for some type of immunity when crimes are committed. Society as a whole must send a strong message to Hollywood, “clean up your act, no more free passes.” We need to make sure we have life skills classes to demonstrate good and acceptable behavior. We also need to hold those who provide this preferential treatment accountable. Our law enforcement officials and criminal justice officials also need to be held accountable for letting celebrities off the hook. We can no longer accept things as “that’s just the way it is” we have to make people responsible for their actions.
The key is to speak up. If we don’t illustrate the preferential treatment given to celebrities as a criminal act they will go unnoticed and unpunished. We have to show the statistics and use previous cases as a precedent. We also have to use the social media outlets. If we draw attention to these cases we have a better chance of it getting noticed by more people which will give more weight to the cause. TV Shows like Access Hollywood and Entertainment tonight seem to gloss over the celebrity infractions with the law. Saturday Night Live creates parodies and mocks celebrity run-ins with the law so which explains why at times celebrities are given a pass. We also need to show our children this is not the moral compass to live by. We need to make it clear that having money may put you in a different income bracket but it does not allow you free reign to do whatever you feel. We need to not only educate our children about right or wrong but we need to make sure they do not emulate the negative behaviors exhibited by celebrities.
Ultimately, everyday people need to hold those who are able to impact laws accountable. While criminal penalties have not loosened over time, there have been loopholes contributing to the early release of the rich-and-famous. It is highly possible that the court system does not want to make the time to deal with the mistakes that many celebrities so often make.
Oddly enough it causes scandals, news coverage, increased publicity and scrutiny. Society has to prioritize what is important. We don’t like to think that the celebrities who we know and love could do any wrong. While there have been many to get in trouble with the law and somehow evade a harsh penalty before we need to make a concerted effort to stop this trend. If we are to believe in our justice system we need to make sure justice is able to see beyond status.
A possible disadvantage to making celebrities more accountable to their preferential treatment would be a backlash from celebrities. Celebrities could argue that they are being discriminated against because of position or social standing. Celebrities could argue that they too work hard and have every right to the best counsel they can afford. The Miranda states that “ if you can afford an attorney on will be appointed to you..” Most celebrities are able to afford a good attorney or multiple attorneys and in theory this should have not baring on how the law treats them.
From a legal standpoint, a disadvantage could be the creation of a legal precedent that could affect future cases. The reality of the situation is that for most of the time, sentencing is light, from anything to anger management classes to drug rehabilitation center which could cause repeat offenses. Is it because they have high-paid lawyers that can win any argument against the best district attorney’s which could be the cause reversals of previous cases due to preferential treatment. There could be countless guilty verdicts overturned if it is proven that preferential treatmen, were given to those with celebrity status. Any reversals of cases would provide catastrophic results to economic, political and moral standings.
Ultimately, the answers for this issue lies with all people. The reality of the situation is that for most of the time, sentencing is light, from anything to anger management classes to drug rehab. Drunk driving is a serious and potentially deadly offense and we never lack of Public Service Announcements or MADD Commercials. However, it also appears to be one of the favorite pastimes of high profile celebrities. Therefore, in this day and age of the Hollywood role model how are people to take drunk driving seriously if the rich and famous are laughing it off? We have to make sure that our law makers and criminal justice is working for all of us and not some of us. We cannot simply complain about what has happened but we need to change things for the better. DUI’s are serious offense and it needs to be taken seriously all of the time. We need to make sure that social status, position are not considered when a DUI has been committed. We need to make sure that the sentencing guidelines are the same for all regardless of creed, color, gender or bank account. People need to remember that mistakes and accidents happen to all people . We as a society truly need to be fair to one another. The national blood alcohol level is .08, but the drunk driving laws are different in each state and that is the only difference that should matter
Shining Some Light on Celebrity DUIs: 2006-2010
Michelle Rodriguez (The Fast and the Furious): Dec. 1,2005. 2nd DUI. 5 days in jail$500 fines
Paris Hilton (Reality TV): Sep. 6, 2006. 0.08 B.A.C. 3 years probation. $1,500 in fines.
Nicole Richie (Reality TV): Dec. 11, 2006. 96 hours in jail.
Mike Tyson (Boxer): Dec. 29, 2006. 24 hours in jail. 3 years probation.
Khloe Kardashian (Reality TV): Mar. 4, 2007. 30 days in jail.
Lindsay Lohan (Mean Girls): May 31 and Jul. 24, 2007. 96 hours in jail. 180 days electronic monitoring. Other drugs involved.
Keifer Sutherland (24): Sep. 25, 2007. 4th DUI. 48 days in jail. 5 years probation.
Scott Weiland (Stone Temple Pilots): Nov. 21, 2007. 192 hours in jail. $2,000 in fines.
Richie Sambora (Bon Jovi): Mar. 25, 2008. 3 years probation.
Carmelo Anthony (NBA player): Apr. 14, 2008. 0.148 B.A.C. $1,049 in fines.
Craig Robinson (Pineapple Express): Jun. 29, 2008. 2nd DUI. 3 years probation.
Shia LaBeouf (Transformers): Jul. 27, 2008. 1 year suspended license.
Charles Barkley (Former NBA player): Dec. 31, 2008. 0.149 B.A.C. 10 days in jail.
Chris Klein (American Pie): Jun 16, 2010. 2nd DUI. 0.20 B.A.C. $1,800 in fines.
References
Barnett, D. (2007). Hollywood Celebrities above the Law. Entertainment Scene 360. Retrieved 11/16/2013, from http://www.entertainmentscene360.com.
Briskman, M. (2010, October). Get Out of Jail Free Card: Fame and Money. Law Commentator. Retrieved 11/16/2013, from http://www.lawcommentator.com Topher (2011, March). Celebrity DUI Arrests of Last 5 Years. Total Dui Blog. Retrieved 11/15/2013, fromhttp://www.totaldui.com/blog/celebrity-dui.
Laurie (2007, July). Celebrities Arrested for DUI. Yahoo Voices. Retrieved 12/8/2013., from http://voices.yahoo.com/celebrities-arrested-dui
Duke (2013, October) Lamar Odom pleads not guilty to DUI. CNN Entertainment. Retrieved 12/8/2013, from http://www.cnn.com/2013/10/09/showbiz
http://www.totaldui.com