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criminal justice

Criminal Justice Class 21

[OOC: For some reason, I don't think today will be much of a lecture day. Discuss or get flamed! Class Info Link.]

Lockheed was at The Tick's desk. Tick was nowhere to be seen. On the dry erase board behind the desk, the following was written in a careful but unnatural script:

Professor Tick out of town. Professor Lockheed is sub.

TODAY:

Reform is part of Justice. Go to jail. If you feel sorry, then you someday get out, become a decent person.

Is this Just? Do some crimes override reform? Should more happen to prove reform? Is stigma of being criminal good continued punishment?

DISCUSS REFORM AND ITS PLACE IN SOCIETY!

The grammar may have needed some work, but it was still pretty impressive for a non-English speaking dragon. When the students were done reading that board, Lockheed gestured to a side board. It read:

EXTRA CREDIT:

Give Prof. Lockheed a cookie.

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Talk about the discussion prompt or other class matters.

Of all the frelling subjects...

"The punishment should fit the crime," Aeryn says ~~and feels slightly hypocritical but everyone involved knows her feelings on this~~. "If you kill a dozen people in cold blood, the likelihood of something happening to make you the kind of person that can fit into society isn't good and you should spend the rest of your life in a cell, or if your culture allows punishment by death, it would fit. There are lesser crimes where reform would make sense, though. And I'm not sure how well 'sorry' fits in to any of it."

~~Blame Rory for the subject.~~

Lockheed nods at Aeryn's contribution.

~~*blames Rory, omg!*~~

~~*is broken and pissed off in the clinic, omg!*~~

~~*is thankful for the topic that could be very touchy for more than half the class*~~

~~*would never, ever pick a class topic or write an essay question based on something in her own life, because that would be Wrong*~~

Re: Discuss

bugofjustice.livejournal.com - 2005-11-22 18:47 (UTC) - Expand

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bugofjustice.livejournal.com - 2005-11-22 22:05 (UTC) - Expand

Re: Discuss

auroryborealis.livejournal.com - 2005-11-22 22:42 (UTC) - Expand

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bugofjustice.livejournal.com - 2005-11-22 22:47 (UTC) - Expand

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bugofjustice.livejournal.com - 2005-11-22 23:07 (UTC) - Expand

"Reform is always possible, though redemption? That's a more tricky concept. Someone can change their ways but to actually redeem themselves is another story entirely," Marty says thinking of his own history.

"To redeem yourself? That's the real struggle and it shouldn't be easy."

Marty probably said something very profound. Lockheed was too busy eating the thin mint to care, though, so he just nodded.

"It all depends," Jaye says. "Are we talking about mass murder, or the murder of one innocent little wooden boy?"

Lockheed considers growling at Jaye, but then he remembers that he's a teacher today, so he simply marks her down for an unexcused absence. Anything more and he'll also give her a detention.

It's good to be in charge.

Watching him, Jaye asks, "What did you just do? Did you just give me, like, a black mark? Is it going to be like that episode of that show where every time that lady goes to a new doctor there's something bad written in her chart?"

Lockheed gives Jaye a completely innocent look.

Oh, he's mocking her with it.

Jaye sits back and glares. She's keeping an eye on him.

Re: Discuss

bugofjustice.livejournal.com - 2005-11-23 02:20 (UTC) - Expand

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fates_jaye - 2005-11-23 02:27 (UTC) - Expand

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bugofjustice.livejournal.com - 2005-11-23 02:28 (UTC) - Expand

"Our justice system is based on the believe that people deserve a second chance. I think if someone feels truly sorry for what they did, the guilt itself can be the heaviest punishment to get. It still doesn't undo what happened, but they've got a right to try to make up for things." He pauses.

"I know some places think that in case of murder, the state has the right to take the life of the murderer as punishment. I'm not sure if I agree with that and I'm kinda glad I don't have to make that decision."

/Add in a few metaphors, throw some antennae on his head, and bulk him up a couple hundred pounds, and I could almost mistake him for The Tick./

Lockheed nodded to Cam's response, then continued to himself, /Almost. Tick doesn't have chocolate chip cookies./

Cameron would probably have tried to use a spoon metaphor if he had been talking to The Tick.

Lockheed doesn't care much for metaphors, so he's glad Cam didn't try any this week.

Really, he'd take a cookie over a metaphor any day.

"But there's always the problem of what if the person who committed the crime doesn't feel guilty. Either they are a ~~Crazy Squid Lady~~ sociopath or they genuinely feel that they did the right thing. So is 'punishment' a meaningful concept, in that case?"

/If they don't feel guilty, keep 'em locked up!/ Lockheed says to nobody in particular.

/They have a class on speaking Cat. Why can't one person here speak Dragon?/

"No, not really. That's a bit of the problem, our laws are based on the principle that humans are good, even if they do harm."

"I guess it depends on whether any reform happens. If some ~~Crazy Squid Lady Vampires~~ were locked up forever, they'd never change. Then again, if something else is messing with your mind ~~like a demon or a snake in your head~~, then the wrong person might end up being blamed, and you can have instant reform -- or instant change anyway, when there's actually nothing to reform from." Vala stops, thinking she's just talked herself in a circle and looking kinda confused.

Lockheed had somehow managed to follow that. He was kind of dizzy, but he'd survive.

He smiled and nodded at Vala's point while he could still spot it.

Anakin was silent, thinking about the question for a long time. Finally he said, "I believe that reform can be possible most of the time, assuming the being really wants to make a change. But some choices?" he sighed, "Some choices are forever. Irrevocable. True justice must be served, regardless of how badly a being feels about what he, she, or it has done." In his head he heard Yoda's voice, "Once you go down the dark parth, forever will it dominate your destiny."

Lockheed spent too much time around Tick. He wasn't used to this kind of depth unless he had to dig for it. He gave a satisfied grunt as he nodded to Anakin for his answer.

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