I haven't taken many women's studies classes, but the one or two that I have taken have completely opened my mind up to the injustices in the justice system. Ironic huh? But seriously, it is very skewed!
Justice... it seems like a simple thing to define. It is a system used for people to get what they have coming to them, a form of being fair. Justice should be equal rights for people,and it should be applied according to each individual in an individual way. Justice = fairness? Maybe this SHOULD be true, however, I have learned that justice does not necessarily equal anything. It is dependent on way too many factors. Each person sees justice in a different way. The justice system was designed to provide fair and equal treatment, however, we all know that is not always true but is rarely fulfilled in this manner.
So to answer the last question, what is just? Justice should be equal to being just. As I mentioned before, the idea of being just is dependent upon a lot of different factors. Just should be based on truth, fairness, and true reasoning. Being just=truly being fair.
Maybe all of my equations are wrong, but these are definitions of what SHOULD be! Going to the prison every week will probably open up more discussion on whether or not justice was served and whether or not the judges were being just in sentencing these women. I am excited to hear the stories of these women, but am also unsure if I can deal with the fact that a system that we put so much trust in has failed many of these women.
I think you are very correct in stating that justice seems like a simple term to define, but it is far from. So many things come into account for every situation!...And I think your definition is far better than mine when you say that, "being just=truly being fair." But then again you have to ask what is truly fair? It will be very interesting to find out what the women believe justice is and what they think about the justice system as a whole.
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