Consider impact of systemic racism before sentencing black offenders, Canadian judges

[peter12]

Originally Posted by calgaryblood

Yes, don't think racism towards the black community stops in American court systems.

Even if there was absolutely none in Canadian court systems, this still makes a lot of sense.

Do you think about what you write before you write? I know. I know.

[calgaryblood]

Originally Posted by peter12

Do you think about what you write before you write? I know. I know.

Yes I do, tell me what you disagree with.

[CaptainCrunch]

I'm guessing at this point that the question is, are judges qualified to even rule on sentences based around racial and cultural lines? Their job is based around the interpretation of the law and the truth, not sociological issues.

Are we going to have to actually write legal guidelines around race and culture in sentence that reads like a mathematical formula based around skin color and where your raised.

Or in the name of "fairness" we more strictly define sentences for specific crimes, so the law literally becomes colorblind.

[rubecube]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

I'm guessing at this point that the question is, are judges qualified to even rule on sentences based around racial and cultural lines? Their job is based around the interpretation of the law and the truth, not sociological issues.

Well if the law/criminal code states that they are to be considered, then I think that answers your question.

[calgaryblood]

They do it now CC, why couldn't they keep doing it?

[DiracSpike]

Originally Posted by PepsiFree

Oh... yeah... that's not true at all. It's not even a policy.

Do you believe any consideration or accountance of negative circumstances primary felt more strongly by one part of the population over another is "racialist"? Should no policy or movement exist to account for negative issues if they're not felt equally by the entire population?

Makes sense to consider a person's circumstances and history when sentencing. Happens quite regularly already, this simple suggests that systemic racism be weighed. It's not like white people go to prison and don't have their history and circumstances weighed in sentencing.

Absolutely it does. But that's looking at people as individuals and their specific circumstances, not their race. Will Smith's kids should not get special sentencing. This race consideration is so coarse and inelegant, it's borderline anti-progressive by some on the left's insistence to bring race into every aspect of life.

Maybe I'm completely wrong but I think the way forward as a society is to talk less about race, not more. This game of historical greivances has to stop, the reason a hypothetical chinese guy robs a liquor store is because that is a choice he made, not because his great grandfather suffered horrible racism building the railroad. A lot of horrible stuff happened even in recent history and it shouldn't be forgotten, but I don't think it should be used as an excuse going indefinitely into the future.

Just my two cents but hey, I'm a white guy so whatevs.

[CaptainCrunch]

because based on this debate we're saying that they don't do a good job of it.

If Justice is supposed to be blind then clearly the system is failing.

So the only two things that you can do are

making the sentencing more of a formula then a decision, which is inherently racist

Or reduce the ability for judges to make these kind of sentencing decisions by reducing options for them so that the system can be made color blind.

[PsYcNeT]

Judges should be blindfolded throughout the trial and all participants made to use voice disguising technology to make them all sound like Alan Alda with a cold.

[rubecube]

Originally Posted by DiracSpike

Absolutely it does. But that's looking at people as individuals and their specific circumstances, not their race. Will Smith's kids should not get special sentencing. This race consideration is so coarse and inelegant, it's borderline anti-progressive by some on the left's insistence to bring race into every aspect of life.

Maybe I'm completely wrong but I think the way forward as a society is to talk less about race, not more. This game of historical greivances has to stop, the reason a hypothetical chinese guy robs a liquor store is because that is a choice he made, not because his great grandfather suffered horrible racism building the railroad. A lot of horrible stuff happened even in recent history and it shouldn't be forgotten, but I don't think it should be used as an excuse going indefinitely into the future.

Just my two cents but hey, I'm a white guy so whatevs.

Because it matters in the context of rehabilitation vs. incarceration. The idea is that if someone is committing crimes because of the hand they've been dealt in life, there's probably a greater chance they can be rehabilitated than if they're committing crimes because they're just ####ty people. I would actually like to see more components brought in for consideration, specifically income level (and not the affluenza variety).

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by PsYcNeT

Hey cool another thread for white people to complain about how stacked the system is against them.

Hey cool another thread where PsYcNeT tries to quash any debate by playing the 'privilege' card.

[PsYcNeT]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

Hey cool another thread where PsYcNeT tries to quash any debate by playing the 'privilege' card.

Or, and hear me out here, or maybe I'm trying to keep debate honest by pre-emptively calling out ####lords who would come in to try and get all "BLOO BLOO BLOO BEING MIDDLE CLASS WHITE AND CHRISTIAN IS THE WORST NOWADAYS AMIRITE"

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by PsYcNeT

Judges should be blindfolded throughout the trial and all participants made to use voice disguising technology to make them all sound like Alan Alda with a cold.

I would commit crimes and take the stand in my own defense if I could testify as Darth Vader.

"Yes your honor I killed those children and would do it again, I find your lack of faith disturbing"

[northcrunk]

#### lords? Jesus man. Have you been hanging out with Antifa?

[CliffFletcher]

Keep in mind is that criminals tend to prey on their own community. Most of the victims of aboriginal crime are other aboriginals. Most of the victims of black crime are other blacks. So reduced sentencing means that people who sexually assault native women or break into the homes of black Canadians will have lighter sentences than people who assault white women or break into the homes of white Canadians. Seems like a rather perverse outcome to me.

[PsYcNeT]

Originally Posted by northcrunk

#### lords? Jesus man. Have you been hanging out with Antifa?

####lords is an SA meme going back to 2005 or possibly earlier. So, maybe? Antifa post on a lot of forums I'm sure.

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by PsYcNeT

Or, and hear me out here, or maybe I'm trying to keep debate honest by pre-emptively calling out ####lords who would come in to try and get all "BLOO BLOO BLOO BEING MIDDLE CLASS WHITE AND CHRISTIAN IS THE WORST NOWADAYS AMIRITE"

Well it seems to work, since nobody is this thread has made that claim. Or in any other thread where you've tried to 'keep debate honest.'

Just play the ball and not the man. It's what intellectually honest people do.

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by northcrunk

#### lords? Jesus man. Have you been hanging out with Antifa?

Jumping jesus, I had never even heard that term Antifa before.

[rubecube]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

Just play the ball and not the man. It's what intellectually honest people do.

So rich.

[nik-]

Originally Posted by rubecube

So rich.

Be honest, you laughed too when Psycnet said he was trying to foster honest debate.

[rubecube]

Originally Posted by nik-

Be honest, you laughed too when Psycnet said he was trying to foster honest debate.

I mean it's sort of a perfect storm when the guy who's boohooing about intellectual dishonesty comes up with this gem:

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

Keep in mind is that criminals tend to prey on their own community. Most of the victims of aboriginal crime are other aboriginals. Most of the victims of black crime are other blacks. So reduced sentencing means that people who sexually assault native women or break into the homes of black Canadians will have lighter sentences than people who assault white women or break into the homes of white Canadians. Seems like a rather perverse outcome to me.