The Purpose of Repairing the Criminal Justice System Essay

The Purpose of Repairing the Criminal Justice System - Essay Example The practical implication is that when a punishment is given to an offender by a court of law in a criminal case, it does not benefit the victim any way. The victim does not know how to undo the harm done to him / her. The criminal justice system being implemented in all countries stresses on punishment to offenders with a view of ending crimes and reducing crime rate. The system obviously believes that sentencing offenders to imprisonment would help reduce crime rate in the society. The argument certainly seems logical on the face of it but analysts find it hard to buy. Researchers argue that the evidence supporting this logic looks ambiguous by pointing out that crime rates are guided by factors of unemployment, evils of illegal drugs and guns, lack of proper police planning, immigration and housing problems etc (Krisberg). In Krisberg’s view, punishment alone would not reduce crime rate. While the failure of the factor of punishment in reducing the crime rate could be one of the reasons seeking to repair the criminal justice system, the purpose of such a repair would be really varied. More than achieving reduction in crime rate, the main purpose of repairing the system lies in the objective of undoing the harm done to a victim. In fact, the repair of the criminal justice system should be undertaken lock, stock and barrel in order to transform it from retribution into restoration. Turning it into a restorative one should be the main purpose of repairing the criminal justice system. In a system of justice governed by restitution, more concentration is placed on healing the wounds of victims rather than on punishing the offender. Wray vehemently argues in an internet article that this type of justice demands conciliation between an offender and his / her victim through a friendly encounter which could be a source for healing the latter’s wounds. On the other