Advocacy in Action
Evaluating Justice in Today’s Society
Our justice system is not meant to be just a static set of laws.
The application and pursuit of justice is a dynamic process that should evolve to meet the needs of all people and communities.
Our call for justice is restorative, preventative, and rooted in empathy and empowerment. By addressing corruption and the root causes of inequality we intend to build a foundation for true justice in society.
1. A Monopoly on the Pursuit of Justice
- The organizations that are vested with the authority to license lawyers, have created a monopoly that restricts access to legal recourse.
- Prosecutorial practices sometimes serve to maintain a status quo that disproportionately impacts certain demographics, particularly the working class and marginalized communities.
- The monopoly held by bar associations on the legal profession is intricately linked with broader social justice issues.
- By maintaining restrictive practices, these organizations may inadvertently perpetuate inequities within the legal system and broader society.
2. Segregation of Legal Knowledge
- The justice system is structured in a way that segregates access to legal knowledge.
- Legal language itself serves as a barrier to the wider dissemination of legal knowledge.
- This creates a dependency on legal professionals and an environment where corruption can thrive.
- Laws that are not easily understood can be misapplied or manipulated, leading to greater social inequality.
- When legal knowledge is inaccessible, individuals are less likely to protect themselves against abuses or injustices.
- Reforming the way legal knowledge is controlled and distributed is essential for creating a more informed public and a fairer legal system.
3. The Criminalization of Victimless Actions
- The criminalization of victimless actions refers to legal prohibitions against behaviors that do not directly harm others.
- These actions are regulated by laws that often carry significant penalties despite the absence of an identifiable victim.
- The U.S. Constitution, particularly through the Due Process Clauses of the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments, is often cited in arguments against the criminalization of victimless actions.
- These clauses are interpreted to protect personal liberties and prevent government overreach into private lives.
- The enforcement of laws against victimless actions has significant social and economic costs.
- It contributes to the overcrowding of prisons, disproportionately affects marginalized communities, and perpetuates cycles of poverty and criminalization without corresponding public safety benefits.
4. Criminalizing Poverty
- The criminalization of poverty refers to the practices and policies that penalize or disproportionately impact individuals who are economically disadvantaged.
- Systems that impose fines and fees for minor infractions, which can escalate into larger legal issues when individuals are unable to pay, effectively criminalize poverty.
- They highlight a troubling misalignment between law enforcement practices and the foundational values of justice and liberty.
5. The Role of Government
- At the core of Finding Camelot’s philosophy is the belief that the primary role of government is to protect the fundamental liberties of its citizens.
- The government should actively work to reduce inequalities and barriers that prevent individuals from achieving their potential.
- A key aspect of the government’s role is ensuring justice and equity within the legal system by reforming laws that disproportionately affect marginalized communities.
- Finding Camelot envisions a government that is actively involved in the lives of its citizens but operates within the limits of what is necessary to ensure a fair, equitable, and prosperous society.
Photo by
