The capacity to experience another person’s feelings is known as empathy. Understanding how another person is experiencing gives us the ability to respond to the circumstance in a way that benefits both parties, which improves our general happiness and well-being. Empathy is the capacity to perceive and experience another person is going through. Empathy can be used in situations involving crime and punishment (Bacchini et al., 2018). Empathy, in particular, can significantly lower juvenile criminality; also, it can be taken into account when attempting to strengthen ties with the police. Reaching out to youngsters early to help them comprehend how other individuals feel will help avoid the need for measures above the probability of youth misconduct.
He reported the incident to the police and the county attorney’s office, who got in touch with him if the offender was found; there were criminal law experts who interacted with the victim in this case. By bringing criminals to justice, the criminal justice process serves the interests of those subject to it. Instead of providing assistance to those it touches, this system has become a tool for oppression in many locations worldwide. However, in this instance, I believe that despite their involvement in finding James, the criminal justice experts who worked with the victim showed little compassion for him. Despite their apparent interest in determining whether he is terrified or concerned by the circumstance, their eagerness to crack the case.
It is impossible to overstate how inadequate the criminal justice experts’ reaction to the victim was. After the victim fills out paperwork to report the incident, the police send him home. When the child is found, they assure him that the attorney’s office will get in touch with him. I believe that the victim’s fears of trying to pick up younger males in his cab were not alleviated by their comments. He should see a therapist assist him in recovering from the experience, demonstrating that the police’s assurances did little to ease his concerns about his safety(Keena & Krieger-Sample, 2017). These comments, in my opinion, were appropriate but not compelling. If the authorities had shown the victim greater compassion, they might have adequately persuaded him that, with them on the case, he would be safer.
The police force, especially officer Friendly, showed sympathy for the perpetrator. In this case, empathy made it possible for the offender to participate in restorative justice for young offenders instead of being prosecuted through the juvenile court system. This act of showing compassion demonstrates how this healing mechanism takes empathy into account while handling cases and motivates lawbreakers to change their way.
The media serves a particular purpose in society by reflecting our values and acting as a catalyst for change. Despite having a public duty to report the news truthfully and to maintain objectivity regarding the stories they write about, journalists frequently play a different role. Journalists’ impact is seen more than ever when they cover high-profile crimes(Fouché & Guillermo, 2021). If faced with sensationalized headlines, reporters often lose their objectivity. They are prone to making dramatic news stories and “seeding” opinions. The media, in this case, seems to exaggerate the situation by connecting James, the perpetrator, with a gang. This action by the media demonstrates how little empathy they may possess in their quest to garner attention and cover stories. Jamie is essentially the person the media’s article will significantly impact since he must now deal with a society that has labeled him a gang member.
References
Bacchini, D., De Angelis, G., & Dragone, M. (2018). Empathy and utilitarian judgment in incarcerated and community control adolescents.Criminal Justice and Behavior, 45(7), 1093-1109.
Keena, L., & Krieger-Sample, L. (2017). Empathy-focused learning: Teaching criminal justice students to care.American Journal of Criminal Justice, 43(2), 389-410.