Introduction
The relation between poverty and justice in criminal systems has elicited several reactions as well as a debate from several corners of the world. This paper involves a research-based analysis to determine whether poverty-stricken individuals receive fair treatment during the process of criminal justice. The paper is also intended to examine the likelihood of these people to be incarcerated compared to middle-class people.
Main research questions
- Is there justice and fair treatment for poverty-stricken people during the process of criminal justice?
- What is the likelihood of poverty-stricken people being incarcerated compared to middle-class individuals?
Research objectives
- To find out whether poverty-stricken individuals receive justice and fair treatment during criminal justice.
- To find out the likelihood of poverty-stricken individuals to be incarcerated compared to middle-class individuals.
- To evaluate how fair treatment and justice are practiced in the criminal system.
- To find out various kinds of discrimination that exist in the criminal justice processes and their effect on the practice of justice.
Hypothesis
For the first question, I hypothesize that the process of criminal justice does not ensure justice for poverty-stricken people. Poverty-stricken individuals tend to receive very little justice than what they deserve in many criminal justice processes. For instance, individuals coming from poverty-stricken regions have no say in most criminal justice settings. They are disadvantaged in a way that they can not afford legal representation in the courts of law. This situation is much worse for poverty-stricken individuals living in areas where poor defendants are not entitled to legal representation by the courts. In such states, justice is rarely practiced for poor people since most of them do not understand the law. This renders them vulnerable to harsh penalties associated with a lack of defense or failure to legally fight for justice in the court of law (Levy, 2009).
For the second question, I hypothesize that there is a great likelihood of poverty-stricken individuals to be incarcerated compared to middle-class individuals. Poverty-stricken individuals have less potential to fight for justice in the courts of law-making them to receive higher penalties. Middle-class individuals can afford legal representation and some of them are educated enough to legally defend their case. They are much advantaged and are likely to receive lenient penalties compared to poor individuals (Levy, 2009).
Basis and Purpose of the research
The basis of the research is to provide answers for the above hypotheses on whether there exists any form of discrimination in the criminal justice system. The research is particularly intended to find out whether poverty is one of the factors that cause discrimination and the practice of injustice. This research will be done to help poverty-stricken individuals from unfair treatment and injustices. Through recommendations from the research, the rights of the poor can be respected and justice practiced. The research will help to revival the criminal justice system from the unfair practice of justice.
The research question is interesting because it tends to expose the injustices that exist in the criminal justice processes and how the disadvantaged/poor people are vulnerable to such injustices.
Research methods, participants, and statistical analysis
The research will be done using qualitative and quantitative methods. Qualitative methods will be used to collect non-quantifiable data while quantitative methods will give quantifiable data. The participants will be criminals from both poverty-stricken regions and middle-class areas. The attorneys, judges, and prosecutors will be conducted for legal analysis. Collected data will be analyzed using exploratory and confirmatory approaches based on hypotheses (Langbein, 2004).
References
Langbein, W. (2004). Research methods and analysis. Cambridge: MIT Press.
Levy, H. (2009).The world’s a dirty place when you are poor. Law Review journal, 6(2), 46-59.