Justice is equal well being for all

Conflict Matters: “Justice is equal well being for all”

“Justice is equal well being for all” is a quote from a challenging book¹ I read over the holidays. The authors are passionate about the failings of our current criminal justice system which they say frequently results in more harm (rather than well-being) for pretty much everyone involved. To understand what real justice might look like, our workplace might be a good place to start.

Most of us are, or have been in some form of relationship that involves getting paid for our work. Although many are self employed, the majority have jobs in workplaces where decisions are made by others which directly affect us. There is plenty of evidence from Scandinavian countries in particular that “workers” are happier and more productive if they have a say in such decisions and this is not difficult to understand, it can be summed up in one word: Respect. We all have a fundamental need to have a say in things that directly affect us (and this includes teenagers!)

To put it another way, each person’s well being depends on how seriously their needs are taken by others. In the criminal justice system, the main focus is on what laws have been broken and what the law says the punishment should be. Comparatively little time is devoted to the actual needs of the directly affected: both those harmed and those who have caused the harm.

“Why me?” is a question victims of crime frequently struggle with, arising from the deepest of the three beliefs we need to have about ourselves: “I am a good person, competent, and worthy of love.” Burglary and sexual assault are examples of direct attacks on these three beliefs. To be on the receiving end of such utter and complete disregard shakes us to our very core.

Those who have suffered like this need to restore their fundamental beliefs about themselves. If the one who did the harm is genuinely remorseful, they can help that process, for example by answering questions that would never be asked in a criminal court. More next month!

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