Sunday, November 28, 2010

The Ugly Truth

While reading The Crucible, I was horrified by the blatant unfairness and bias that went along in the court room. And although disheartening, it was comforting to know we have come a long way since those Salem Witch Trials back in 1692. But have we really?

CBS news reported in a a Cornell University study reported that "unattractive defendants are 22 percent more likely to be convicted than good-looking ones" while the "unattractive also get slapped with harsher sentences - an average of 22 months longer in prison."

Well, that's unfair. Justice should be blind, right? Yet physical appearance is a barrier in achieving fair justice and the attractiveness of a defendant is now a factor in deeming their innocence.

But these are sub-conscious biases that have been psychologically imbedded in our brains from a combination of human nature and nuture. They cant really be stopped or even prevented. Perhaps, it is something the justice system will just have to live with it.

1 comment:

  1. Good thing you're so good looking! You'll probably never get in trouble.

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