Junior Shares Disappointment with Criminal Justice System

In 2019 a white American woman was arrested for smuggling 19 grams of THC, the main ingredient of marijuana, into Russia. That woman is named Audrey Lorber. In 2022 a black American woman was arrested for smuggling 0.7 grams of THC. That woman is named Brittney Griner.

One woman was sentenced to nine years and the other was sentenced to two months. You would think the 19 grams would be the nine years and the 0.7 grams would be the two months, but no. The African American woman with 0.7 grams of THC was sentenced to nine years in a Russian prison while the white American woman with 19 grams got away with two months. For the same crime.

This is just one example of how the justice system discriminates against the black community. Even in other countries such as Russia, Black people will never be free and it is getting unbearable. We have been trying for hundreds of years to change the ways of the justice system but to no avail, it stays the same. 

If we were to look at these cases from a different point of view, it is possible that it could be caused by war relations. At the time of Lorber’s arrest, the United States had an arguably better relationship with Russia compared to the time of Griner’s case where the relations have become strained. Perhaps this is Russia trying to take a jab at the U.S. 

Even if we do look at it in that way, we still can’t deny the blatant discrimination in justice systems all over the world, specifically in the United States.

According to the United States Sentencing Commission (USSC), black men that commit the same crime as a white man get 20% longer sentences and that is a heavy fault on the judges.

In 2005, the Supreme Court ruled in United States v. Booker. Booker gave judges more discretion when it comes to sentencing. This gave judges the opportunity to give longer sentences on purpose.

Not only America but all countries in the world, need to do better when it comes to justice systems. Just as black people are being discriminated against, other races and genders are being treated the same all over the world. I personally hope that we as a whole planet will continue to fight for justice for all races and genders no matter what.