When it comes to the judicial system, everyone wants justice to be served.
On the side of the religious right, ultimately the capital punishment (death) is often championed when it comes to dealing with murderers.
In Thailand, a law was finally passed to chemically castrate sex offenders.
But here is the truth no one wants to hear—the judicial system will get things wrong.
In a world where the Bible claims everyone was born in sin and shaped in iniquity (Psalms 51:5), we know man isn’t perfect. The true and perfect Judge who sees all and knows all, therefore, reserves the right to execute punishment fitting to the crime committed.
The question begs: Is our system as accurate as we want it to be?
In the US, Black men still face criminal victimization, especially when it comes to sexual charges. Though we can’t neglect those who suffered sexual assault, when there is evidence that a specific group of people is having their character attacked, we ought to second-guess whether irreversible punishment is really a solution.
Cases such as Emmet Till illustrate the underlying discrimination within the judicial system.
Up until even 2019, Black men still face racial discrimination under the guise of “feminist wokeness”.
Cases such as 1955’s Central Park Jogger show us how non-white men have been forced into the prison system on charges in which they were innocent.
Studies show that Black men are twice as likely to be arrested for sex offenses and three times more likely to be accused of rape. However, although these charges are extremely high, there is very little evidence that such crimes are statistically significant.
Black men are placed on registries for the majority of their lives, and this can negatively impact their ability to marry, work, and purchase property.
“Black men are also twice as likely as whites to be arrested for sex offenses, and three times more likely to be accused of forcible rape. But it’s unlikely that they commit sexual assault at higher rates than other ethnic or racial groups. The overrepresentation of Black men in sexual assault cases may be due in part to the fact that they are disproportionately wrongfully accused.” (The Appeal[a])
So, in this case, we ask: if Black men are so disproportionately affected by crime accusations, then should we really be rushing to implement extremely harsh punishments that no doubt will be used as a form of racial genocide?
Those who champion capital punishment or even chemical castration, in the very least, should consider what effects this could have on our society.
We wouldn’t trust the judicial system when it comes to the wealthy and the corrupt, so why should we trust it when it comes to our lives? A better rehabilitation experience for those incarcerated is what is necessary.
Leave capital punishment for the Most High Judge to decide. And if, through Him, we are able to receive grace and amnesty for our sins against Him, then we should at least be able to make provisions for criminals to receive His everlasting grace.
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