Physical Appearance & the CRJS System...
Often times, a persons physical appearance is how they are judged by others; "Appearance stereotypes reflect to some extent our opinions regarding an individuals personality, profession, morality, and preferences, and create a reference frame within which to act toward that person (Ahola, Christianson and Hellstrom;pg.S90)." Female offenders are observed and analyzed by how they appear from physical characteristics with body shape and size along with facial expressions like giving off a pleasant smile(Ahola, Christianson and Hellstrom, 2009).These women could be serial killers, robbers, sex offenders, or harmless individuals who was in the wrong place at the wrong time, who is to really say? but the underlying problem is that even if they are rightfully or wrongfully accused society will never know, and its people will not be fairly protected from these women of beauty, slenderness, proportion, and charisma because they are considered free before being trialed; their good-looks will get them a lighter sentence or no sentence at all, "In and early study Monahan (1941) found that beautiful women accused of a crime, are judged guilty less often than less beautiful women. (Ahola, Christianson and Hellstrom;pg.S91)" Beautiful people are said to have more things in life to look forward to and have overall better personalities and will exert better qualities that are more healthy for society."Physically attractive young adults, both female and male, are assumed to possess more socially desirable personalities and lead to more successful and fulfilling lives than do their less attractive peers (Ahola, Christianson and Hellstrom;pg.S91)."
On the other hand, aside from the lighter sentences that beautiful women receive during the judicial process their unattractive women or male counterparts tend to receive harsher punishments. Unattractive women tend to be viewed as less in many aspects within society as well as in the eyes of a courtroom group ( prosecutor, judge, defendant,jury). Society looks at a woman who is not so beautiful as a woman who may not get married, have children, obtain a successful occupation, or just be able live happy life internally and externally. Where as the criminal justice system takes the societal view of these women and apply it to their level of justice; consequently, prosecutors and judges may think of unattractive female offenders as violent, brutal people, with little success who are guilty of the crimes they may be accused of and will continue to commit more crimes if they are not punished, therefore they must receive long sentences away from the functional society. "Unattractive defendants are viewed as more likely to transgress again (Ahola, Christianson and Hellstrom;pg.S91)." Likewise, males are generally given less leniency when being convicted. Men are given the upper hand when referring to salaries or power, but women are are given the upper hand when referring to the justice system. According to the journal article, Justice Needs a Blindfold: Effects of Gender and Attractiveness on Prison Sentences and Attributions of Personal Characteristics in a Judicial Process, "from a review of the literature, Cramer (1999) concluded that a female perpetrator receives a guilty sentence less often than a male perpetrator (Ahola, Christianson and Hellstrom;pg.S92)."
Ultimately, the notions made about attractive women receiving lesser prison sentences than unattractive women can lead to great dysfunction between the female population and between the fairness of the criminal justice system that is suppose to be guaranteed to all of its citizens. Attractive women will eventually become more vain, and more violent if need be because they know without a doubt that they will not suffer a large consequence and unattractive women will go through many states of depression and consider acts of suicide as a response to the unfair treatment that they know they will receive. The criminal justice system will become more flawed and corrupt and justice will not be served properly. Beauty is not everything and is an irrelevant and meaningless factor when deciding on someone guilt or innocence; no one can be proven as a just or unjust person by the length of their hair, their exquisite body shape, or by the warmness of their smile because behind any beautiful face can lye an evil persona with spiteful intentions. Beauty can be within the eye of the beholder, but justice should be within the writing of the law.
On the other hand, aside from the lighter sentences that beautiful women receive during the judicial process their unattractive women or male counterparts tend to receive harsher punishments. Unattractive women tend to be viewed as less in many aspects within society as well as in the eyes of a courtroom group ( prosecutor, judge, defendant,jury). Society looks at a woman who is not so beautiful as a woman who may not get married, have children, obtain a successful occupation, or just be able live happy life internally and externally. Where as the criminal justice system takes the societal view of these women and apply it to their level of justice; consequently, prosecutors and judges may think of unattractive female offenders as violent, brutal people, with little success who are guilty of the crimes they may be accused of and will continue to commit more crimes if they are not punished, therefore they must receive long sentences away from the functional society. "Unattractive defendants are viewed as more likely to transgress again (Ahola, Christianson and Hellstrom;pg.S91)." Likewise, males are generally given less leniency when being convicted. Men are given the upper hand when referring to salaries or power, but women are are given the upper hand when referring to the justice system. According to the journal article, Justice Needs a Blindfold: Effects of Gender and Attractiveness on Prison Sentences and Attributions of Personal Characteristics in a Judicial Process, "from a review of the literature, Cramer (1999) concluded that a female perpetrator receives a guilty sentence less often than a male perpetrator (Ahola, Christianson and Hellstrom;pg.S92)."
Ultimately, the notions made about attractive women receiving lesser prison sentences than unattractive women can lead to great dysfunction between the female population and between the fairness of the criminal justice system that is suppose to be guaranteed to all of its citizens. Attractive women will eventually become more vain, and more violent if need be because they know without a doubt that they will not suffer a large consequence and unattractive women will go through many states of depression and consider acts of suicide as a response to the unfair treatment that they know they will receive. The criminal justice system will become more flawed and corrupt and justice will not be served properly. Beauty is not everything and is an irrelevant and meaningless factor when deciding on someone guilt or innocence; no one can be proven as a just or unjust person by the length of their hair, their exquisite body shape, or by the warmness of their smile because behind any beautiful face can lye an evil persona with spiteful intentions. Beauty can be within the eye of the beholder, but justice should be within the writing of the law.