I'm a pre-law student and me and one of my girlfriend was debating on whether a criminal lawyer is ethical,my response was yes.\nWhy you ask, well I think there is alot of innocent people who are incarcerated.So criminal lawyers would help these inmates get a lesser term or even get them out!!!\nWhat do you think?
204554
This is basically just a philosophical debate, but I'll put in my two cents.  I know criminal defense attorneys who are very ethical, moral people.  They believe in innocent until proven guilty, which is the foundational principal of our criminal justice system.  Of course, most criminal defendants are convicted (and by implication, most people charged are guilty).  But that does not change the fact that we would want everyone to have a quality defense, because any right we would want for ourselves should be guaranteed to everyone.\n\nJohn Adams (the second President) was a lawyer, and he helped write the Declaration of Independence.  Very cool guy, besides being a Father of Our Country.  Right before the Revolution, he volunteered to represent the British soldiers who were charged in the killings in the Boston Massacre and other lawyers didn't want to represent them(look it up if you don't remember Revolutionary War history).  Even though he lost, he has been quoted as saying that it's the case he was the proudest of taking.  Now that's an ethical stand: one of the Founding Fathers as the criminal defense attorney for the very British troops who were killing the citizens of Boston at the start of the Revolutionary War, because he knew they deserved a fair trial.
355135
The justice system is so royally screwed up that I sometimes wonder if we might even be better off without one at all.\n\nAs someone who was abused by a sexual offender in the past, I would love to know why the accused offenders are getting more sympathy than the victims? That's no different than how the system currently works. Some officials won't believe a kid no matter what they say so the offender is never tried for their crimes and continues to do it.
672697
It could be if you break a law or cover up his crime. It does mean you support crime by not speaking out against it weather you like it or not-which makes that person less moral. \n Laws were made to protect the majority of the people living in an area. Those who don't support them due to a selfish feeling of their own (and that would include what you want) are encouraging lawlessness.\n Throughout history where lawlessness prevailed many innocent got hurt-that is why we made laws. If you don't like the laws than get the majority to change them\nlegally. This is the right way to protect all. So yes-supportors are hurting many.
629392
Prisons should be terrible places where nobody wants to go but you better remember that most of the people who go in there get out at some point. \nThat is why you don't want to shamelessly brutalize them, and you want to provide them with the opportunity to correct and better themselves.  That way maybe there is a chance they might get out and go straight, not be a worse criminal than they were when they went in.
329938
I'm not a Defense Attorney but rather a Federal Agent. I have apprehended people with HUGE narcotics loads and had full confessions from them. I see the defense attorneys create the most elaborate stories that you could imagine...do I like it, absolutely not! But....the defense attorney has a legal obligation to defend his/her client..we don't have to like it but it is the law. I personally witnessed (off duty) a criminal sexual penetration of a minor, I went to court with everyone knowing who I work for and the defense called me a pathetic liar who does not like older people (The defendant was 61 and I was 37 at the time)...did it piss me off, yes..did I expect it..unfortunately yes. It is the way our judicial system is designed..it isn't perfect but it is a heck of alot better than any other country!\n\nMy addition to your addition: You are obviously enraged that the judicial system and I have sat in your shoes many times. I don't like it any more than you do. We are far from having a perfect system! however, I have seen the judicial system in many other countries and we should be proud. I agree that we are often far too lenient with defendants but many states have laws on the book that were writen so long ago that they are not adequate for todays society.
201634
I work for lawyers and every summer a law student will clerk at our office.  Law students like to treat the paralegals and legal assistants like we are trash. They get drunk on the idea that we HAVE to help them and think they weild some power over us.  But, the problem is not exclusive to law students.  They get worse after they pass the bar.  Lawyers are some of the most hateful people to work for.  If you think your peers are bad now, wait till they start working at a big firm....they turn into even bigger a-holes!
479432
Its actually very easy. Plea bargaining is one. What is fraud when there are killers on the loose? Also, the road from arrest to conviction is extremely long and cons can get lost in the shuffle. Unfortunately there is little you can do. You used to be able to put a red flag on your credit, therefore meaning anytime someone applied for credit on your behalf they would have to contact you, but that ended up being more trouble that it was worth. Dont know what to tell you, though I can probably tell you local law enforcement already knows this person is a scum bag. What ends up being the drama are well meaning law makers and not so well meaning attorneys making the legal system a mess. Most law enforcement are as tired as you are of arresting these scumbags and seeing them back on the street the next day.
330638
Research local Attorneys in your area, many of them work in several areas of the law - including criminal, domestic, bankruptcy, etc. Build a realtionship with him/her. However, I think it is unethical for Attorneys to collect fees for services they have not provided yet. Yes, Attorneys do have to follow a code of ethics. \n\n(If you are paying a criminal lawyer in advance for acts you havent commited yet, I have to wonder what the heck you are planning on doing.)\n\nInstead of doing this, I would sincerly recommend putting extra cash in a savings account each month instead. You'd collect interest each month you didnt need an Attorney.
426921
I am for it because I feel there are some crimes that just call out for it.\n\nI think about how scared murder victims were while they were being offed by some coward.  I just can't forgive such acts.\n\nIf you put them in jail instead of executing them than I feel you are at least partially forgiving them by letting them live.\n\nIts should be used rarely but I think it needs to be an option when seeking justice.
373160
The problem is our judicial system is very flawed.  There are many innocent people in jail, and guilty ones in the street.  I agree some people are given lighter sentences than what they deserve and others harsher than they deserve.  But our system is what it is, if you don't plan on getting out there and trying to make a change then there is no point in complaining about it.  I am back and forth on the issue of the death penalty,  but to answer your question, yes there should be certain criteria for sending someone to deathrow.   There should be certain regulations.  But every crime is different, and until it happens to you or someone in your family it is hard to say.  and that goes for being the defendant or the victim.  it is hard on both families.
212896
I understand it.  A lot of people think the the justice system will not work for the they don't trust the system.  people believe that because Procter's have said they would rather let 100 guilty people go free than convict one Innocent man.  So people are thinking that there is not enough evidence to put some one behind bars so the feel if the take the law into there own hands the will feel better because at least something happened to the bad guy.
179859
WOW you got some dramma going on. I suggest not help criminals in the future, regardless of whether or not you think they did it. Why ruin everyone elses life too? You are all going to have to save up for a really good lawyer. Since there are so many people willing to help hide him, they shouldn't mind helping to pay for the lawyer. They may need their own as well now.
475245
I have never thought about this question,but now you ask,I regard prison officers highly has it takes a special kind of person to carry out the role of such a job.I dont consider it to be a case of locking doors etc.has you have a greater role of reabilitaion of offenders.\nTo my thoughts you would have to be the complete opposite of what the american gentleman says.\nSo keep up the good work matey
132007
say a serial killer is also a scientist. so he takes detailed research notes on every murder he commits. and he gets away with killing over and over again. after some time, he will either get caught, or he will get away with it. someday, someone will find the papers he left, or he will try to profit from it himself. would it be moral or just to use this murderer's research? \n\nit is theoretically possible that the information from that murderer's crimes could be useful to the living. but in using it, aren't we disrespecting the victims? aren't we disregarding the methods used to obtain the information? say he was living, and still attempting to justify his actions from prison, or to himself in secret... wouldn't it be helping him justify the worth of his heinous acts? it's like paying him, if not with money then with respect. it's an untenable position.
248478
Why do you need SOURCES?? I'm a college student who is planning on attending law school in a year. As a lawyer, you choose which cases and clients you wish to represent, and what type of law you want to go into. There are also so many types of law, not every lawyer is a defense lawyer for criminals! There are good lawyers out there - "Christian" or not!
78251
No, it is a good thing.  It is much better than giving them a lifetime of freebies.  The law-abiding have to pay for their food, clothes, medical care, everything they need.  Why should a murderer get all that, and in a lot of cases even more, free for life?\n\nAs for what the families of the condemned "go through" too bad!  Did the killer think about what the victim's family will go through?  The killer made a decision to murder.  The victim's family has to live with that decision. The murder victim had to die a horrible death, the killer gets a nice, peaceful one. The killer gets to say his "tender goodbyee" to his family and gets a last meal before being turned off.  Has any murder victim ever been given a chance to say goodby to their families?  Or a last meal?  I highly doubt it.\n\nAnd at least with the death penalty, that ensures 1000% that that killer will never do it again.\n\nEdit - chris42050:  So, you think the murderer should get to live his life, getting to have visits from his family, (does the murder victim's family get to visit a live person?  Or look at a cold tombstone?) getting to lounge around all day, getting free food, free clothes, free medical and dental care, free cable, free internet, etc?  And you cannot even compare the "suffering" of the murderer's family to the suffering of the victim's family. As I said, at least the murderer's family gets a chance to say "goodby" while the murderer is still alive. Keep in mind the muderer made a decision. The bottom line is I care more about the victims than the criminals.  And maybe if life in prison was truly a punishment, without all the frills I would feel different, but the cry-for-the-criminals liberals would never have it be that way.\n\nAnd as a side note - I have seen on the news plenty of times when an animal is vicious, it is put down.  So, if a human is vicious, the same should be done to them.
509748
G'day MoeVaygen,\n\nThank you for your question.\n\nI would stick with criminology. It will come in handy when you are practising as a criminal lawyer. Possibly look at doing it as your major together with some more traditional subjects.\n\nI would speak with counsellors at your school. If you have any contacts in law schools, I would seek your advice.  In answering a similar question, Professor X advised that "Law school admissions committees are looking for students that write clearly and elegantly, read closely, and demonstrate strong critical thinking abilities." \n\nThe nub of his advice is that law schools are looking for people who have done programs with intellectual rigor. \n\nTaranto got best answer on an question on whether economics was a good major by arguing that doing a course different from the norm may be an advantage. Certainly criminology may be useful background for someone studying criminal law and a definite advantage for someone practising it.\n\nIf your criminology course is highly regarded, you enjoy it and it is useful, I would stick with it.\n\nRegards