Crime and Punishment in the United States Living in the United States, it is clear that justice is a priority in society; but does it run correctly every time? The answer is obviously no, as cases and individuals fall by the wayside due to the sheer number of cases. Statistically, with the amount of criminal cases in America, it would be impossible to bring everyone to justice and save innocent people from prison. Examining specific situations is one way to gather data and formulate hypotheses, while a broader look can bring up general points. In the United States, justice is simply not always carried out and people's lives are destroyed in the process. Other times, justice pushes for an answer, with no one to condemn, resulting in mass subterfuge. Examining documentaries is a reasonable way to examine how justice is carried out across America and to see how it impacts specific cases and individuals. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original EssayWith the large scale of cases throughout American history, many have gotten it wrong, convicting the wrong person or simply avoiding certain facts in favor of race or predispositions. This is clearly evident in three documentaries, The Farm: Angola, USA, The Thin Blue Line and Capturing the Friedmans. In all three of these films, a mistreatment of justice is shown, believe it or not. In the film The Farm: Angola, USA, directed by Jonathan Stack, the viewer is introduced to six men who are all serving their lives in prison. These men all have their own stories, but there is one in particular. A man named Vincent Simmons, who is in prison for rape, claimed he was innocent, as most people do (Stack 00:23). What makes his argument stand out is that the evidence simply doesn't add up. Throughout the film, it is obvious that Simmons and most likely the other inmates in prison are only being convicted because of their race. In Simmons' case, the woman who accused him even said that all black men look the same to her (Stacks 00:30). This raises an obvious question. How did he know it was Vincent Simmons? The answer of course is that he didn't. There is a clear flaw in the justice system when a man can be found guilty in court just because of the color of his skin, and end up in prison for life. Another example of faulty justice comes when examining the film The Thin Blue Line, directed by Errol Morris. This entire documentary set out to accomplish one thing when it was released, and it did. This film was released to prove the innocence of its protagonist, Randal Adams. In the documentary, dramatic reenactments capture the story of Randal Adams who was convicted of killing a police officer. Watching the film, it was clear that something was wrong, but the climax is gruff when the truth comes out. Morris waits until the end of the film to show a voice recorder clip in which David Harris essentially confesses to the crime, calling Adams a "proverbial scapegoat" (1:35). This egregious miscarriage of justice cost Adams his life, and he remained in prison for twelve years and died shortly after being released. The wrongful conviction of one man demonstrates once again that the American justice system is flawed and that not everyone is presumed innocent until proven guilty. Another example of mishandling the law can be seen in Capturing the Friedmans, directed by Andrew Jarecki. In this film the cameras observe the Friedman family, bombarded with accusations ofchild pornography. Looking at interviews with police officers and investigators, it is obvious that some details simply don't add up. In one scene, an investigator deeply explains that the case has flaws and what has been reported is not possible (Jarecki 00:31). In the scene, Jarecki captures Francesco Galasso explaining that the multiple descriptions of the house do not coincide and must be spoiled, even going so far as to have photographic evidence (00:32). The truth behind this case, just like in many others, can never truly be discovered, as too many details and accusations have circulated throughout the case. Overall, the conviction of Arnold and Jesse Friedman may very well be wrong, but it could also be right. What really matters is that the accusations are consistent and, in this case, they are not. The capture of the Friedmans was done incorrectly and is just one example of the country's growing carceral state. The carceral state in America can be simply explained as the need to lock up one's fellow man. In general, people feel better when they know that someone bad is being cast aside, even if that means it's the wrong person. For some reason, the possibility of the right person being detained is enough to satisfy the victim who detained them. Michael Meranze talks about this in his article “Pathology of the prison state”. In his article, Meranze discusses the prospect of an overly incarcerated America and goes on to say, “The 1980s and 1990s saw the construction of expanded and highly expensive prisons… to limit inmates' access to courts and legal options, and an increase in the imposition of the death penalty and life imprisonment without parole” (Meranze 1). Meranze essentially states that justice in America is simply punishing whoever is chosen, and doing so harshly and mercilessly. Furthermore, limiting prisoners' access to courts and increasing the death penalty is simply cruel and inhumane. It's easy enough to identify problems with the American justice system simply by watching a few movies and reading a few articles, and you can do so to learn a lot more. The idea of ​​responsibility is one that anyone responsible would disagree with. When it comes time to blame someone for crimes or misconduct, the simplest solution is always subterfuge. Whether the sacrifice is inadvertent scapegoating or simply educating someone, the results are sometimes fatal or catastrophic. Looking at the three films, Inside Job, Bowling for Columbine, and Lost for Life, one can assume that responsibility is important, and regardless of the situation, someone is to blame. Starting from the film Inside Job, directed by Charles Ferguson, responsibility does not only apply to numbers. The financial meltdown of 2008 was one that truly devastated the world economy and took many people with it. In this situation, just like in any other, it was difficult to take responsibility, as everyone pointed fingers at everyone, but people were actually being blamed and punished. In chapter four of the film, tastefully titled “Accountability,” the blame was placed on corporations and corporations, and the real scapegoat was the Lehman Brothers Firm, which closed in 2008 (Furgeson 1:22). Most of the fingers were pointed at the corporations and Lehman Brothers in particular, so when it came time to bail out the banks, Lehman Brothers got nothing and was forced to close their doors (1:30). Moving to a smaller scale, the question of responsibility towards minors arises. In Michael Moore's Bowling for Columbine, the question of responsibility arises quickly. In the aftermath of.