What is Justice

1. What is Justice?

2. What does justice mean? Def’n : The quality of being fair and reasonable Synonyms: fairness - equity - right - righteousness – justness In any situation, be it in a courtroom, at the workplace or in line at a bank, we want to be treated fairly. We shouldn't be judged more harshly because of our skin color, we shouldn't be paid any less because of our gender, and we shouldn't have to wait longer at the bank, because of what we're wearing. We feel we deserve equal and impartial treatment.

3. Justice Because we have this desire for equality and fairness, the assurance of justice is usually a prerequisite for a good society. For a leader to have legitimacy among his or her constituents, he or she must find ways to ensure that the laws of the land are just and administered justly. Of course, history is littered with examples of governments that were unjust to some citizens.

4. Justice The question of what's to be done when an injustice is committed is an important one. For the offender, justice means that crimes don't go unpunished, but also that the punishment fits the crime. For a victim, justice may be seeing a criminal put behind bars, or it may be monetary -- the goal is to make the victim feel equal again.

5. Justice Justice remains a hard topic to pin down because people often disagree over what they deserve and whether they're receiving it. In such disagreements, we want reasonable and impartial decisions made, which is why the images of justice personified often include a blindfold. When people feel that they aren't getting their due, then society may become unstable.

6. Just / Unjust Scenarios An hockey planner is suspended for 10 games for using a banned substance because it was thought to give him an unfair advantage. The player insists that it came from a product used to grow his hair. Is this scenario an example of justice or injustice?

7. Your Assignment For each of the following scenarios, decide whether it is “Justice” or an “Injustice”, and explain why you think it is Justice or an Injustice. Your explanations should try to get to the heart of what Justice is. Don’t just say, “because it was wrong”, OR “because it was right”, these answers are insufficient. Explain in thoughtful detail . Your responses will be calculated and shown later on and we will discuss the results in class.

8. Question #1 A woman is required by her employer to wear makeup (blush, powder, lipstick, and mascara) as part of the "appearance guidelines" of the company. She is fired for refusing to comply with the policy. Justice: 48% Injustice: 52% Other: 0%

9. Question #2 During a time of war, men can be conscripted (forced) to go to battle (if the government says they have to), but women cannot be forced. Justice: 45% Injustice: 55% Other: 0%

10. Question #3 Men's football programs at most major universities are given 10 times the amount of money given to women's basketball, volleyball, and lacrosse programs combined. Justice: 36% Injustice: 64% Other: 0%

11. Question #4 Convicted sex offenders (child molesters) must register with local police. Their names are available on the Internet, and police go door to door and notify immediate neighbours . Justice: 82% Injustice: 15% Other: 3%

12. Question #5 Aboriginal Canadians were removed from their homeland by white settlers and put on reservations. Justice: 12% Injustice: 88% Other: 0%

13. Question #6 All students, regardless of their religious beliefs, are required to stand during the national anthem, which includes the phrase “God keep our land…” Justice: 76% Injustice: 24% Other: 0%

14. Question #7 A worker who wears a low cut blouse, a mini skirt, and lots of makeup gets hit on by her boss. He invites her to dinner and says she’ll be “sure to get a satisfactory rating.” She files a sexual harassment complaint and the boss is fired. Justice: 70% Injustice: 30% Other: 0%

15. Question #8 A woman is beaten by her husband repeatedly. She doesn’t leave him, she just kills him. She is convicted of first degree murder and sent to prison for life. Justice: 79% Injustice: 21% Other: 0%

16. Question #9 A student with dyslexia (A learning disorder marked by impairment of the ability to recognize and comprehend written words) is given an unlimited amount of time to take the SAT, whereas “regular” students are given only 3 hours. Justice: 76% Injustice: 24% Other: 0%

17. Question #10 People in wheelchairs are given prime parking spots, reserved just for them, closest to the entrance of buildings. Justice: 100% Injustice: 0% Other: 0%

18. Question #11 A father is jailed for killing the men who raped his daughter. Justice: 79% Injustice: 18% Other: 3%

19. Question #12 Gay couples are allowed to get married. Justice: 91% Injustice: 6% Other: 3%

20. Question #13 People in Toronto aren’t allowed to smoke in bars. Justice: 82% Injustice: 15% Other: 3%

21. Question #14 Women are allowed to get abortions in the first trimester of their pregnancy. Justice: 42% Injustice: 55% Other: 3%

22. Question #15 Convicted mass murderers in Texas are put to death. Justice: 61% Injustice: 33% Other : 0%

23. Sources http://www.howstuffworks.com/what-is-justice.htm