Personal Experience: Applying for a GLC Scholarship

The literal meaning of justice is ‘the quality of being morally right and fair’ but there are various theories which can be considered and compared since they all define justice in a different way.

What is justice? Is it a fitting punishment for a crime? Or a court or officer of the law? Is it the law itself? It has many definitions and interpretations, depending on various people. Some interpret it very simply, saying that it is fairness in every situation. Others give the word more complication, saying that it is doing what is morally right and fair. Oxford Dictionary defines it as many things, including, “Just behaviour or treatment...The quality of being fair and reasonable.” Black’s Law Dictionary defines justice as, “The constant and perpetual disposition to render every man his due.” All are various meanings and interpretations of one, single, word, that has been explored in many books and novels, including one by Harper Lee. In her novel To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee uses the characters of Atticus and Mr. Raymond to show the meaning of true justice and how it transcends prejudicial divisions.

Despite what the dictionary says, there are many definitions of the word justice based on the world’s opinions. The opinions then depend on the situation at hand. There is the discussion of justice for the person who has been hurt, for the person who has conceived a crime, and even for those who have committed an accident. In the end, justice is intended to establish an equal solution for any circumstance. Every person in society deserves to be punished equally for the crimes they have committed to ensure justice is served.

Justice as defined by the Oxford dictionary is just behavior or treatment; the quality of being fair and reasonable; and the administration of the law or authority in maintaining this. However, to Frederick Douglass, justice had a deeper meaning, especially during the time that he was alive.

Justice is defined by the fairness in protection of rights and punishment of wrongs. This concept intends to offer a fair punishment that fits the offense. The term itself holds a positive connotation, in contrast to the word injustice. The United States’ judicial system built its operations off of granting justice to those put on trial. Judges within the judicial system strive to hold fair trials in order to prosecute offenders accordingly.

My definition comes in two words: Fairness and Equality. In a court of law, Justice can’t be served without fairness. Whether the defendant committed the act or not they have the right to a fair court. That fairness also applies to life. To treat someone fairly and as an equal, regardless of who they are is justly. We cannot judge others based on knowledge we think we know, or the idea that we’re superior to them. Justice is allowing others to feel like they’re not being shunned away from society simply because they’re

Justice is the concept of moral rightness based on others behavior and actions. Justice is about making the truth visible, and sometimes even taking legal action. In the olden days justice was not as controlled or as proficient as it is now in today's day and age. There were a variety of justice and injustice represented in the story’s, Harrison Bergeron by Vonnegut, The Minister’s Black Veil by Hawthorne and Thank You Ma’am by Hughes.

What is justice? Who decides whether something is an injustice? How do they decide? Justice is a moral quality that involves treating someone fairly with respect to the law. In the United States of America, the Supreme Court is the highest court. Usually juries utilize the determination of if an action is a crime; however, there are times when the Chief Justices are called upon. The system used requires both parties to present arguments that include evidence; a party has to work their way through the courts in order to appeal for the Supreme Court. Because the Supreme Court is an appellate court who operates under the rule of four, the

The term justice is used in some of America's most treasured and valued documents, from the Pledge of Allegiance, to the Constitution, and the Declaration of Independence. Everyone wants to be treated justly whether it's in the courtroom or the local bar. Most people would feel confident giving a definition for justice, but would it be a definition we could universally agree to? Given that justice is a very common term, and something we all want, it's important to have a precise definition. For hundreds of years philosophers have argued, debated, and fought over this topic. Justice can clearly be defined as the intention to conform to truth and fairness. This is true justice.

The conventional accounts of Justice normally begin by stating a fundamental rule of Aristotle – Justice is to treat equals equally and unequals unequally, and that unequal treatment should be in proportion to the inequality. In everyday life though, justice is seen as an attribute of law, while all laws are not necessarily just. Many great socio- political movements of the world have focused from time to time on unjust laws eg Apartheid laws in South Africa and Caste laws in India. Impartiality and fairness are understood to be the two aspects of justice. But it would be misleading to suggest that Justice refers solely to the fair application of a rule.

Oftentimes, the definition of social justice can be misinterpreted or misunderstood. The true definition of social justice is often structured by governmental implications but is the fair and proper administration of laws to each individual conforming to the natural law. Equality is supposed to be equally distributed amongst individuals nationally, but can sometimes be taken advantage of and be taken away from people who deserve it the most. Generally, those who view social justices as a right, also value people above profits.

The prevailing thought currently held in America on justice is the idea of moral relativism. Simply put, moral relativism states that a person's moral and ethical beliefs are entirely subjective, they are completely dependent on an individual's social, cultural, and personal circumstances. There are no transcendental or universal moral truths governing what is right or wrong. It is based solely on opinion. Moral relativism does not argue for a spectrum of nuanced shades of grays instead of a black and white concept of right versus wrong, it insists that the spectrum does not exist at all.

The American Heritage Dictionary defines justice as the upholding of what is just, especially fair treatment and due reward in accordance with honor, standards, or law. Personal or vigilante justice is one person taking the law into his or her hands. He or she would not follow laws or societal justice. In the case of The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas, a man is thrown into prison. He is framed for betraying the government. However, this man is innocent. As soon as he escapes from his 14 years in prison, he gives himself a mission: to exact revenge upon the people who threw him away. Such is the story of a man turning to personal justice. Alexandre Dumas’ novel The Count of Monte Cristo demonstrates why there is a clear line

Kohlberg believes that when we are born we lack an understanding of justice and morality and through experiences and expectations of society we shape our morality (Semerci, 2006). Justice can be defined as treating everybody with dignity and base the decisions one makes on equal

Being a personal value of mine, justice can both advance and hinder my work. It can advance my work because of the drive and belief I have in its execution. I will be motivated to go beyond the call of duty to ensure that justice is served and I will be empowered to stand up for what is right and fair. However, how far beyond the call of duty I go can hinder my work. If I let my personal views of justice get the better of me I can end up going too far in my intentions and make the case even worse than it was.