Politics is a complex system combining art, science, and diplomacy. Theoretically, politicians should focus solely on the security, development, and well-being of the countries they run. However, in practice, they often interfere with matters that should remain taboo for their work, such as the judicial system.
In most countries, politics thrive on conflict, which comes from new developments. For instance, the advent of digital payment processors like Art Payments makes cash obsolete. However, their implementation depends on the society’s support, which politicians may manipulate through various tools, including judicial interference.
So, what can we expect from the politician-judicial system relationship? Do politicians have more power than we know on how laws work in our country?
The Selection of Decision Makers
Every democratic state has two choices of selecting its justice decision-makers. Firstly, people can vote on who enters the judicial system. However, this rarely happens. The preferred method of electing judicial systems is through a public official, such as a mayor or a president.
For example, the mayor of a city can elect the chief of police in every state in the U.S. Also, the President of the United States, together with the Senate, appoints the Supreme Court Justices. So, indirectly, the public has a say in their selection but only up to a point. In the end, it is still a political deciding who will lead the judicial system of a city or a country.
The Law-Making Decisions
The U.S. legal system bases its common law on historical precedents. However, its criminal law is subject primarily to the current statute. For instance, legislative assemblies generate criminal laws or add amendments to previous rules. Also, they dictate appropriate punishments for those violating criminal laws.
Politicians have a decisive say in how the judicial system changes its approach towards a particular crime. For instance, the U.S law on drugs use and traffic has changed several times within the past century. The use of hemp-based products has put many people behind bars for decades. Nowadays, their use is widely decriminalized, and citizens no longer risk criminal offenses.
This is just one case in which politicians have affected the judicial system. In turn, their beliefs, decisions, and influence have impacted the lives of several generations and communities.
The Politics of Policing
The police have to distance themselves from any political affiliation or influence as per its nature. Also, law enforcement has to be fair, impartial, and serve everyone equally, regardless of their political connections.
Unfortunately, this high level of police neutrality to politics is rarely the reality. Most police departments depend on the relationships they have with the local authorities. And, as we mentioned above, it is the mayor who designates police chiefs. Therefore, political affiliations can often determine how the police operate in a particular community.
In conclusion, politicians can severely affect the judicial system through their actions and influence. Even if their unfair interference is condemnable by law, they can still dictate how the law works.