How would you BALANCE the justice system? Just wondering.
My definition of justice is Old Testament, which is a bit deeper than eye-for-eye and tooth-for-tooth.
In principle, the accused and victim are supposed to be on an equal plane during the whole process, with no advantage to either party.
If the accused is convicted, justice then becomes a three-legged stool of retribution, restitution and rehabilitation. You want the punishment to fit the crime, and maybe a bit steeper to influence people to not want to do the crime.
Then you want the victim to get back, as close and reasonable as possible, what they had lost.
Third, the accused, after having been punished and paid for his crime, must than be allowed to work himself into a position of respectability once more.
So, for example, if I took your tv set and was convicted of it, I’d be given a reasonable amount of time in jail for it, I’d then be required to either pay you for it or replace it with another tv of similar quality (or maybe a reasonable trade like a laptop or something) then, after having done my time and made restitution, I’d be then free to go.
That is how the Bible describes the principle of justice.
That is what we need to return to, if we are to return to real justice.