Justice

One of the most consistent problems facing the criminal justice system is the influence of institutional culture on the administration of justice, both at the level of the police and the courts. While there are of course written guidelines and laws dictating the actions and decision-making process of both the police and the courts, in practice there is a substantial amount of leeway when it comes to dealing with specific situations. As a result, the particular institutional culture of a department or court can go a long way towards informing an individual's actions in regards to a specific case, for good or ill (Morris, Leung, Ames, & Lickel 1999, p. 781-782). On the one hand, the institutional culture might encourage accountability and transparency, and so police and the judiciary would likely feel compelled to act within the bounds of established legal and ethical frameworks. If, on the other hand,...
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