Last Updated on March 19, 2022 by QCity Editorial Stuff
In the context of law, justice is a good moral principle that influences a person’s actions. In the context of society, justice is an idealized principle that suggests all humans should have equal access to rights and opportunities. The two concepts are similar in nature but different in application because laws are not always just and social problems cannot be solved by legal means alone. This blog post will focus on how these two words differ from each other while also demonstrating their similarities through examples from history.
It’s important to understand what people mean when they say “justice” because it can vary depending on the situation. For example, you might hear someone say “the law was applied with a heavy hand,” which means they did not feel like the punishment fit the crime. You might also hear “justice was served,” which can mean the punishment fits the crime but does not always mean it is applied fairly.
Justice is a concept that has been debated for centuries. What makes people think they are entitled to justice? Is it right for everyone or does it favor specific groups of people? These are questions that have no clear answers, but help make sense out of our world. Understanding the difference between law and justice first requires understanding each term individually. Law refers to rules created by governments, while justice refers to fairness in upholding those laws.
Comparison Between Law And Justice
| Parameters of Comparison | Law | Justice |
| Concern | Society deem, right, wrong | Focus on individual |
| Circumstance | Does not consider | Consider Circumstance |
| Application | Can be applied any situation | Justice can not |
| Goal | Maintain order of society | Find the truth |
What Is Law?
Law is a system of rules that are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior. Rules can also be established by governments, corporations, or organizations. Laws can be made by a group and apply equally to all members of the society (such as in democratic societies), they may discriminate against particular groups (such as when certain ethnicities are excluded from laws that determine who may run for public office) or individuals (such as when only men are subject to conscription).
Laws can serve various purposes: they can make actions either illegal or legal; impose penalties on those breaking the law, and dictate how the accused is supposed to behave concerning their punishment. Laws vary around the world, so it’s important not just to understand what they say, but why they exist. Law is often thought of as the command of a sovereign state, such as in Hobbes’ Leviathan, where “law” is a command issued by a monarch to his subjects, often as a means of securing their loyalty.
What Is Justice?
We all have our definition of justice, but there are certain things that many agree on. Justice means fairness and equality for all people, especially those who are oppressed or marginalized. It also means punishment for wrongdoing without bias. Justice does not mean punishing an innocent person just because they were found guilty in a court of law. The United States Constitution includes the Eighth Amendment which says “cruel and unusual punishments” cannot be inflicted by state governments on any person within its jurisdiction. The Fourteenth Amendment guarantees equal protection under the law to every citizen no matter their race or nationality.
The word “justice” is thrown around a lot in our society, but few people truly understand what it means. Justice is defined as giving someone their due reward or penalty for an action they committed. It can be hard to pinpoint when something has been unjust because every situation is different from the next. Many factors go into making a judgment about whether or not something was just or unjust, such as the circumstances surrounding the event, how significant of an impact it had on you and others involved, and if any mitigating circumstances made things more complicated than they would seem at first glance.
10 Differences Between Law And Justice
Concern: Law is more concerned with what society deems as right or wrong, while justice focuses on the individual.
Circumstances: Justice always considers the circumstances of each case and law does not.
Application: Law can be applied to any situation, but justice cannot.
Goal: The goal of the law is to maintain order in society, while justice seeks to find out the truth.
Punish: Law punishes people for their crimes; it doesn’t offer forgiveness or rehabilitation.
Treated: Justice requires that all parties are treated fairly and equally under the law.
Regulation: Law is a set of regulations that govern society, while Justice is the application of these regulations to the individual.
Interpreted: The law can be interpreted and applied differently depending on who’s in charge, but justice should always remain consistent.
Crime: Someone can break the law without committing a crime; this person could be charged with an offense or violation instead.
Punishment: Crimes are punishable by punishment – such as prison time or fines – whereas offenses and violations may not result in any consequences at all.
Interesting Statistics Or Facts Of Law
1. There are more than 3,000 different types of law.
2. The first laws were created during the Sumerian period (3200 BC).
3. According to the Constitution, Congress has the power to make all laws necessary and proper for carrying out its duties.
4. There is no such thing as a “common law marriage” in America – you must be legally married by a judge or minister before it counts.
5. The longest word in English is Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanokoniosis, which means an inflammation of lung tissue caused by inhalation of very fine silica dust particles that can cause serious disability or death.
6. Laws can change depending on location – for example, according to Texas Law Penal Code Sec 43-05(d), it’s illegal for someone other than your spouse to touch your genitals without consent.
Interesting Statistics Or Facts Of Justice
1. There are around 8,000 people in the United States that work as judges.
2. Judges can be appointed or elected to their position.
3. A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings and adjudicates issues of law and fact.
4. Judges can be either part-time or full-time positions, depending on what type of case they will be presiding over.
5. The Supreme Court has 9 justices that make up the highest judicial body in all US courts.
6. The average salary for a judge ranges from $150k-$200k annually (US) but this depends on different factors such as location and experience level.
Conclusion About The Differences Between Law And Justice
Law is the set of rules that are enforced by a government, nation, or international body to regulate social behavior and provide for national security. Justice is an abstract idea encompassing moral principles about what constitutes fairness in human society. Somewhere between these two concepts falls criminal justice, which is defined as “the administration of public law enforcement”. Criminal justice includes both aspects of the law (enforcement) and judgment. The speaker will explore this subject further in his talk next week at the University on Seattle campus.
The difference between law and justice is that the former operates from a position of power whereas the latter seeks to create balance. Law often favors those who have more privilege, while justice strives for fairness across all social groups. For society to thrive, we must work to ensure that our laws are just as much as they are lawful — even if it means challenging established practices or systems. With an understanding of these two different concepts at their core, practitioners in legal fields can better serve their clients by adequately guiding them through what may be unfamiliar terrain. It’s important not only to understand how each one functions but also why — knowledge which will help us achieve greater equality in both law and justice.
References:
Resource 01: https://www.law.com/?slreturn=20220003141547
Resource 02: https://www.justice.gov/
