Thought Exercise 14.2 - The Ethics of Presumed Guilt

After reading Thought Exercise 14.2, consider the author's contention that criminal justice practitioners who presume guilt on the part of those coming into the system make a variety of problems, not only for themselves, but for the system as a whole.

In this week's discussion, explore with your classmates the origins of "presumed guilty." Where did this attitude come from and why does it persist? What problems does it make for practitioners and those coming into the system? Is it as great a threat to the criminal justice system as the author makes it out to be? Why or why not?