Definition of the word justice

Justice and Its Characteristics

Justice is described as fairness in terms of the defense of people’s rights as well as the penalty of some kind of wrongdoing. All legal frameworks seek to maintain this principle by proper and equal administration of the laws of the land. The underlying principle of justice varies from one society to the next. Justice may also be described as the administration or preservation of what is deemed right, especially through the unbiased adjudication of various contradictory claims or the imposition of penalties or merited rewards. There are different personal characteristics that one must have with the purpose of upholding justice. They are divided into social, interpersonal and professional.

Social Characteristics

Social characteristics require one to have a keen interest in individuals as well as humanity which includes cross-cultural engagement and experience, a kind of demonstrated commitment to engage in community service and the interest in and awareness of the social and regional issues that tend to give rise to various cases that come before courts.

Interpersonal Skills

Interpersonal skills include: compassion, respect and empathy for the indispensable dignity of all individuals, high ethics and moral courage, confidence that is combined with the absence of authoritarian and pomposity tendencies.

Professional Characteristics

The professional characteristics of justice require one to have a work ethic, understanding as well as experience that is applicable to base court through which justice is assigned. Secondly, it requires punctuality, reliability, organized as well as well-preparedness. Thirdly, it requires those that are dispensing justice to have no unresolved or serious criminal charges, civil actions, financial claims to various creditors or bankruptcy.

Elements of Justice

Additionally, justice has different elements that define it. Firstly, there is patience. This is because, most of the criminal justice field is usually rooted in different government laws and regulations. However, collaboration with the various governmental agencies may result in massive paperwork and long waiting hours. Secondly, there is integrity. For all justice professionals, integrity is critical for earning respect from managers and clients. This helps one to put personal beliefs and bias aside. Empathy is another trait exhibited in justice. This is because it is greatly based on helping individuals. It means being understanding as well as sensitive to an individual’s situation without necessarily pitying them.

Socrates’ Perspective on Justice

According to Socrates, justice is not merely something external that is commonly used in societies, rather it is a natural or even internal condition that may be found everywhere. He quotes “Well, then, my friend… This-the practice of minding one’s own business-when it comes into being in a certain way, is probably justice” (Socrates, 433). In this particular case, Socrates tends to imagine that justice refers to a principle although not as much as fairness but just when an individual does his or her own thing. However, in this particular case, Socrates does not mean that one should do whatever one wants. Instead, he means that every individual tends to have some innate businesses or qualities that should be developed as well as put into what is considered into unhindered use.

Conclusion

In conclusion, it is evident that Justice is the fairness particularly in the protection of individuals’ rights and punishment of people for their wrongdoings. It requires empathy, patience, integrity as well as other characteristics such as compassion, respect, high ethics, and moral courage. Socrates believes that justice is not merely something external that is commonly used in societies, rather it is a natural or even internal condition that may be found everywhere.

Work Cited

Socrates, Plato. The Republic. [Website] Retrieved on 9/10/2017 from https://www.shmoop.com/the-republic/justice-judgement-quotes-2.html