Federal government
https://www.themarshallproject.org/2015/12/18/john-oliver-s-year-in-criminal-justice

https://time.com/5353700/john-oliver-last-week-tonight-prosecutors/

https://slate.com/culture/2014/10/john-oliver-on-civil-forfeiture-with-jeff-goldblum-he-creates-new-law-order-video.html

https://slate.com/culture/2020/08/john-oliver-jury-selection-racism-last-week-tonight.html

Essay Instructions

You will be writing an essay answering the following question, using the following guidelines.

· 1,000 – 1,300 words in length; an essay under 1,000 will be considered incomplete and an essay over 1,300 words will be considered incomplete.

· Standard 12 point font, double spaced.

· Include your name at the top of the essay; I don’t want to search for you name.

· Use MLA format to cite any sources you may use. You do not need to cite any of the videos from John Oliver or the movies (I already know those sources). You must cite the documentary/film you picked.

· You must use sources (either the videos provided, the textbook, and/or sources found on your own) to support your conclusion. Essay submitted that do not have supporting material will be considered incomplete.

· You will upload your essay into Turnitin; link provided below.

There is no greater tyranny than that which is perpetrated under the shield of the law and in the name of justice. – Charles de Montesquieu.

Analyze the above quote. You have read the textbook material about the court structure and law and due process. You have watched multiple videos/documentaries/films highlighting “concerns” about our penal system. Everything from issues with prosecutors to First Amendment rights.

Now you’re going to put it all together. What does the above quote mean? Define tyranny. Describe “shield of law and in the name of justice”. Has our idea of “justice” become tyrannical? Why or why not? Provide specific examples from the videos and any other outside sources to support your answer.

Government must create a system that protects and provides justice; to create such a system they must be given power. How can government be constrained in their power when they are given the ultimate authority over someone’s life (literally, they can kill you, take your freedom, and your property – the very things government was created to protect)?