As a result, they may lose sight of the need to preserve American values, and they sometimes set hasty or unjust policies. Under the guidance of constitutional principles, the courts serve as watchdogs for the other branches of government. Without the justice system, democracy might easily veer off course. He spent almost 20 years in prison, losing his family ties and a promising career in boxing. There are plenty of stories about innocent people held in prison and even prisoners executed for crimes they did not commit.
Judicial critics abound.
Some protest that the wealthy or the well-connected receive preferential treatment in courts. Other critics of the judicial system cite statistics they believe to be evidence of racial and social discrimination. For example, a disproportionate number of prisoners are young, African American, and male. Legal defense lawyers for the poor are sometimes criticized for being incompetent or apathetic. Congress and the president are often at loggerheads over appointments of federal judges.