A defense attorney’s job is to provide their client with the best legal counsel possible,
rather than deciding on their client’s guilt or innocence (Bohm & Haley, 2018). They must give
the defendant a strong and fair representation throughout the entire process. Additionally, the
defense attorney will often receive a statement from the victim expressing their concerns and
how the crime has affected them (DOJ, 2023). From the defense attorney’s perspective, he would
get to know the defendant and his backstory. He would ask Adam about his family life, his
financial state, his childhood, and other questions that might give more insight as to why he
committed this crime. For the attorney to believe that justice was accomplished, he would want
Adam to not be sentenced to prison but rather sent to a drug rehab center or even given help to
find a job.
The Sales Clerk
As the sales clerk was the victim in this situation, she suffered many side effects from her
encounter with Adam. Due to her fear, she fell and got a concussion. Following her concussion,
she now experiences many changes to her mental health, mental presence, and even various
personality changes. If the sales clerk wrote a victim statement, it would most likely include the
changes she has gone through as well as the fact that she now lives in a constant state of fear.
From her perspective, she might not be able to understand why Adam would attempt to rob the
pharmacy. Oftentimes, victims do not think of why the perpetrator is doing the act, rather they
either assume the worst or do not empathize at all. If the clerk did attempt to see where Adam
was coming from, she might think the drugs were for personal use, when in reality he might have
been going to sell them to earn an income for his family. For her to believe that justice was
accomplished, she would want Adam to be sent to prison for many years.
Discussing a Plan For Justice
If both of these parties got together to discuss a plan for justice in this situation, both
individuals would have to compromise. Neither party’s ideas were realistic or ideal, so the
outcome would have to reflect an appropriate punishment for Adam’s crime while providing him
with the help and resources he needs. Perhaps they would determine that he should be charged
with a couple of months in prison while simultaneously undergoing a drug treatment. He could
get the option to be released early on parole and would receive help in finding a job.
Biblical Perspective
The Bible states multiple times that God wants us to treat everyone with kindness and
respect (1 Peter 2:17). The defense attorney must not let his mind be clouded by judgment of his
client, instead, he should be respectful and give the client an opportunity to a fair trial. The Bible
makes it very clear that we are to forgive those who have wronged us (Ephesians 4:31-32).
Despite the challenges the victim now has to endure, she should work on forgiving Adam for his
sin toward her, just as God has forgiven her for her sins.
References
Bohm, R., & Haley, K. (2018). Introduction to Criminal Justice (9th ed.). Columbus, OH:
McGraw-Hill Custom. Retrieved from
https://learning.mheducation.com/static/awd/index.html?_t=1708032999887#/
DOJ. (2023). Victim Impact Statements. Criminal Division, U.S. Department of Justice.
https://www.justice.gov/criminal/criminal-vns/victim-impact-statements
New International Version. (2011). The Holy Bible. Bible Gateway.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+peter+2%3A17&version=NIV
New International Version. (2011). The Holy Bible. Bible Gateway.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=ephesians+4%3A31-32&version=NIV
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