CJE-3065 Chapter Notes - Chapter 3: Enforcement Authority, The Godwinns, Jury Trial
25 Oct 2016
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Debate continues as to whether the us legal system is just and fair and, if so, for whom and under which circumstances. There is little debate, however, as to the justice system"s racist origins. Slave codes, black codes, black laws, and jim crow. From 1619 to 1865, slave codes embodied the criminal law and procedure that was applied against enslaved africans. Virginia was the first state to enact slave code legislation. Though codes varied by state, they were uniform in their goal to regulate slave life from cradle to grave. In addition to restricting black slave life, the codes established parameters for the business of slavery, including who could be sold as slaves, the hours they could work, etc. The harshest criminal penalties were reserved for actions that threatened the institution of slavery, such as slave rebellions. Slaves who attempted to escape could face death.
