We need a diverse judicial pool

Bias is a part of everyone’s life. All people make decisions based on past experience, past relationships, family conversations, the news media, movies, TV, and more. The bias can be conscious, meaning the person is aware they act favorably or unfavorably to a person based on age, race, gender, or sexuality. There is also unconscious bias, which affects a person’s judgment favorably or unfavorably about another.

The bias is instantaneous and affects how a jury decides a case and how a judge handles a case. We see bias every day. How a case is decided and a punishment is proclaimed is often guided by bias.

We can’t eliminate bias, but we can become more aware of it by ensuring we get a diverse judiciary and diverse jurors.

By recognizing our individual biases, we can try to see both sides more fairly and reach better decisions. To this end, we need a diverse judicial candidate pool and for people to vote after they have looked at all of the candidates. We need people to report unfair hearings and unfair police conduct. No person or courtroom is perfect, but we can do much better.

Become a part of the solution.

— Loraine Goodwin,

Law Enforcement and Judicial Review Board,

Madera