This document discusses the concept of justice through examining the works of John Rawls and Karl Marx. It summarizes Rawls' theory of a just social contract under a "veil of ignorance" that ensures basic liberties and equality. Rawls argues that inequalities must benefit the least advantaged. The document also notes Marx's view that capitalist societies only protect the ruling class and cannot achieve true justice. Images included aim to highlight issues not normally covered in media related to the impacts of austerity on the elderly and fuel poverty on low-income households.

1. WHAT IS
JUSTICE?
BY DEBRA IGLESIAS.

2. Austerity has Injustice.
John Rawls asked the question, if you had to make laws for a
society, how would you do that?
He proposed a social contract, where everyone starts from an
‘original position’, under a ‘veil of ignorance’,
Based on two basic principles of liberty and equality through a
rational and logical approach.

3. Photograph one
Demonstrates cuts in government funding
to local authorities for the provision of
social care, resulting in many elderly
residents facing rehoming uncertainties,
without a choice, due to closures.
Even after the promise of
‘Your Home from Home’.
People with pre existing conditions do not get
justice
“Unjust social arrangements are themselves a kind
of extortion, even violence” Rawls (1999).Visual images as a form of research
data, adds a new dimension to
criminology. Case et al (2017). P.823.

4. Rawls first principle, the liberty principle,
advocates that each person should have the right
to as many basic liberties as possible and should
live and seek as many opportunities as possible
without infringing on the liberty interests of
others.

5. Photograph two
Represents the dilemma facing many socio-
economic households during winter months to
heat or eat. ‘Excess winter deaths’ decontextualize
injury, Tombs (2015) masking the huge profits
made by private energy companies with limited
investment in poor social housing conditions.
43,900 ‘excess winter deaths’
ONS (2014/15).
Scottish Power pre-tax profits
£139.1m in 2014.
Media portrayal of the elderly not true to economic
austerity
2010-2.49m, 2011-2.43m, 2012-2.36m, 2013-2.35m, 2014-
2.38 million, low income households living in fuel poverty.
(unidentifiable individuals in images)

6. Although Rawls maintains that inequalities are inevitable in
society, his second principle, the difference principle, requires
social and economic inequalities to be to everyone’s advantage,
but where this is not fair to be arranged so that they benefit
those who are least advantaged the most.

7. KARL MARX (1845).
Argues that it is impossible to have a just
society, as capitalist societies sole aims are to
protect the interest of the ruling class.

8. Everything in society depends on rules being applied, if they are not just they will never deliver
justice. If flexibility is not permitted then they will be just in some situations and unjust in
others.
The main dilemma faced by all societies is whether a fixed system of law or a more discretionary
approach is preferable. As a criminal justice system is criminal to the extent that it is not truly a
system of justice. Reiman (2016). P. 195.
Images are on slideshare to highlight
awareness of issues not covered in
the normal media.

9. Case, S., Johnson, P., Manlow, D., Smith, R. and Williams, K. (2017) Criminology. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Chernomas, R. and Hudson, I. (2007), Social Murder, and other shortcomings of Conservative economics, Winnipeg: Arbeiter Ring Publishing.
Energy UK. (2017). Fuel Poverty. (Online). Available at: http://www.ons.co.uk (Accessed 10 October 2017).
Hayward, K. and Presdee, M. (eds), (2010) Framing Crime: Cultural Criminology and the Image. Abington: Routledge.
Hucklesby, A. and Wahidin, A. (2013) (eds) Criminal Justice. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Liberty. (2017). The Human Rights Act 1998. (Online). Available at: http://www.liberty-human-rights.org.uk (Accessed 5 November 2017).
Liebling, A., Maruna, S. and McAra, L. (eds) (2017) The Oxford Handbook of Criminology. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Newburn, T. (2013). Criminology. Second Edition. London: Routledge.
Office for National Statistics. (2011/2016). Excess Winter Deaths Statistics. (Online). Available at: http://www.ons.gov.uk (Accessed: 10 October 2017).
Rawls, J. (1999) A Theory of Justice. Revised Edition. Massachusetts: Harvard University Press.
Reiman, J. and Leighton, P. (2016) The Rich Get Richer and The Poor Get Prison. 11th Edition. London: Routledge.
Utility Week. (2015). Scottish Power profits soar by 40 per cent. (Online). Available at: http://utilityweek.co.ok/news/scottishpower (Accessed 7 November 2017).
References.