Bad Guyism

All people make mistakes, but when we view certain mistakes as unworthy of redemption, it can make it impossible for us to learn and grow. Labeling people as “Bad Guys” can lead to people being completely ostracized and exiled from their communities. It can prevent people from accessing their basic needs and increase barriers to gaining financial security and healing from their own trauma. Unfortunately, this often leads to more mistakes, criminal behaviors, self-harm, dehumanization, and in some cases, more victims. In fact, the “Good Guys vs Bad Guys” lens furthers the cycle of oppression because it doesn’t acknowledge most people who make mistakes or commit crimes were “victims” first.  

Use of the “Good Guys vs Bad Guys Lens” also enables criminalization of normal human behavior and/or behaviors and activities that some (or many) people don’t like, but that are not truly “crimes”. In addition, it can lead to oppressive or authoritarian communities marked by high rates of unnecessary interactions with law enforcement, unfair or inhumane treatment in the criminal justice system, use of lethal force by law enforcement, the death penalty, and locking human beings in cages. No one should ever be dehumanized for any reason, and everyone should have the opportunity to learn, heal and grow.

Institutionalized

Institutionalized GvB happens when it is the policy or practice of a group, business, organization, or government to permanently label people or treat people differently based on their real or perceived mistakes. This could mean denying basic rights, survival needs, civil rights, job opportunities, voting rights, or the pursuit of happiness based on past mistakes. 

Dismantling the Good Guy vs Bad Guy Lens

The first step in rejecting the GvB lens is saying it’s not okay, and dismantling the view point.

The Good Guys vs Bad Guys Lens assumes that there are two types of people in this world.

• Good Guys are those who follow all the rules and laws and who don’t make mistakes; and
• Bad Guys are those who don’t follow the rules and laws and who do make mistakes.

This lens views those labeled as Bad Guys as less than human and unworthy of basic dignity and respect. It allows for torture, pain, denial of basic human rights, and denial of basic human needs (including employment, housing, and access to public accommodations). It often allows people to ignore the person who made a mistake or committed a crime’s own victimization and discredits their unhealed trauma, pain, and mental or emotional illnesses. 

The Good Guys vs Bad Guys Lens creates a sense of superiority for those whose mistakes are hidden, and a sense of inferiority for those whose mistakes come to light. It accommodates institutionalized cruelty, murder, denial of basic human needs, and basic human and constitutional rights. In addition, it assumes that people cannot learn and grow from their mistakes – which is an oppression in and of itself.

Spectrum-Based View of Humanity

What is a “mistake” anyway?

All human beings make mistakes. Generally speaking, a mistake is when we do something that we or others perceive to be wrong, or that we did not mean to do. We’re all learning all the time, and making mistakes is a natural part of growing and trying to get things right. Making mistakes can make us feel embarrassed, guilty, or ashamed. These feelings aren’t meant to be permanent, though. Rather, they’re part of our internal processing system that lets us know we need to stop what we’re doing and make a different decision or do something different from this point forward. When we also feel remorse for our mistake, it generally means we want to make amends in the best ways possible. Human mistakes can range from simple errors or learning mistakes, to beliefs or actions that are oppressive and cause mental, emotional or physical harm to ourselves or to other people or property. 

Errors and Accidents

Human beings generally do the best we can to make decisions and take actions based on the information, tools and resources we have at the time. Still, we might make an error or have an accident. This can include things like having typos, hitting “send” in our email before we meant to, or knocking over a glass of milk inadvertently. Despite all of our best intentions, these types of errors and accidents can and do happen for a variety of reasons. Many people have found that the best we can do in these situations is to recognize the mistake, do our best to fix it, and take care to prevent future mistakes from happening again to the best of our ability.

Learning Mistakes

Learning mistakes happen when we are trying to learn something new. For example, we might be trying to learn math, how to ride a bike, drive a car, or how to read a sign in a new language. When we’re learning new things, it’s common to make mistakes. These mistakes generally don’t harm us or anyone else. However, it can be frustrating when we have a desire to get it right.

When we make these kinds of mistakes, many people have found the best thing we can do is to keep practicing. Over time, and with lots of practice, we can usually get it right. Not all people learn the same way, however, and some things are simply more challenging for some people to grasp. For example, math might come easier to some people than others, just like working on a car might come easier to some people than others. There is no right or wrong way to learn, and no specific time limit for when we can absorb and process information. Giving ourselves and others the dignity of learning can help us overcome feelings of frustration and shame.

Personal Moral or Boundary Mistakes

Moral mistakes occur when we cross our own boundaries or our own personal code of conduct. For some people this can be as simple as placing our elbows on the table while eating if we believe that is not okay. For those who are religious, it might be using the Lord’s name in vain. For others, it might be drinking too much alcohol or drinking any alcohol at all.

We can also make moral mistakes when we haven’t learned our own boundaries yet. In fact, making these types of mistakes can help us know what our morals truly are, or help us get back on what we believe is the right track. Feelings of guilt or shame often mean we’ve crossed a boundary we didn’t know we had, or help us to recall that we already know something isn’t right for us.

When we do something that violates someone else’s moral code, it can feel like a mistake. However, each person is able to develop their own moral code. What works right for us might not be the best for someone else, and what works for someone else might not be right for us. As long as our own morals and boundaries are not causing intentional harm to another person or their property, it’s okay for us to have different morals and beliefs. 

If we feel like we have made a personal moral or boundary mistake – although it may sound silly – many people have found that acknowledging we can’t change the past, apologizing to ourselves for making the mistake, and making a commitment to not repeating it can aid in overcoming feelings of guilt and shame. This process can also play a part in healing from any physical, emotional, or mental damage that occurred as a result of the mistake.

Cultural Mistakes

When we’re learning about, meeting, or engaging with other people, it can be common for us to make cultural mistakes. A cultural mistake is when we do or say something that is not in line with the cultural traditions or norms of the person we’re talking to or the community we’re in. It can also be when we unintentionally offend someone with our words or our actions. In some cases, these kinds of mistakes can damage our relationships with others, and we may feel sad or frustrated because we’ve offended someone or hurt their feelings.

When we make a cultural mistake, we can acknowledge that we can’t change the past and that what’ve done caused hurt feelings or discomfort. We can make a commitment to learning about why our action was offensive to that person and understanding what we can do to respect them in our future engagements. Once we’ve done that, we can genuinely apologize, and make a commitment to being more respectful of another person’s or community’s culture moving forward.

If we come across someone who makes a cultural mistake or offends us, we can allow them the grace and dignity of learning and help them understand why it’s offensive to us. When they correct their actions, we can also genuinely accept their apology, forgive them, and move forward. In fact, we can all help each other learn about one another’s cultural traditions and values when we support one another through our mistakes.

Regulatory or Rule-Breaking Mistake

Rules and regulations are policies we put into place to help us achieve certain shared goals and outcomes.

For example, a speed limit is designed to help make sure the road can be safe for the millions of drivers who travel each day. A curfew from someone’s parents or guardians is designed to make sure the child is safe and gets plenty of rest for school. A payment due date is designed to help the accounting department of a business know when they can receive funds so that they can pay their bills, too.

Generally speaking, we’re more likely to break the rules or disregard the regulations when we don’t know the rules, or we don’t understand why they are in place. In addition, we might also break the rules when we don’t believe they are good rules, or they don’t necessarily account for basic human nature. For example, it might be illegal to urinate in public. However, if a person has to pee, and there are no restrooms available, they might not have a choice but to pee.

In many cases, when we break a rule or regulation there is no victim – meaning no one is physically, emotionally, or mentally hurt because we broke the rule. To correct our mistake, we can commit to learning more about why the rule or regulation is in place, apologizing, and following the rules or regulations moving forward. When we encounter someone who makes a regulatory or rule-breaking mistake, we can help them by acknowledging that all people make mistakes, explaining why the rule is in place, and helping them to understand how it is beneficial to them and others.

In some cases, we may come to the conclusion that a rule or regulation is not appropriate and needs to be updated. If this occurs, we may be responsible for helping the rule or regulation maker understand why the rule is inappropriate and providing solutions whenever possible. If we come across someone who has concluded our rule or regulation is inappropriate, unjust, or unfair, we can listen to their concerns, explain our own reasoning for making the rule, and make adjustments to the rule or regulation as needed.

Oppression: Mistakes that Cause Harm

When we make a mistake that causes significant physical, mental and emotional harm to ourselves, or to another person or their property, we are often engaging in the cycle of oppression.These mistakes can range widely in impact and severity. In some cases, our actions can hurt another’s person’s feelings, or their sense of self-worth. In some cases, our actions can cause damage to someone’s property or their sense of financial security. And in some cases, our actions can cause bodily harm to another person, or restrict access to their basic human rights and basic human needs. When we cause harm to another person or their property, it can have a devastating impact on the person because something has been taken from them that cannot be easily replaced – if at all. It can be their sense of safety and security, their physical, mental, or emotional well-being, or even their life, or the life of a loved one.

Many times we make oppressive mistakes by accident or in the spur of the moment – meaning we did not truly intend to cause harm to ourselves, or to another person or their property. Sometimes these can actions occur by ignorance, error, or in self-defense. We may be reacting to someone’s else oppressive actions. In some cases – as we learned in previous modules if we have accepted and internalized oppression through our own victimization, we may have also come to believe it is okay to hurt, steal from and harm others (or ourselves), and do so with some or full intention. Murder, assault, rape, theft, vandalism, fraud, breaking and entering, robbery, and intentional abuse or neglect are examples of actions where there can be some intent. When our actions intentionally cause physical harm, property loss or damage, or significant mental or emotional harm to a person other than ourselves (sometimes referred to as a victim), they may be referred to as “crimes”. 

In some cases, groups, organizations, businesses and governments institutionalize laws, policies and actions that violate human rights, restrict access to basic human needs, or promote oppression in other ways. This means that the group, business or government says it’s okay to do these things. Importantly, these laws and policies can only be upheld and instituted when there are people who are willing to do so. This can include decision-makers, voters, elected officials, employees, and donors – among others – and even ourselves. As we learned in the cycle oppression, this often occurs when we are unaware of how or why the laws and policies are oppressive. It can also occur when we are oppressed ourselves, or fear for our lives, livelihood or loved ones if we don’t enact the policies. On the other hand, if we have come to internalize and accept oppression, these policies and laws can be adopted and enacted with intent and deliberation. Just because a group, business or government says these actions are okay, it doesn’t make them okay. They are still forms of oppression. In many cases, these types of policies and laws create many victims, or groups of victims. They often marginalize or create systemic disparities for people who have shared characteristics or abilities. When these laws and our actions are intentional and significantly violate a person’s bodily autonomy, restrict access to basic needs, or lead to deaths, these laws may be referred to as “crimes against humanity”. 

Regardless of the severity of our mistake, our intentions, or how crime is defined where we live, when we make an oppressive mistake, we are often asked to engage in the process of justice.

Justice

Historically, the word “justice” means to “restore to whole.” In fact, having a sense of justice and fairness is a basic human need. In the justice process there are often two primary roles. The first role – the person who was harmed – is often referred to as the victim. The second role – the person who caused the harm – is often referred to as the perpetrator or offender. Some people are never in these roles, and some people are in one or both of these roles in various times throughout our lives. We can also be in both of these roles at the same time. 

The level of impact our actions have another person can be influenced by their own sense of empowerment and ability to reject, heal from and overcome oppression. Similarly, the impact of another’s person’s actions on us can be influenced by the same things. In many cases, justice can be achieved for the victim when the offender fixes, addresses or makes amends for the harm that was caused. For example, if someone uses cruel or hurtful language towards us, they can offer a genuine apology. If a person steals something, they can give it back or provide replacement costs. If someone vandalized or unintentionally broke something, they can repair it or to pay to have it fixed. In other cases, such as rape, murder of a loved one, or the passage and support of an oppressive law, justice is often achieved by our own healing process and a sense of confidence that the person or institution who committed the action understands the harm they caused and will not do it again. 

When it comes to the offender role, the justice process often includes repairing, fixing, or paying for the replacement of things that can be fixed or replaced. It also includes demonstrating that we understand the harm that was caused, offering a genuine apology, and ensuring we will not do the same actions again. For example, a person might pay for something they broke, or do community service to help beautify a park they vandalized. Or, a business or government might provide reparations for physical damage that was caused. If we have caused harm where another person’s loss cannot be replaced – such as with physical, mental, or emotional harm – or if basic human rights are violated – we might be asked to hear from victim(s), their family, or those who can speak for them to understand how our actions made them feel. When we understand the pain or harm that was caused, we can more fully offer a genuine apology. 

The justice process can also include demonstrating and promoting confidence to victims that we have learned from our mistakes and have taken steps not to repeat the same behaviors. When we are in the role of the offender, this often includes addressing our own internalized or acceptance of oppression or healing from our own trauma. In the justice process, this could also mean learning to recognize that we are an important part of the community, and that the parks and community centers also belong to us. If we have engaged in bullying – in part because we have been bullied, too – justice could also mean learning that is not okay to bully others and it wasn’t okay for us to be bullied either. Throughout human history, many people have found help with this through community support, spiritual guidance, professional counseling and/or addiction treatment services. For businesses, organizations and governments, justice also often means changing policies and laws. 

For many people in the offender role, justice also includes getting the care and community support that may have been missing previously. For example, this could include learning new occupational skills, relationship skills, and ways of getting our basic needs met without causing harm to others. It could also include learning about and accessing community resources and assistance, such as health care, housing services, employment placement services, and anger management or anti-violence classes. In addition, it could include obtaining information about communities and cultures, and how to prevent bias, prejudice and oppression.

Ultimately, justice involves healing and restoration for the victim – and in many cases, the offender as well. Whenever possible, victim/offender reconciliation – to the extent possible – is a primary goal of the justice process. 

Healing from the Mistakes of Others (or Ourselves): Deciding + Acknowledging + Forgiveness + Commitment

Being a victim can cause physical, mental, and emotional trauma that can be seen or felt immediately or at some point in the future. In some cases, it can cause us to lose our sense of self and dignity and worth. Sometimes we may even want to know why someone did the things they did. Whether or not we get these answers, it’s often important to remember oppression is not okay, regardless of the reasons. And – while it may seem unfair – often the only person who can heal us, is us.

• The first step in this process often begins with intentionally deciding to heal and to no longer identify as a victim. From there, we acknowledge the pain that was caused, and express our feelings of hurt, sadness, rage, or anger. We might even say out loud, “This really hurt me and my feelings.” It can be even more healing if we can say why it hurt us and give ourselves permission to feel these emotions to the best of our abilities. Crying is one of the most natural ways to allow our body, mind and soul to release and let go of the pain. There is never any shame in crying. It is our innate healing tool.
• Once we acknowledge the pain and trauma, we can aid in our healing process by apologizing to ourselves. While it may seem silly that we should apologize for anything when we are the victim, doing so allows us to intentionally express to ourselves that we care about ourselves. It can be as simple as looking in the mirror, or sitting quietly in a room and saying, “I’m sorry this happened to you.”
• Once we have acknowledged our own pain and trauma, we can engage in the process of forgiveness. Forgiveness when we’re healing from trauma and pain doesn’t mean that the pain that was caused is okay or that we accept another person’s apology. Rather, it means, “I am no longer holding onto this pain. I no longer create a space for this pain. I am done processing this pain. I am ready to move forward.”
• The last step in the healing process includes setting a new boundary and commitment. “This action or pain towards me was not okay and I will assert my boundaries at all times moving forward. I will not allow this pain to turn me into a permanent victim. I am strong. I am worthy.”

Intentionally healing from victimization often includes our decisions to heal, as well as processing our thoughts, pains and emotions to the best of our abilities. Many people have found working with a professional counselor or spiritual advisor can help aid in this process.

Healing from Mistakes We Make: Accountability + Forgiveness + Apology + Commitment

Making mistakes can also make us feel guilt, shame and remorse. This can be particularly true when we make a mistake that causes harm to ourselves or others. Processing our feelings – sometimes referred to as making “amends” – often includes accountability, apology, forgiveness, and commitment. 

Mistaking Punishment and Revenge for Justice

When human beings suffer as a result of oppressive harm or mistake, justice often involves wanting the person who caused us harm to understand our pain and suffering. It can also mean wanting to be confident the person or institution who caused the harm won’t do the same thing again. Explaining our feelings and the impacts that certain actions had upon us can be a part of this process. Establishing and communicating our own boundaries can also be helpful solidifying that oppression is not okay. 

On the other hand, if we have accepted or internalized oppression – or the pain that was caused to us or our loved ones – we may also want the person to feel and experience our pain and suffering. This can be a common – though not universal – response to trauma. But it also is an indicator that we have not healed from our trauma.

When we do something to intentionally harm another person in response to the pain and suffering that we experience, this is often referred to as punishment or revenge. Punishment and revenge go beyond boundary setting or defense. Punishment generally refers to wanting people to feel belittled or dehumanized, and to experience negative and harmful consequences for their actions. Revenge generally refers to inflicting the same or similar act that happened to us – or a loved one – on the other person. When we allow for punishment and revenge, it also means that we believe intentionally causing harm to others is okay, and that we are willing to continue the cycle of oppression. 

Neither punishment nor revenge play a role in restoring us to whole, and inflicting punishment and revenge on others can place us in the role of offender, rather than victim. Many people who have struggled with wanting to inflict punishment or revenge on others have found support from spiritual advisors or mental health professionals. 

Justice Systems

Many human societies also provide for justice systems. A healthy justice system can facilitate the justice process by acting as an impartial mediator between the victim(s) and the offender(s), ensuring any factual disputes are addressed, ensuring payments or repairs are made (sometimes also referred to as restitution or reparations), and helping to facilitate confidence to the victim that the offender understands the harm that was caused and will not engage in such actions again. A justice system can also aid in victim/offender reconciliation to the extent possible. 

Important hallmarks of healthy justice systems involve helping to interrupt and end the cycle of oppression. This often begins by making the sure the victim has the support and resources they need to heal from and overcome any pain, trauma or loss they incurred. In addition, this also means ensuring offenders receive tools and resources that can aid in addressing their own trauma and oppression, learning new skills and ways of doing things, and getting connected to resources to get their basic needs met. This can include counseling, mental health services, addiction treatment services, community supports – such as a housing and healthcare – and employment or income resources. 

Justice systems can also help offenders understand how their actions impacted victims by connecting them with classes and education, and promoting community involvement and integration (often known as community service). Whenever possible, justice systems can also provide for mediation resources and services to promote victim/offender reconciliation. 

Use of Probation, Detention and Incarceration

Justice systems can also help to promote confidence to victims that the offender will not engage in the same behavior again. This can include evaluating and determining that a person understands their actions and shows remorse for the pain or harm they caused. It can also mean making sure the offender has taken steps to heal themselves and others to the best of their ability, and has received community services and support to address any unhealed trauma or lack of basic needs that might have led to their actions.

In some cases, communities allow for a person’s freedom of movement and association to be temporarily guided or suspended while they are receiving the resources and tools they need, as well as demonstrating their understanding of the harm caused and their ability to ensure the actions will not take place again. This can include community sanctions – such as not being allowed to use alcohol or do certain types of work or engage in certain activities – until their goals have been met. In addition, goals and achievements – such as completing payments or attending anger management classes – are tracked and reported. Some justice systems employ the use of “probation”, in which a person’s movements and associations – such as going to work or counseling – are monitored and approved by a government or community official during this time. 

In extreme cases, some communities allow for the confinement, detention or incarceration of a person while they are receiving resources and tools, coming to understand the impacts of their mistakes, and demonstrating their ability to not engage in the same actions again. In healthy justice systems, this is reserved for people who clearly need a healthy, structured environment, or if they are a clear and present danger to themselves or others. These environments can include a person’s own home (sometimes referred to as “house arrest”), a mental health facility, an addiction treatment facility, or what’s commonly referred to as a jail or prison. 

Healthy detention or incarceration includes safe and supportive living environments, and spiritual or mental health counseling for all people (including substance-abuse treatment for those in need). It also includes promotion of social skills, occupational skills, relationship classes, community building activities, and connecting people to resources and opportunities that can increase their success once they are released. Healthy incarceration recognizes that most “offenders” were victims before they became offenders and ensures the physical and cultural environment is suited to helping people heal from their own neglect, abuse, or trauma, and empowering them to commit to a new path moving forward. These systems also recognize that those who receive the help they may have needed before they became an offender are less likely to re-offend (sometimes known as recidivism) and can readily rejoin the community on a different and positive path. 

Healthy justice systems help to evaluate and conclude that a person shows remorse and has taken steps to heal themselves and others to the best of their ability, understands their actions and the pain or harm they caused, and is unlikely to engage in those activities again. Importantly, any use of community sanctions, probation, incarceration or detention is limited to the time it takes to achieve these goals. Once this occurs, the offender is released from the system (or the case is closed), any community sanctions are lifted, and full rights are restored. Finally, the victim is informed of the offender’s progress and offered the opportunity for victim/offender reconciliation mediation services. 

Oppression in Justice Systems

Throughout human history, many justice systems have institutionalized oppression themselves. Often, this leads to an inability to interrupt the cycle of oppression, continuous engagement with law enforcement and the justice system, and ultimately, more victims. Oppression in the justice system can impede the process of justice. Indicators of oppression in justice systems can include the following:

• Mistaking punishment for justice is when a justice system is utilized to enact punishment or revenge on someone, or to create artificial “consequences”. In these cases, the system intentionally seeks to demean, dehumanize and oppress someone, rather than serve as an instrument of restoration – or justice. In fact, punishment is not known to help people heal, learn and grow. Rather, it instills fear and resentment, and further separates people from their community ties, bonds and opportunities. Unfortunately, it can also increase recidivism. On the other hand, true justice processes (sometimes known as restorative justice) do address the offender’s own victimization and lack of access to basic needs and/or human rights. Justice processes are proven to result in offenders not only making amends but going on to create positive contributions in their families and communities. 
• Overcriminalization is when lawmakers criminalize and create community sanctions for normal human behavior, and particularly those behaviors in which there is no victim. In other words, things that are regulatory or rule-breaking mistakes have erroneously been classified as “crimes”, and punitive consequences – such as incarceration and heavy fines – are imposed. Examples have included the criminalization of spitting on the sidewalk and use of marijuana by adults. It can also include criminalization of private and consenting decisions (such as same-sex marriage) and decisions between a person their medical provider (such as a person’s reproduction goals or vaccination status). Victimless actions – where no harm or oppression to another person has occurred – are more appropriately defined as regulatory or rule-breaking mistakes, and do not require the justice system to intervene. In fact, most people would not view themselves as a “criminal” if they have driven over the speed limit, forgotten to wear their seatbelt, or gotten a parking ticket. Overcriminalization leads to increased and unnecessary engagement with law enforcement, community fear of law enforcement, and incarceration or detention of people who are not a clear and present danger to themselves and others. 
• Sentencing guidelines are created by lawmakers to provide the justice system with recommendations for how to best utilize community resources to provide justice. Oppressive sentencing guidelines include the use of cage-based and traumatic incarceration, as well as the misuse of detention or incarceration for nonviolent offenses and regulatory or rule-breaking mistakes. Timeframes for incarceration can also be oppressive – This includes establishing minimum mandatory incarceration periods, or incarceration periods that go beyond the reasonable amount of time an offender would need to learn from their mistakes and get the intervention and support they need. In addition, incarceration sentences that do not provide appropriate tools for learning and getting interventions and supports generally indicate the sentence is intended as a punishment or revenge, rather than a process of justice. Use of incarceration or enhanced community sanctions as an assumed “deterrent” for crime or certain behaviors are also oppressive, and as importantly, are generally not effective in crime prevention.  
• The death penalty is an intentional act of oppression that violates a person’s right to life. It’s not okay. 
• Use of lethal force by law enforcement prevents the process of justice from occurring. Allowing the use of lethal force means that any person – including children, grandmothers and people with disabilities – can be killed by a law enforcement professional at his/her sole discretion. It can also instill fear among community members and make people less likely to want to engage in the justice system overall. In the United States, these policies also conflict with constitutional rights to have a jury by trial, right to face one’s accuser, and to have a defense counsel (among others). These policies can place undue burden and cause trauma for law enforcement professionals by institutionalizing a belief that it is okay to kill someone at all. 
• Plea bargains are tools jurisdictions can use to speed up the justice process when there are no factual disputes, and the sentencing or community sanctions are reasonable and fair. However, plea bargains can also be used when it is known that the law or sentencing guidelines are oppressive or unfair, and allowing the offender to plead to guilty to lesser or different charge results in appropriate sentencing. Overcharging is an oppressive tactic used to coerce a plea deal, particularly when the offender is likely be subjected to unreasonable sanctions, or when the offender is unlikely to receive a fair trial. When overcharging is used, offenders are still generally subjected to community sanctions or incarceration beyond what is reasonable for the offense.
• Cage-based incarceration is when human beings are locked in cells or cages and is an extreme form of oppression. This is particularly true when a person is not a clear and present danger to themselves or others. 
• Traumatic incarceration is a form of institutionalized oppression where a person is subjected to long periods of confinement, incarceration and dehumanization, or is exposed to the continuous risk of bullying, rape and violence. It often includes denial of access to basic human needs (including speaking with friends and family and access to toilet paper and other essentials). Traumatic incarceration also occurs when the person does not receive daily counseling, community building and other supportive activities and services that aid in a person’s healing and success when they are released. In fact, traumatic incarceration is more akin to punishment or revenge than justice, and often does not aid in the process of restoring to whole. In some cases, traumatic incarceration can increase a person’s likelihood of reoffending because they feel less a part of the community and have a decreased sense of self-worth. Traumatic incarceration often has long-term traumatic impacts on the offender’s family and their communities as well. 
• Using the law to curb freedoms or coerce behavior is also a form of oppression in justice systems. In some cases, people may seek to outlaw behaviors that are seen as annoying or objectionable, but that do not truly cause harm. In other cases, activities are outlawed simply due to some people not liking what other people do with their freedom – even when there is no victim involved. Examples include outlawing certain professions, products, clothing or types of books or music – among many others. These types of laws often should not be in place because they do not require the justice process to intervene. They simply seek to impose certain ways of doing things onto others – which can be a form of oppression in and of itself. 

A healthy justice system aids in the process of justice and restoration, and can play an important role in interrupting, ending and addressing root causes of oppression. A justice system with oppression institutionalized in its processes, can not only fail to end the cycle oppression, but increase it for generations to come. 

Practice Challenging Beliefs

Beliefs to Challenge

I would never hire a felon.   

Human First Lens

I recognize that all people make mistakes, and I honor and respect those who have gone through the process of justice to restore themselves and their communities to whole. I know that all people can learn and grow and should have the opportunity to contribute to the community in meaningful ways, and to support themselves and their families.

Belief to Challenge

Good people don’t do bad things, or make mistakes.     

Human First Lens

I recognize that we all make mistakes to varying degrees. It may be harder for me to understand why people make certain mistakes. If I’m curious, I can ask a person why they did what they did.

Beliefs to Challenge

All criminals are bad guys.  

Human First Lens

I recognize some mistakes cause far more harm than others, but that we all have the ability to be defined by what we do after we make our mistakes, rather than the mistakes we made.  

Beliefs to Challenge

People like abusers and murderers should rot in jail.

Human First Lens

I recognize that abuse and murder are never okay. I also recognize that many people who commit these types of crimes were victims of something before they became offenders. If we address the trauma and oppression they experienced, we can stop the cycle of violence and prevent future victims. I also recognize that locking human beings in cages is a form of oppression in and of itself.

Beliefs to Challenge

I think it’s okay for a person to get beaten or raped in jail, or to be deprived of basic human needs.

Human First Lens

I recognize that rape and assault are not okay under any circumstances. I also recognize that revenge is an accommodation of oppression, and that oppression in not okay.

Beliefs to Challenge

Once an abuser, always an abuser.

Human First Lens

I recognize that all people have the ability to learn and grow. That doesn’t mean I have to engage with them. However, it means that I recognize permanently labeling someone takes away their humanity, and I don’t want to do that for myself or others.

Beliefs to Challenge

I can never forgive a person what they did, or I can’t forgive a person who has not apologized to me.

Human First Lens

I recognize forgiveness is not about the other person. It’s about healing myself and freeing myself from the pain caused by that person’s beliefs, actions, or behaviors. If I’m having trouble, I deserve to get the support I need from a counselor or loved one. 

Healing From the GvB

If you have been a victim of the GvB lens,  or “Bad Guyism”, it’s important to remember that we all make mistakes. We get to define ourselves by what we do after our mistakes. This is what matters. If you are having trouble forgiving yourself, it may be time to seek guidance from a spiritual advisor or mental health professions. If you are having trouble getting your basic needs met, it might also be time to seek out community resources and services. If you have experienced discrimination in employment, housing, or public accommodations because of your mistakes – or from the justice system itself – it may be time to seek legal guidance. Additional services and resources may be available through local, state and federal civil rights offices, or community advocacy groups. 

If you have come to realize you may have used the GvB lens towards others, it’s important to remember that all people do the best they can with the experiences, information, and circumstances they have. It’s important for us to support people in growing and evolving rather than holding them down or permanently labeling them. We would want the same for ourselves and our loved ones if/when we or they make a mistake, too.

Interpersonal

We can interrupt the GvB lens and Bad Guyism by reasserting that we all mistakes, and all of us deserve the opportunity to learn, heal and grow. We can also reiterate that oppression is never okay – even when it’s against someone who made a harmful mistake, and particularly when a person has gone through the justice process. We also know that it’s more likely for harmful mistakes to occur when people don’t learn good boundaries through the examples of their influencers, are the victims of oppression or crimes themselves, or if they have experienced severe circumstances (such as poverty) that result in a prolonged period of “survival mode”. Promoting an atmosphere focused on teaching, guiding, learning, growing and healing from and overcoming trauma and oppression can help everyone end the cycle of oppression.

Systemic

We can also help prevent future victimization of ourselves and others by supporting policies and laws that ensure access to basic human needs, honor our basic human rights, and ensure all people have access to financial security, mental health services and medical treatment regardless of their ability to pay. It’s also important to support policies and systems that ensure our justice system is operating correctly. This can include ending overcriminalization and oppressive sentencing guidelines, eliminating use of lethal force and the death penalty, and dismantling the use of cage-based and traumatic incarceration. When considering laws and policies, we can also be sure to ask “is this really about restoring justice?”

 

Survey

The following survey is completely optional. Answering these questions can help future sociologists, educators and researchers develop better tools and teaching materials.