The Nonjustice System
If the justice system systematizes the pursuit of justice in our world and produces only suffering, then what is needed is a nonjustice system that systematizes the pursuit of nonjustice and produces only happiness.
Introduction
When people are hurt, mistreated, or neglected (or when somebody they care about is hurt, mistreated, or neglected) they often experience a need or desire for justice—a desire that the wrongdoer “pay for” his or her actions or be punished in some way. Although this is a common feeling, for some people the desire for justice may become so powerful and overwhelming or obsessive that it interferes with other thoughts and productive activities, prevents the wound or trauma from healing, and leads to risky, destructive acts of retribution or even violence, destroying relationships and lives. Some scientific studies suggest that, within the human brain, the desire for justice in the form of revenge is similar to the desire that a drug addict feels for narcotics—a desire that, when gratified, may produce intense sensations of pleasure (a “high”) that might even become addictive. The satisfaction and release that moviegoers and video gamers experience upon seeing the villain finally getting his just desserts hints at the potential power of this feeling.
The Nonjustice System or “Miracle Court” (which can be accessed for free on this website by clicking on the link at the bottom of this page), is designed to help people overcome and heal the hurts, wrongs, neglects, and traumas of the past and to control the desire for justice in the form of revenge. Combining aspects of law, psychology and 12-step programs, it does this by giving victims (or those who care for them) the opportunity to experience getting justice safely, rapidly, and inexpensively, coupled with an opportunity to experience and explore an alternative to seeking justice called “nonjustice,” which means to abstain from seeking justice in the form of revenge.
As such, the Nonjustice System provides those who have been hurt, mistreated, or neglected with a unique forum in which to tell their story and a unique way to experience getting justice against the person(s) who wronged them. During the process, new insight into the desire for justice, the means of controlling it, and the process of self-healing may be revealed.
A pilot study conducted at the Yale School of Medicine and published in the Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law showed that the Nonjustice System was effective in decreasing revenge desires among study subjects and increasing benevolence toward their transgressors—outcomes that could help prevent violence. Importantly, the findings held up weeks after the intervention.
The Nonjustice System can be used for specific cases and/or as a personal practice and strategy for responding to grievances. There are no time limits or pressures for completing the steps of the Nonjustice System at a certain pace. A straightforward case might be processed in as little as an hour or two. For more complex or deeply traumatic situations, much more time may be needed or desired. The steps also may be revisited and reconsidered over extended periods of time. This all compares to the many months or years typically required for a case to be processed in the traditional justice system, and the high costs of that system, making the Nonjustice System a more expedient and efficient option for resolving conflicts.
The Nonjustice System Process
The Nonjustice System may be used either individually (by oneself), with a partner, guide, or facilitator, in a group, or in any combination of these. Like the traditional justice system, cases in the Nonjustice System are handled in the following five steps:
- The Prosecution
- The Defense
- The Verdict and Sentence
- The Punishment
- The Final Judgment
Importantly, unlike the traditional justice system, in the Nonjustice System the person who has been hurt, wronged, or neglected is not limited to playing the role of the victim. Instead, he or she is given the opportunity to play all of the roles of the traditional justice system, including sitting as the judge and jury in the case as well as serving as the prosecutor, defendant, defense lawyer, appellate court, and even a witness to the administration of punishments imposed upon the wrongdoer.
Also unlike the traditional justice system, the “courtroom” of the Nonjustice System exists entirely but very vividly and realistically within the mind of the person who has been hurt or wronged. The human mind is by far the most powerful supercomputer and virtual reality machine in the world, able to conjure up persons, places, memories, emotions, litigants, and entire courtroom settings with amazing speed and authenticity. By tapping into this power, the Nonjustice System is capable of producing authentic litigation experiences in a rapid, safe, inexpensive manner. Role-play techniques such as this have been widely used and studied since the 1930s and been show to approximate “real life” situations. Among the many advantages of a mental virtual courtroom are that it can be accessed for free, anytime, anywhere—no lawyers or judges needed. The plaintiff/complainant who initiates the case controls all aspects of the courtroom, including who is there, who is not, and exactly how and when the case unfolds.
A virtual courtroom of the mind is also consistent with the fact that the wrongdoing in question only exists within the mind of the victim—for, by definition, wrongs of the past exist only in the memory and cannot be re-experienced by the physical senses (although their physical aftereffects may remain). These memories of past wrongs or injustices, which are often very powerful and traumatic, in turn give rise to a present desire within the brain for justice against the transgressor. Thus, it is within the mind, not the physical world, where everything is taking place. The mind is storing and replaying memories of the past wrong or trauma and from these memories creating a present desire for justice and a demand that it be gratified. If the mind creates the desire for justice, the mind can also make it go away–and the gratification of the desire for justice can be accomplished within the mind as well and need not be carried out in the physical world. The Nonjustice System facilitates this process, helping people overcome, heal, and “move on” from past wrongs and traumas.
Another significant way that the Nonjustice System differs from the traditional justice system is by including an additional ninth step called “The Final Judgment.” Borrowed from ancient wisdom traditions, in this step the person who has been hurt or wronged is given the opportunity to weigh the benefits and costs of seeking justice and to consider the alternative of practicing nonjustice. It is during this step that new insight into the desire for justice, the means of controlling it, and the process of self-healing is often revealed (although this can also happen at any step in the process).
How does it work? In each of the nine steps of the Nonjustice System, the injured person is be asked to play a role and respond to a series of questions. Responses may be spoken or written. The entire system is contained in a .pdf document that can be accessed for free by clicking on the link below. Nothing else is required.