Welcome... To Barbaric Park! *Music Swells*

              Once again, Black Mirror provides much food for thought. The questions offered by this week’s episode, White Bear, are focused on the topic of justice. Specifically, what is justice? What does the future hold for the criminal justice system? And what does justice look like when it has been taken too far? I shall tilt my hand a bit early by giving a brief answer to the third question: it would look a lot like White Bear. 

            Before we can answer whether or not the punishment decided on for Victoria is appropriate, however, we must first establish what the goal is of the criminal justice system. There are many schools of thought on the role of the justice system in an industrialized nation: some believe the purpose of the justice system is to punish wrongdoers for their crimes, others believe it functions only to keep the criminal elements of society away from the law-abiding citizens (Thank you, Criminal Justice 200). The two that have the most traction, however, are the theory that the justice system should strive to rehabilitate its prisoners, and the view that it should serve as a preventative measure by deterring potential misbehavior with the threat of punishment. From this latter viewpoint, I would say that the White Bear park is a rousing success. The thought of potentially being subjected to extended periods of torture for being convicted of a crime would certainly make me stand a little straight a little bit straighter were I a member of this society. Though I can’t imagine an individual being subjected to this experience for being convicted of possession or for speeding in a school zone, it’s certainly easy to imagine those convicted of violent felonies such as assault, murder, rape, or aggravated *blank* getting parks of their own, or potentially replacing Victoria once she’s been fried.
            However, from the perspective that holds the role of the judiciary system is to rehabilitate prisoners and reintroduce them in to society, the park is an absolute dismal failure. Victoria is presented with absolutely no chances to reflect on, regret, or even acknowledge her actions. With this display being an apparently daily occurrence and her memory being wiped each night, she spends the vast majority of her existence completely unaware she has done anything wrong, and without that knowledge it’s impossible to repent for her role in the child’s gruesome fate. Even if it was a one-time event, it is still unlikely that she would have been properly rehabilitated without her memories having been restored. Her entire existence has now been relegated to an outlet for the righteous fury of an outraged community.
            Of course, none of the commentary thus far has even touched on the issue of whether or not Victoria deserves to be punished like this, or if they are even punishing the “right” Victoria. Though scant details of the case are presented, I found it curious that her plea of coercion fell on such apparently utterly deaf ears. History is full of people who did things they did not want to under the instruction of someone of perceived authority. These range from members of cults mindlessly following their leader’s instructions to the atrocities committed by German Nazis in the 1930-40’s. But, ignoring all this and supposing she fully and willfully participated in the crime, this punishment is still inappropriate. Many of my classmates touched on the importance of memories in one’s identity during our discussion of Be Right Back and it is no less relevant here. Much of who we are is dictated by our memories, and without hers Victoria was as innocent of the crime her past self committed as I am.
            In summary, this program of putting a woman’s suffering on display is a complete miscarriage of justice in every facet. Question for those who wish to comment: suppose the purpose of the criminal justice system was not to rehabilitate, but any of the other options presented above. Does this method of punishment become appropriate then? And does it become morally permissible?