Race Relations Equal Opportunity Case Studies for Judge Advocates
Abstract
Judge advocates are probably questioned about and confronted with racial issues more than any other staff officers. Their advice and recommendations in this area are highly respected. So it is imperative that they make every effort to ensure that they are fully attuned to the problems of the Army's minority population. An important first step in the effort to avoid any aspect of discrimination in the administration of the military judicial system is to maintain a constant awareness of indicators of discriminatory practice. Records and statistics should be kept and regularly reviewed for possible indications of discrimination reflected in courts-martial, Article 15s, serious incident reports, drug and alcohol abuse, etc. Further useful information regarding minority attitudes can be obtained from almost anyone who comes in frequent and direct contact with troops. The staff judge advocate also can benefit from periodic conversations with the minority lawyers and legal clerks in his/her own office. The most positive antidote to mistrust on the part of troops toward the law and its practitioners is a legal system based on fairness and nondiscrimination. In this regard, judge advocates must realize that perceived discrimination is just as destructive of morale and trust as real discrimination. Although all of the situations set forth in these case studies are hypothetical, they reflect the experience of many staff judge advocates who have faced substantially the same difficult problems. There are no firm and concise solutions to any of them, and the discussion that follows each situation is not represented as "the" solution. It represents one approach that has proven effective in the past. It is designed to make judge advocates sensitive to some of the underlying factors that may have contributed to the problem. A bibliography of race relations materials is included in the appendix.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 1975
- Accession Number
- ADA436338