80% of Americans Find the Justice System Unfair, according to a new survey

From [HERE] Most Americans continue to be deeply skeptical about the fairness of the justice system, according to a recent survey by Equal Justice Works, a nonprofit organization focusing on careers in public service for lawyers.

According to the survey’s results, which were released Tuesday, 79% of Americans think that the justice system is unfair. Only 50% think that they would receive fair treatment from the system themselves, while just 32% think that it is fair to people without legal representation.

Drilling down into certain demographics, the survey’s results also show that more than 60% think that income affects fairness in the justice system. Nearly half think that race affects fairness in the system.

“When most Americans believe securing justice depends on income and race, we have to be concerned that there’s a significant confidence gap about the legal system,” said Verna Williams, the CEO of Equal Justice Works, in an April 14 statement.

Among the survey’s other findings, there is also a significant gap in understanding how the civil justice system works. For instance, 41% of Americans incorrectly think that the courts would provide them an attorney in a discrimination case.

“When people wrongly assume that courts will make legal help available, they end up navigating complex issues alone,” Mia Sussman, the senior vice president of network engagement for Equal Justice Works, also said in a statement.

Equal Justice Works polled more than 1,600 respondents nationwide for its survey, Unequal and Unjust: Public Perceptions of the Legal System.

View the complete results here.