Summary of the “Enforcing the law”

The laws of all countries are in written documents (the statutes, official forms of warnings, etc.).

The police have a huge impact in any kind of law. They are able to arrest, find and question people, who are thought to be guilty of a crime, control the action of people in demonstrations and assemblies. A just legal system needs an independent and honest police force, but some codes limit the time and methods to be used in their actions.

There are some kinds of punishment given by the courts: fines, community service (to do some unpaid work), suspended sentence (not sent to prison but needs to keep out of trouble), corporal punishment (physical) or capital punishment (death penalty).

Comparative essay “Judicial institutions in UK and Lithuania”

The judicial system has the huge impact on every country structure and system of justice all around the world, but there are lots of differences between the legal institutions there.

Comparing it in UK and Lithuania firstly it is important to know that all judicial institutions in these countries depend on their constitutions, none of their action may contradict with it. This official document has the highest power and describes the autonomy of courts. The similarity of Lithuanian and United Kingdom judicial system are that in both countries are county courts and the court of appeal and supreme court (n UK supreme court is The high court).

But there are more differences, because of not the same status of country: Lithuania is an republic, but the UK is the constitutional monarchy, therefore in Lithuania are such courts as district courts (for criminal, civil cases and cases of administrative offences), Regional court (criminal and civil cases related with jurisdiction by law, appeal instance), Regional administrative courts (for hearing complaint in respect of administrative act), The Supreme Administrative court (for cases involved with administrative offences from decisions of regional court.

While in UK are such specific courts: The magistrates’ court (for cases of justice of peace, or district judges who receives some payment), the Crown Court (cases of serious offences, appeals, convictions), The house of Lords (cases of appeals), European court of justice and the European court of human rights.

Summary of "Lawyers at work"

Lawyer – a person, who is qualified to act in legal matters because of examinations he has taken (such as “The Bar Final examination” or “The law Society Final examination”) and professional experience he has gained. Same qualifications or the same profession title does not mean the same kind of work, which may be preparation of contracts, advising on share transaction or libel matters.

In most legal systems, the client knows that the conversations between him and a lawyer will not be passed on to someone else without his permission.

The use of some special words can be justified because they refer to matters which are important to a particular profession but not important to most people in everyday life, but it is easier to retain the old law than write a new one.

Life in Prison

The people have been sent to prison since very early times and currently UK has held more than 85000 prisoners and in Lithuania the number is 383 from 100 thousands inhabitants of the country. Therefore there is a need of high qualified specialists and appropriate circumstances for serving their sentence, in Lithuania salary for that kind of job is 1700 litas per month, In UK is as high as 1,000 pounds (posts as of April 2007).

The procedures are the same in both countries: Since the person is send to jail, he needs to pass through reception, which responsibility is checking identities and monitoring numbers. Then the nurse sees the person and decides whether he used any drugs or other medicament. If not, prisoner gets the special clothes and after that he needs to be taken to his ward.

The accommodation in the Lithuanian prison “Lukiškių kalėjimas – tardymo izoliatorius” becomes more and more human; it’s been reconstructed since last year: cells are repainted; the person is allowed to have TV, Computer. The prisoners may open the windows because the barrels had been taken from the windows. There is a possibility to play Chess in the separated room. Still, good living conditions gets not everyone, it depends on the category of prisoner (A – dangerous, B – not trusted, C – not dangerous). Sentenced people have their right to education (105 juvenile delinquent in Lithuanian “Pravieniškės” prison wanted to start studying) or to visits when prisons staff allows it. Depending on prisoners category it reduces or arises the quantity of visits.

Every prisoner have a possibility to work in prison, the salary for them are different (from 150 to 400 litas per month). It affects how much money is given for the food: for a working man – 3.27 Lt, not working prisoner – 2.79 Lt, for working woman – 3.62 Lt, not working woman – 3.42 Lt, for juvenile – 3.97 Lt, meanwile in United Kindom this amount is different: the food costs for prisoner is from 1.2 to 3.41 pounds.

The prison service has an official statement about its commitment to racial equality in the Prison Rules: all prisoners have the right to practice their religijon and these who have mental, physical and sensory disabilities have the right to participate equally in prison life.

The jail become as a home for people who don’t know where to go, what to do and in prisons they get all they need – food, bed, education, work. It is the reason for rising a number of prisoners.

Summary of "Civil and public law"

Civil law solves the problems between citizens and the state. It consist of torts, trusts, probate, family law categories. Public law concerns disputes between citizens and the country or among two states and comprise of such categories as crimes, constitutional and international laws. There is a difference in civil law and criminal law like height of standarts of proof, way of proving, view about evidence necessity, fines, punishments. Nonetheless, the civil law sometimes effects the criminal law, when there is a need of forcing convicts to assume the respondability of his actions.

"Never Again" summary

In Britain capital punishment lasted until 1965, when it was prohibited by Parliament.

Capitals punishment’ advantages are four: first says that potential murders would think more before committing the crime, which may cost their life. The other reason is public safety, which ensures that murder won’t be released, what may affect him to repeat his rude action. Third main idea is that murder needs to be punished as he deserves - eye for eye. But there are some ideas against capital punishment - considering to statistics, unusually high number of execution were made in Britain, it’s irreligious and sometimes it may cost the life of innocent people.

Amnesty International aim, activities and achievements

Amnesty International (AI) is an organization, witch is based on researching all information of any physical, mental or sexual abuses, effecting the changes of that, protecting human rights, witch are enshrined in United Declaration of Humans rights and other international human rights standards, vouching freedom of conscience and expression and freedom from discrimination. This organization was established in 1961 by Peter Benenson.

International organization in Geneva have argued The United Nation Human Rights Council to inform about the current situation in Myanmar with aim to cool its authorities to release all detained for participating in peaceful assemblies.

AI was apprehensive about the trades in human beings and living conditionals of prisoners in correctional institutions or prisons in Lithuania. It invokes the report made in 2007, the visit of this delegation committee in 2004 and the result of survey by law and order institutions, where was state that in some restrain and correctional institutions or prison the behavior of prisoners or warden is violent, inhumane or disdainful, fines and torture, sometimes the places are insanitariness and there can’t be found enough illumination or possibility to get the medical care immediately.

Amnesty International is worldwide organization, which already have 2.2 million members, supporters and subscribers in over 150 countries and territories in every region of the world. Every single person come here from huge variety of backgrounds with various political and religious beliefs and all these people now are united by resolution to work for making human enjoy their rights.