President Joe Biden on Friday ordered a historic change to the Uniform Code of Military Justice by transferring key decision-making authorities outside the military chain of command in cases of sexual assault, domestic violence, child abuse, murder and other serious crimes.

    • Shialac@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      Why the fuck are these cases even handled by the military and not the regular criminal and civil courts?

      • Redditgee@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        Playing advocate, but that’s why UCMJ exists, at all. They should prosecute all crimes under UCMJ, or none. It doesn’t make much sense to only do certain crimes under civilian courts.

        • RGB3x3@lemmy.world
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          1 year ago

          The UCMJ is also harsher than civilian courts when prosecuted appropriately. It has specific statues related to military-type crimes like duty abandonment and not following orders.

          You don’t want to go to military jail, that’s for sure.

        • I_Fart_Glitter@lemmy.world
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          1 year ago

          I mean, if UCMJ doesn’t consider prosecuting rape to be worth their time, it’s good that they’ve been relieved of that duty. Solders endure enough trauma, getting raped by those they serve with and under shouldn’t be par for the course.

          • galloog1@lemmy.world
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            1 year ago

            The civilian justice system is absolutely not better at executing justice and is arguably worse on many ways when comparing similar cases. At least the rape kits get actually tested and processed in the military.

            • Huxleywaswrite@lemmy.world
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              1 year ago

              I wonder if you realize you’re commenting on a reply of someone telling a story about how one wasnt even investigated and then the rapist was promoted after doing it again.

              There’s plenty to criticize in our civilian justice system, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t plenty to criticize in our military justice system. This is one of those things, the military is notoriously bad at handling sexual assault cases.

              • galloog1@lemmy.world
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                1 year ago

                I was commenting on if it is worth their time. I find it to be a wholely unjustified statement given the fact that they actually conduct justice unlike civilian juridictions. If it wasn’t worth their time, they wouldn’t be addressing it.

                • Huxleywaswrite@lemmy.world
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                  1 year ago

                  So you’ve already made up your mind and don’t care what facts and testimony is presented to you?

                  I hope you see the fucking irony in that.

                  • galloog1@lemmy.world
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                    1 year ago

                    I addressed specific points. You have leveled an accusation without addressing my point. What are you expecting in response?

                    I have had this command authority before. I’m not going to sit here and tell you that ucmj is perfect but it’s the best we can do and it is better than the civilian sector. That should end the conversation right there. Your comments are like the pot calling the kettle black. If you have a better suggestion, why has it not been implemented yet literally anywhere?

                    Complaining about the way things are without a suggestion is worse than unhelpful because it increases discontent which leads to more conflict.

                    Thinking you know better than literal experts speaks for itself. I hope you see the irony in that.

      • StealthToad@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        Because the military has been fighting it for years. I remember having a SHARP class where the instructor was telling us that we didn’t want this, that civilians shouldn’t get involved in military matters and some other bullshit I can’t recall.

        I was too young, dumb, and loyal to a fault to understand what was being said.

      • snooggums@kbin.social
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        1 year ago

        Supposedly to hold them to a higher standard, but like with police internal affairs it is just a way to deflect attention that would make the system look bad.