Judging by the high traffic of the Web Devil's "Police Beat," ASU students seem to be interested in their peers' fouled delinquencies.
While many are entertained hearing about last night's feats of public drunkenness or this year's freshman who sets a fist-sized ball of hair on fire in his dorm room, most students do not give much thought to the legal woes waiting for these offenders.
In doing so, students are ignoring the system where they might also find themselves if one night's misdeeds go too far. And, according to recent critics of the Maricopa County courts, there is cause to be concerned.
For students, the most common legal problems would land them in front of a county Justice Court. This lower-division court handles less severe offenses, such as misdemeanors, minor traffic violations and DUIs.
Presiding over each of the county's 23 courts is a justice of the peace - the cause of concern for some of the aforementioned critics.
The position of justice of the peace is lucrative. With a $95,000 salary starting this January, the pay rivals our highest state-paid salaries.
At the same time, the requirements for the position are light - a person needs to be at least 18 years old, literate and win a public election.
This position is often held by career politicians who have made a name for themselves and developed the campaign abilities to get your vote.
But looking at the increase in poor conduct of recent justices, it seems that a name and campaign skills might not be what it takes to get the right people on the job.
In an article that ran Sunday in The Arizona Republic, reporter Edythe Jensen details the court's less-than-favorable condition.
The article describes a list of 87 complaints made in the past year alone, in a court characterized by their impressive discharge of seven justices in the past eight years.
Some justices are said to have disrespected their position by habitually keeping full courtrooms waiting their appearance.
Others have demonstrated with their conduct that they appear to be painfully unqualified for their position. Ethical violations plague the careers of others, such as one justice who had to leave his office after being convicted of insurance fraud and sent to a federal prison.
There is an internal method for dealing with these sorts of judges. Complaints can be filed. But the problem needs to be attacked at its cause.
Some are pushing for amending the state constitution to toughen the requirements of the office. The effort definitely has its merits, but while this endeavor is being pursued, voters can take initiative and demand more qualified candidates and be more careful with their vote.
The justices of the peace are up for re-election at different times every four years. In Tempe, there are two Justice Court precincts, divided along east and west lines.
John Ore currently sits unchallenged for his seat in east Tempe's University Lakes precinct, which includes ASU's Tempe campus. Two candidates are currently pursuing the Kyrene precinct in west Tempe; Elizabeth Rogers and incumbent Don Calender.
In the four or more years that students find themselves at ASU, it is likely they will be visiting the justice court, whether for a double-parked car or an unsavory incident during the late walk home from Mill Avenue.
The last thing that students need, on top of such a frustration, is to have to deal with a system spotted by aloof, incapable or dishonest justices.
Students instead need to include their voice in the call for more experienced and committed justices, to weed out those that are not taking their position seriously.
Matthew Bowman is a senior studying English literature. He can be contacted at Matthew.Bowman@asu.edu.
