Final answer:
The 1960s is the decade noted for significant justice system reforms, influenced by civil rights movements and attempts to address systemic inequalities.
Step-by-step explanation:
The decade noted for reform in the justice system is the 1960s. In this decade, reform efforts addressed inequalities in American society and focused on the expansion of civil liberties. Additionally, during the 1960s, landmark legislative achievements like the Civil Rights Act contributed to systemic changes in the justice system. The fight for civil rights and the broader societal push for equity and reform had a profound effect on the legal landscape.
It is also important to note an increase in the number of people in jail, prison, and juvenile detention during the 1980s, heavily influenced by the war on drugs initiated in that decade. However, this does not reflect a reform effort but rather a tough-on-crime policy approach.
Furthermore, the 1990s saw the peak of the law-and-order movement, which resulted in overcrowded prisons due to legislation such as the 'three strikes' law. This period is also distinguished by efforts to rethink and draw back from some of the more punitive measures that characterized the previous decades.