Final answer:
Supreme Court decisions protect the rights of defendants to ensure a fair judicial process and prevent abuses of power. The Sixth Amendment and subsequent rulings like the provision of public defenders and Miranda rights are key to these protections. This focus is a necessary part of a fair judicial system and balances the rights of the accused and victims.
Step-by-step explanation:
Supreme Court decisions designed to protect the rights of citizens who had been accused but not yet convicted of a crime were intended to benefit defendants. These decisions ensure a fair judicial process by upholding the presumption of innocence until proven guilty, a principle enshrined in the Sixth Amendment.
The protection of these rights is crucial to prevent abuses of power and to safeguard individuals from wrongful convictions. For instance, the right to an impartial jury, the right to confront witnesses, and the right to legal representation are fundamental to a defendant's defense.
The importance of such protections has been recognized historically, especially given past abuses where those accused were not guaranteed a fair trial. For example, the Scottsboro case highlighted the necessity for legal representation even for those who could not afford it, leading to the provision of public defenders.
Additionally, Miranda rights stem from the Supreme Court's decision in Miranda v. Arizona, which emphasized the necessity to inform the accused of their rights to avoid coercion and false confessions.
Thus, the focus on protecting the rights of the accused is a necessary part of a fair judicial system, and it is not considered 'unfair to crime victims'. Rather, it is a fundamental aspect of a just society that seeks to balance the rights of both the accused and the victims.