Final answer:
The preeminent value within the criminal justice system, from which other values flow, is the well-being of citizens. Philosophical works by John Rawls, Carol Gilligan, and others inform this value, emphasizing both individual rights and collective social responsibilities. The value is reflected in legal systems through fair standards, civil liberties, and ethics centered on social justice and care.
Step-by-step explanation:
Within the criminal justice system, discussions on what constitutes right and wrong often focus on a preeminent value from which other values flow. This preeminent value is the well-being of citizens, an essential part of the government's mandate as expounded by philosophers such as John Rawls. Rawls' A Theory of Justice portrays fairness in a way that balances human freedom with social welfare, hinting at the intrinsic value of both individual rights and collective social responsibilities.
Understanding justice requires a grasp of various definitions that share common features like a standardized set of morals and regulations that ensure people are judged and punished fairly—a notion that upholds the dignity and respect of all persons.
This relates to the broader concepts of civil liberties, civil rights, and the ethical frameworks that guide our society, such as the ethics of care championed by Carol Gilligan and the theories on social justice by Vivien Taylor and Martha Nussbaum. These philosophies collectively form the bedrock of legal systems and influence landmark decisions and the crafting of laws aimed at equality and fairness.