THE ARTICLE IDENTIFIES THE FEATURES IN THE COURTROOM AND PRECOURTROOM PROCESSES AND THE ATTITUDES OF THE COURTROOM PROFESSIONALS THAT SUPPORT THE VIEW THAT THE SOCIAL DEGRADATION OF OFFENDERS IS AN IMPLICIT OBJECTIVE OF MAGISTRATES' COURT. SYMBOLS OF DEGRADATION THAT ACCOMPANY A DEFENDANT'S APPEARANCE IN SUCH COURTS ARE THE PROMINENCE OF THE DOCK, ISOLATION FROM OTHER COURTROOM PARTICIPANTS, THE COURTROOM'S FORMAL LANGUAGE, THE HOMILIES AND MORALIZATIONS FROM THE BENCH, AND PRESS EXPOSURE. ALSO DEGRADING ARE THE DELAYS, INCONVENIENCES, AND DISRUPTIONS IN THE DEFENDANT'S LIFE BY COURT PROCESSES AS WELL AS CONTROL OF THE CASE BY COURTROOM PROFESSIONALS. THUS, THERE IS LITTLE TO SUPPORT IDEALIZED NOTIONS OF ENGLISH JUSTICE IN THE LOWER COURTS. IN COMPARISON WITH THE LOWER CRIMINAL COURTS IN AMERICA, THE STATUS PASSAGE ASPECTS OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE PROCESS CONFIRM THAT THE ENGLISH SYSTEM RELIES MUCH MORE UPON TECHNIQUES OF DEGRADATION THAN ITS AMERICAN COUNTERPART. REFERENCES ARE CITED. (MJW)