Last month, the International Criminal Court handed out its first guilty verdict in the tribunal’s 10-year history. Militia leader Thomas Lubanga was convicted of war crimes for using child soldiers during the civil wars that plagued the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The ICC has come under a lot scrutiny for its application of justice — both in the Lubanga case specifically, and in its mission more broadly. With Lubanga’s superiors having gone unpunished, there are accusations that the court seems to avoid prosecuting those with real political power. Also, some say the ICC’s legitimacy is undermined because powerful nations like the U.S., Russia and China refuse to lend official support. Human rights contributor and Notre Dame law professor  Doug Cassel joins Worldview to discuss the ICC’s benefits and shortcomings.