Social Changes

I have a lot to offer on this one....lol

No 3 strikes
decriminalize weed
Let felons work real jobs Originally Posted by Tiffany Cums

Quote: "Felon exclusion laws impact not only individuals, but also communities. By their suppressive nature, the legal statutes, which vary from state to state, have devastating socio-economic, political and legal effects on all communities nationwide."

Quote: "America's most effective crime-fighting tool may not be more police. Or efficient DNA labs. Or tougher laws. The big breakthrough, instead, might be in making one-timers of potential repeat offenders.

Think about it, and the idea's a slam-dunk. More than 95 percent of the 2-million-plus people we now hold behind bars will eventually be freed. Indeed, 650,000 a year, many convicted under the "get tough" laws of the 1970s to 1990s, are now returning to U.S. towns and cities. And recidivism is high. Across the United States, roughly 60 percent of released prisoners commit another crime, and more than 50 percent return to prison within three years."

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vicious cycle — crime, imprisonment, release and new crime and incarceration

more executions ? Originally Posted by RichardGozenya

Reminds me of really old government commercial. Cartoon like, man (Hispanic looking) goes to RICH neighbors and steals cow to feed his family. He is brought to the boss to see what they should do with him. And in typical Governmentese he says "Hang him that will teach him a lesson"

1. Getting rid of the foolish idea that somehow it's cost effective to get "tough on crime," or that prisons are the appropriate place for all but the worst offenders.

2. Using cost-benefit analysis on whether to imprison people instead of emotions.

3. Eliminating prison as an option for drug offenses

4. More liberal parole and pardon policies, particularly of older inmates who are unlikely statistically to recidivate. Originally Posted by TexTushHog

Well said TTH. Let me add to if I may....

5. Legalize marijuana
5a. Immediate pardons for all marijuana offenses

6. Prison time only for violent offenders

7. Expansion of drug/alcohol treatment programs and mental health coverage

Although serious crime has decreased in the U.S., the rate of imprisonment has dramatically increased. What social changes do you think may have occured since 1994 that could have influenced the constant increase of imprisonment rates in the U.S.? And what social changes do you think would be necessary in order to decrease the rate of imprisonment? Originally Posted by LAVixian

Prison should be a place that is feared, not a place they go to get skilled up to be a better gansters.

Also lets put the hard core drug kingpins who get put in jail, the ones who live the cushy life to hard labor, aka busting rocks etc.... make it so they are so broken by the system they want nothing more than to stay away from drugs

Gangs in prison should be kept away from all gang members.. isolation. Or put all gang members from 1 gang in 1 prison with no communications to the outside. SChedule regular beatings of them.. break down their tough image.

Let them know that the "gang" in charge are the ones that wear the badges.

Well said TTH. Let me add to if I may....

5. Legalize marijuana
5a. Immediate pardons for all marijuana offenses

6. Prison time only for violent offenders

7. Expansion of drug/alcohol treatment programs and mental health coverage Originally Posted by PSD

I'm with you two - also

8. Provide resources for the poor to put on a decent defense - not just public defenders who immediately force accused into a plea bargain whether the accused is guilty or not.

9. Restructure the pay/promotion structure for the district attornies so they are not being promoted and given raises based on the sheer number of cases they close and win, regardless of whether the truth is ever found.

10. Stop the clampdown on our 2nd amendment rights and encourage every family in the US to own weapons and know how to use them to defend the family rather than encouraging us all to be sheep in the pasture waiting for a wolf to come and kill us. When real criminals know they are going to get their brains blown out if they fuck with our families, they will think twice.

11. Support a living wage for families so that we don't have to be at work 100 hours a week and our children are not at home alone being influenced by peers and weirdos while we struggle just to make ends meet. I know one big reason I do this job is because I take my girl to school every morning and pick her up afterwards. Lots of single moms never see their own kids. Kids need attention and love, not instructional notes and twenty dollar bills left on the table. That's how they get into drugs in the first place.

12. Fuck NAFTA and whatever other trade agreements are selling out all our good paying blue collar jobs overseas to abused and underpaid foreign workers. Bring jobs back to the US and support a global minimum wage and global safety and manufacturing standards so that we can keep our jobs at home, and guarantee that workers in other countries don't get abused either.

And yes, to reiterate, definitely stop the privitization of the prison system. It's dangerous, deadly, and criminal.

I always call it - "The New Slavery"

Stop the New Slavery in its tracks. I wish I could see its demise today, but something tells me it's going to be around for a long time. It generates lots of jobs, inspires nepotism, creates industry, and makes those few in the upper echelons of the US a fucking ton of money. It brings the US right back to being a third world country with a slave based economy.

Just my $.02 for what it's worth.

If a felon is prohibited from working, what else are they going to do? Maybe they can get hired on in fast food, or another min. wage job, but that well not keep their bills paid, they will have to find another way to make more money.
Let a one time felon get a real job, so they dont have to turn to crime to live. That's what I say.

Prison should be a place that is feared, not a place they go to get skilled up to be a better gansters.

Also lets put the hard core drug kingpins who get put in jail, the ones who live the cushy life to hard labor, aka busting rocks etc.... make it so they are so broken by the system they want nothing more than to stay away from drugs

Gangs in prison should be kept away from all gang members.. isolation. Or put all gang members from 1 gang in 1 prison with no communications to the outside. SChedule regular beatings of them.. break down their tough image.

Let them know that the "gang" in charge are the ones that wear the badges. Originally Posted by Spirit13

Well I understand where you are coming from but the majority of the people in prisons are not white collar criminals, nor a bunch of drug king pins. The majority come from poor ethnic backgrounds and most are in there for non violent crime offenses, such as those on 3 strikes your out. I feel that the philosophy of breaking them down in prison is retrograde and has proven already it doesn't work.

I'm with you two - also

8. Provide resources for the poor to put on a decent defense - not just public defenders who immediately force accused into a plea bargain whether the accused is guilty or not.

9. Restructure the pay/promotion structure for the district attornies so they are not being promoted and given raises based on the sheer number of cases they close and win, regardless of whether the truth is ever found.

10. Stop the clampdown on our 2nd amendment rights and encourage every family in the US to own weapons and know how to use them to defend the family rather than encouraging us all to be sheep in the pasture waiting for a wolf to come and kill us. When real criminals know they are going to get their brains blown out if they fuck with our families, they will think twice.

11. Support a living wage for families so that we don't have to be at work 100 hours a week and our children are not at home alone being influenced by peers and weirdos while we struggle just to make ends meet. I know one big reason I do this job is because I take my girl to school every morning and pick her up afterwards. Lots of single moms never see their own kids. Kids need attention and love, not instructional notes and twenty dollar bills left on the table. That's how they get into drugs in the first place.

12. Fuck NAFTA and whatever other trade agreements are selling out all our good paying blue collar jobs overseas to abused and underpaid foreign workers. Bring jobs back to the US and support a global minimum wage and global safety and manufacturing standards so that we can keep our jobs at home, and guarantee that workers in other countries don't get abused either.

And yes, to reiterate, definitely stop the privitization of the prison system. It's dangerous, deadly, and criminal.

I always call it - "The New Slavery"

Stop the New Slavery in its tracks. I wish I could see its demise today, but something tells me it's going to be around for a long time. It generates lots of jobs, inspires nepotism, creates industry, and makes those few in the upper echelons of the US a fucking ton of money. It brings the US right back to being a third world country with a slave based economy.

Just my $.02 for what it's worth. Originally Posted by amusemeant

I agree with everything you say above, except the part about the guns..lol

If a felon is prohibited from working, what else are they going to do? Maybe they can get hired on in fast food, or another min. wage job, but that well not keep their bills paid, they will have to find another way to make more money.
Let a one time felon get a real job, so they dont have to turn to crime to live. That's what I say. Originally Posted by Tiffany Cums

Again, I agree with you Tiffany. We need to give people a chance to learn a trade in prison, to receive some education and counseling. If needed for those that have mental illnesses, give them proper medication and treatment and enforce medication management and treatment outside of prison once they get out. Otherwise they are just doomed to repeat offend.