Crime: Why does anyone even bother?

About 25% of the people incarcerated in the US are there for drug offenses. Mandatory sentencing is one of the things driving this. People in prison for drug offenses do not get mandatory treatment, they do not get the tools to overcome addiction, and they are released to re-offend. Drug laws are unequally enforced, and even though drug use had dropped in the US, incarceration for drug offenses has gone up several hundred percent.

I suspect has state budgets become tighter, states will begin pressuring to change mandatory sentencing for drug offenses. At some point governments are going to realize that treatment is less expensive than prison. I would also expect to see marijuana decriminalized. I think it will become economic issues that eventually lead to the legalization of pot. It will cost too much to prosecute, and imprison pot offenses and the potential for taxation and the potential uses for hemp are what is going to push legalization.

The US also has the highest level per capita rate of incarceration in the world. We tolerate sending many more people to jail than does the rest of the world. Any politician who is seen as "soft on crime" will not last long. California and Canada have approximately the same number of people, but California has 4 times as many prisoners. Makes you wonder if Americans are just worse people than the rest of the world, that we have to throw so many people in jail. Or are we just unwilling to look at social issues, drug issues, a flawed judicial system and alternatives to jail.

As for the violent crimes that keep getting mentioned here, only about half of the state prison population is in for violent offenses, and less than 10% at the federal level. Violent crimes include murder, manslaughter, kidnapping, rape, assault, armed robbery and some others.
 
mom'sfolly :

About 25% of the people incarcerated in the US are there for drug offenses. Mandatory sentencing is one of the things driving this. People in prison for drug offenses do not get mandatory treatment, they do not get the tools to overcome addiction, and they are released to re-offend. Drug laws are unequally enforced, and even though drug use had dropped in the US, incarceration for drug offenses has gone up several hundred percent.

I suspect has state budgets become tighter, states will begin pressuring to change mandatory sentencing for drug offenses. At some point governments are going to realize that treatment is less expensive than prison. I would also expect to see marijuana decriminalized. I think it will become economic issues that eventually lead to the legalization of pot. It will cost too much to prosecute, and imprison pot offenses and the potential for taxation and the potential uses for hemp are what is going to push legalization.

The US also has the highest level per capita rate of incarceration in the world. We tolerate sending many more people to jail than does the rest of the world. Any politician who is seen as "soft on crime" will not last long. California and Canada have approximately the same number of people, but California has 4 times as many prisoners. Makes you wonder if Americans are just worse people than the rest of the world, that we have to throw so many people in jail. Or are we just unwilling to look at social issues, drug issues, a flawed judicial system and alternatives to jail.

As for the violent crimes that keep getting mentioned here, only about half of the state prison population is in for violent offenses, and less than 10% at the federal level. Violent crimes include murder, manslaughter, kidnapping, rape, assault, armed robbery and some others.

That is very eloquently put​
 
Quote:
You can look into the studies referenced if you want to make your own conclusions. I found it to be a rather emcompassing article, with many valid references and studies.

If it turns out to be true that diet effects the crime rate.


We should be using the information and monetary funds to improve the dietary needs of the elementary school children in an attempt to improve the future.
Not to Improve the meals of ADULTS THAT HAVE ALREADY RUINED THEIRS.

I agree and disagree. We should DEFINITELY be using it on PRE-elementary school children. On babies, even. On every human being. See, the thing is: you think this. Everyone thinks this. There are PLENTY of dieticians for children. Hundreds of Thousands.

The monetary funds going into improving the diet are -the same- funds - it doesn't cost more to change, really, and SOMEBODY needs to have the job of working on diets in prisons no matter what. And that person is (going to be) me.

See how that works? Everyone helping everyone else. You help babies, everyone else wants to - cool, babies need help.

I help prisoners because nobody wants to. I help them because they need/want help/a chance and nobody gives it to them. I help them because of the people in this thread. I am the kind ear that listens. I am the sympathetic hand that holds theirs. I am the arms that they can (and DO!) cry in. You would be intensely surprised to discover what you learn in there when you stop and listen. Which is what I have personally done - so I know from experience. You don't have to feel sorry for them or sympathize, really - I wish you would, but again, that's what I am here for. That's what I study for.

And if someone wants to say I wasn't a victim again, it's simply untrue. I was a victim of quite a few very horrific crimes - crimes that would and could be punishable by death in some countries/states. They were sociopaths that deserved prison (I am in NO way saying there are not people who don't deserve prison - sociopaths are one of them) but I will still fight to the death to protect their rights.

I am certain you think I am stupid since I am willing to defend my own attacker to the death... but you'd be so grateful to have me as your neighbour... because I'd do the same for you. No matter who you are, no matter what mistakes you made, no matter what happened - I will fight for your rights and I will work towards making sure you are not a victim yourself. It is simply who I am.
 
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Someone who got "let off" (given some kind of prison credit....don't fully understand that, but needless to say, he was back on the street instead of in jail) threw bleach in the face of a pizza delivery driver last week, the driver is still blinded - waiting to see how permanent it is going to be.
Had the guy been in jail for his previous charges, it wouldn't have happened at all.

I am 100% willing to write someone off for a "minor to moderate" crime, so that they don't hurt someone else next week.

That to me is not a moderate crime. I believe things should be judged basis by basis. The punishment should fit the crime including a person's re-entrance into society.

Apparently whatever he did BEFORE was "moderate" enough for the JUDGE to let him back out on the streets again. That's what I was getting at. Had the judge punished him harder for the "moderate" crime, he wouldn't have been out hurting the pizza man.
 
mom'sfolly :

The US also has the highest level per capita rate of incarceration in the world. We tolerate sending many more people to jail than does the rest of the world. Any politician who is seen as "soft on crime" will not last long. California and Canada have approximately the same number of people, but California has 4 times as many prisoners. Makes you wonder if Americans are just worse people than the rest of the world, that we have to throw so many people in jail. Or are we just unwilling to look at social issues, drug issues, a flawed judicial system and alternatives to jail.

From what I read, we have about the same number of criminals arrested and sentenced as most other developed countries. The reason we have so many more prisoners at any one time is that our sentences are longer. I don't think we are worse than other developed people, its just that with longer sentences more are in jail at any one time.​
 
Quote:
If it turns out to be true that diet effects the crime rate.


We should be using the information and monetary funds to improve the dietary needs of the elementary school children in an attempt to improve the future.
Not to Improve the meals of ADULTS THAT HAVE ALREADY RUINED THEIRS.

I agree and disagree. We should DEFINITELY be using it on PRE-elementary school children. On babies, even. On every human being. See, the thing is: you think this. Everyone thinks this. There are PLENTY of dieticians for children. Hundreds of Thousands.

The monetary funds going into improving the diet are -the same- funds - it doesn't cost more to change, really, and SOMEBODY needs to have the job of working on diets in prisons no matter what. And that person is (going to be) me.

See how that works? Everyone helping everyone else. You help babies, everyone else wants to - cool, babies need help.

I help prisoners because nobody wants to. I help them because they need/want help/a chance and nobody gives it to them. I help them because of the people in this thread. I am the kind ear that listens. I am the sympathetic hand that holds theirs. I am the arms that they can (and DO!) cry in. You would be intensely surprised to discover what you learn in there when you stop and listen. Which is what I have personally done - so I know from experience. You don't have to feel sorry for them or sympathize, really - I wish you would, but again, that's what I am here for. That's what I study for.

And if someone wants to say I wasn't a victim again, it's simply untrue. I was a victim of quite a few very horrific crimes - crimes that would and could be punishable by death in some countries/states. They were sociopaths that deserved prison (I am in NO way saying there are not people who don't deserve prison - sociopaths are one of them) but I will still fight to the death to protect their rights.

I am certain you think I am stupid since I am willing to defend my own attacker to the death... but you'd be so grateful to have me as your neighbour... because I'd do the same for you. No matter who you are, no matter what mistakes you made, no matter what happened - I will fight for your rights and I will work towards making sure you are not a victim yourself. It is simply who I am.

Stupid??? I don't believe anyone is implying that. I get the impression that you are intelligent and driven in your chosen profession.
Power to ya
I couldn't do it - my compassions run deep and varied - but not usually in that direction.
Most of the people I know that were incarcerated at one time or another will be the first ones to tell you that they deserved what they got.
 
clap.gif

Quote:
If it turns out to be true that diet effects the crime rate.


We should be using the information and monetary funds to improve the dietary needs of the elementary school children in an attempt to improve the future.
Not to Improve the meals of ADULTS THAT HAVE ALREADY RUINED THEIRS.

I agree and disagree. We should DEFINITELY be using it on PRE-elementary school children. On babies, even. On every human being. See, the thing is: you think this. Everyone thinks this. There are PLENTY of dieticians for children. Hundreds of Thousands.

The monetary funds going into improving the diet are -the same- funds - it doesn't cost more to change, really, and SOMEBODY needs to have the job of working on diets in prisons no matter what. And that person is (going to be) me.

See how that works? Everyone helping everyone else. You help babies, everyone else wants to - cool, babies need help.

I help prisoners because nobody wants to. I help them because they need/want help/a chance and nobody gives it to them. I help them because of the people in this thread. I am the kind ear that listens. I am the sympathetic hand that holds theirs. I am the arms that they can (and DO!) cry in. You would be intensely surprised to discover what you learn in there when you stop and listen. Which is what I have personally done - so I know from experience. You don't have to feel sorry for them or sympathize, really - I wish you would, but again, that's what I am here for. That's what I study for.

And if someone wants to say I wasn't a victim again, it's simply untrue. I was a victim of quite a few very horrific crimes - crimes that would and could be punishable by death in some countries/states. They were sociopaths that deserved prison (I am in NO way saying there are not people who don't deserve prison - sociopaths are one of them) but I will still fight to the death to protect their rights.

I am certain you think I am stupid since I am willing to defend my own attacker to the death... but you'd be so grateful to have me as your neighbour... because I'd do the same for you. No matter who you are, no matter what mistakes you made, no matter what happened - I will fight for your rights and I will work towards making sure you are not a victim yourself. It is simply who I am.

clap.gif


Showing compassion does not make us weak.
Lack of compassion is the true weakness.
 
Quote:
That to me is not a moderate crime. I believe things should be judged basis by basis. The punishment should fit the crime including a person's re-entrance into society.

Apparently whatever he did BEFORE was "moderate" enough for the JUDGE to let him back out on the streets again. That's what I was getting at. Had the judge punished him harder for the "moderate" crime, he wouldn't have been out hurting the pizza man.

Well under that reasoning we should lock up all jay walkers for life before they one day cause a fatal accident.
You can not punish someone for what they MIGHT do in the future.
 
We had a teacher killed out in the country on a dirt road. Very little to go on. Just read in the news that they found some DNA on the thing they used to strangle him. He was killed over a year ago. Not quite as fast as CSI.
 

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