Overcrowded Prisons and Public Safety
http://thedianerehmshow.org/shows/2011-05-25/overcrowded-prisons-and-public-safety
California may be forced to release thousands of felons to reduce overcrowding: What this week's Supreme Court decision could mean for prison populations and public safety.
Guests
Carter Phillips
partner, Sidley Austin
Joan Biskupic
Supreme Court reporter for "USA Today." She has written biographies on Sandra Day O'Connor and Antonin Scalia.
Amy Fettig
senior staff counsel, ACLU
Kent Scheidegger
Criminal Justice Legal Foundation
Comments
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...and if I interpret these data correctly, I understand them to say (table 8, pg 16) that for California: "violent crime" offenders constitute 55.5% of prison population, "non-violent crime" offenders 44.5%. So yes, the majority *are* there for violent crimes. In this statistic I believe it was Kent who was closer to being right.
As to what sorts of folks ought to be filling up our prisons, had to love the story of the fellow who was sent to jail for not paying his child support payments. Can't help but wonder how that benefited anyone involved. I'm gonna assume that did *not* make him more financially stable -- neither during his stay in prison, nor afterwards. Of course slapping with a *fine* is pretty counterproductive as well, but how about some sort of community service which involves him training to do a certain type of job, which then gives him marketable JOB SKILLS for later down the road? Just a thought. 'K, sorry, starting to rant.
Could be better for everyone to
1) stop the war on marijuana using persons
2) bring our troops home so they can help our own economy
3) incarcerate the delinquents in DC
Prisons would be needed less if people were taught respect for the rights of others and had to take personal responsibility for their actions.
It could go far to instead of locking up people and giving them free rides for offenders to be indentured slaves of their victims, ath the mercy of those who they have done wrong until they have paid their debt to the persons they have wronged.