Posted on 01/22/2020 7:57:20 AM PST by GailA
In October, something that has been very under reported happened. It is something that Tennesseans should know about and be very worried about.
One of Governor Bill Lee’s pet objectives is criminal justice reform. In October, while speaking to the GOP Senate Republican Caucus, Lee said, “We can empty our jails in the same way that some other states have done. I know we can do that.”
Let that sink in for a moment.
As a part of criminal justice reform, Bill Lee wants to “empty our jails.” Jails and prisons are there for a reason and there is a certain part of the population that has committed horrible crimes, that belongs in prison. People who are a threat to society or are unlikely to show up for their court date stay in jail.
Do we really want to follow the lead of other states with criminal justice “reform?”
In New York, they have criminal justice reform and it is a revolving door at the jail house. Criminals arrested with lengthy records and histories of not appearing in court, are released without bail. New York’s communist Mayor Bill de Blasio has resorted to giving away Mets tickets and gift cards to incentivize the criminals to show up in court. In New York, criminals commit a crime, are arrested, immediately released again under their no-bail law and commit another crime. One criminal said, after his fifth arrest under the no-bail law, “I’m surprised you let me out again.”/b>
In California, property crimes are almost not prosecuted. It is a common even now to see gangs walk into stores and run out with armfuls of expensive clothing or consumer electronics, knowing they will never be prosecuted.
Taylor Budowich works for President Trump’s reelection campaign. At Christmas, his girlfriend had $5,000 worth of luggage stolen from her car in Sacramento, California. The criminals were even caught on video, with enough clarity to read the car’s license plate. The Sacramento Sheriff told Budowich that nothing could be done because the criminals were from Oakland and Oakland does not “pursue property crimes.”
In San Francisco, people urinate and defecate in the streets and even in stores, because the laws are not enforced. And now there is a new wave of “social justice” district attorneys being elected in major cities, who are more interested in not prosecuting crimes than they are in enforcing the laws of the state.
Tennessee has a robust criminal code. It is not perfect and there are certain things that could be changed. For example, the best reform Tennessee could enact is returning the power to sentence to the jury.
Prior to 1982, in Tennessee, if a jury found someone guilty of a crime, the jury, not the judge imposed the sentence. In 1982, the state legislature (then controlled by Democrats), “reformed” the system to make sentencing more “consistent.” That was left speak for making sentences lighter.
The United States has lived through an era of empty the jails. It was in the 60’s and 70’s. Liberals emptied America’s jails and the result was the tough on crime 80’s and 90’s. There was a reason harsh sentencing laws were passed in both the 80’s and 90’s.
It was a response to the very policies Bill Lee advocates now.
Bill Lee ran on being a conservative and a lot of the movement conservatives in this state went along for the ride. Now in office, Lee is either the most tone-deaf “conservative” to sit in the governor’s mansion or he isn’t really a conservative.
A lot of Tennessee conservatives are starting to believe the latter.
I thought this was going to be about the eephus pitch.
Unless there is a Plea Deal. Phillips remarks about TN being so great on crime comes out of Ignorance of our Criminal justice system.
For every day in prison prisoners get 1 day off sentences. IF YOU FIGHT THOSE NASTY PAROLE HEARINGS. 20 yrs MAY mean 10.5 yrs. IT TAKES 2 YRS TO GET TO TRIAL AND IT COUNTS AS PART OF THE SENTENCE IF FOUND GUILTY.
Our 11 month 29 day facilities serve 90 days. DUI’s do time on weekends. Most of this level of criminals have 20-50 priors. Revolving door.
Memphis is a Model of NY and the CRIME CAPITOL OF TN.
THE THING HE GOT RIGHT IS LEE’S DETERMINATION TO FOLLOW IN NY’S FOOTSTEPS.
TN HAS TO BALANCE THE STATE BUDGET PER THE STATE CONSTITUTION. Since he took in more Refugees you need more revenue and TN has NO STATE INCOME TAX. Sales Tax state.
As a mother of a MURDERED CHILD, friends of other families of Murdered children and adults I am MORE than aware of the short falls of Tennessee INJUSTICE SYSTEM.. 10 yrs fighting 6 parole hearings, first one 10 months after the Plea Deal that took 2 yrs.
Not heard about that 1 yet.
TN is not immune to the disease of Democrites.
I would be happy to pay about a half percent more sales tax if it was earmarked to build more prisons to house more criminals. The revolving door doesn’t seem to impress a good number of prisoners.
William Francis Lee III (born December 28, 1946), nicknamed Spaceman, is an American former Major League Baseball pitcher. He played for the Boston Red Sox 1969–1978 and the Montreal Expos 1979–1982.
In addition to his baseball experience, Lee is known for his counterculture behavior, his antics both on and off the field, and his use of the Leephus pitch, a personalized variation of the eephus pitch.[1]
As a resident of the Volunteer State, I’d be interested in knowing what “antics” off the field you’re referring to.
Thanks!
Nevermind my post reply to your comment. I’m denser than usual today. I just realized you were commenting about a different “Lee” than the TN gov.
“TN is not immune to the disease of Democrites.”
No, but it’s doing better than many of the other states. And has better weather/other conditions than the other optional states that we checked into.
Idaho is nice, but there’s a contingent of illegals around one area of the panhandle so that, plus the weather, ruled it out. West Virginia was our first pick - until we went there and saw why we could get 150 acres cheap. It was all on the upside of a steep hill.
There were 4 states long ago that were predicted to still be majority white in 2050, given the current changes in demographics. 2 in the NE - forget that, don’t want to be around hypocritical libs. And WV and Idaho.
So we had to look at the 2nd tier states.
If things get bad here, I’m more than willing to relocate again. I’ve been looking at the big acreage in the middle of the country, we could only get 20 acres here. Lots have been so subdivided it’s hard to find anything like we wanted.
Anyway, if you have a better suggestion, let me know.
“Bill Lee ran on being a conservative and a lot of the movement conservatives in this state went along for the ride. Now in office, Lee is either the most tone-deaf “conservative” to sit in the governor’s mansion or he isn’t really a conservative.”
The last RINO governor was limited in the damage he could do because of the VERY conservative legislature. It’s a shame we can’t get a governor to match. But luckily his influence will be stymied by the legislature and his time cut short with the next election. Unless he gets really stupid, then it’s recall time!!
thanks for the heads-up, Lurk.
I keep forgetting to say stuff.....
I go to a Women’s Republican group - VERY conservative gals there. I’ll bring this up. We got informed of all the stupid things the last RINO gov did at those meetings.
You know that it doesn’t work that way, it goes to general fund and is spent how they want. The more I dug the more I found. Old RINO Bill GIBBONS is part of this scheme.
Lee has been planning this and a Free College Education since at least last March.
Gov. Bill Lee Announces Criminal Justice Reform Proposal, May Include Free College Education for Felons in Prison
https://tennesseestar.com/2019/03/01/gov-bill-lee-announces-criminal-justice-reform-proposal-may-include-free-college-education-for-felons-in-prison/?fbclid=IwAR3r2Ks1BHY6H-ZSs9Z3i4_lCL0vjhKhW2dbFYJaUdmMOMMyC7EyFHVO4Mshttps://tennesseestar.com/2019/03/01/gov-bill-lee-announces-criminal-justice-reform-proposal-may-include-free-college-education-for-felons-in-prison/?fbclid=IwAR3r2Ks1BHY6H-ZSs9Z3i4_lCL0vjhKhW2dbFYJaUdmMOMMyC7EyFHVO4Ms
Lee’s Criminal Justice Investment Task Force releases policy recommendations for public safety, inmate treatment and more https://www.timesfreepress.com/news/local/story/2019/dec/19/lee-criminal-justice-investment-task-force-policy-recommendations/511024/
CALL YOUR STATE SENATORS AND REPS. TELL THEM NO! TN had a 58% recidivism rate last report I read. The Penal Farm is 78% or higher as it is a revolving door of 90 day prisoners who have 20-60 prior offenses.
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