Posted on 02/17/2020 8:05:52 AM PST by karpov
...
The visceral, retributive reactions to Mr. Madoff’s petition, including from liberals who claim to want to end mass incarceration, reveal the obstacles to transformational criminal justice reform. The truth is, there is only a small number of entirely “sympathetic” people in prisons who could be released without any scruples by the public or affront to their victims. Those incarcerated for violent offenses compose a vast majority of our prison population, in spite of a false narrative that most people are in there for nonviolent drug offenses. The pain and harm experienced by their victims is real, and that’s also true for Mr. Madoff’s victims. But criminal justice policy cannot be constructed in response to our feelings about individual, high-profile cases — the so-called worst of the worst.
This “worst of the worst” argument, for example, has long undergirded the death penalty, which still stands in 30 states despite its racial and class biases and other flaws that have led hundreds of innocent people to death row. It is also part of why the Democratic presidential candidates, with the exception of Bernie Sanders, don’t support the enfranchisement of those in prison. But creating a separate category for Mr. Madoff, sex offenders or those “others” in the criminal justice system will not help end mass incarceration. There will always be another high-profile case that can impede the implementation of more humane policies.
Those on the left who press for criminal justice reform emphasize “empathy” in their attempts to reframe the conversation about people who have committed crimes. Conservatives use the word “redemption.” These words carry a profound responsibility: What do they mean for sympathetic and unsympathetic prisoners? There are 200,000 people over the age of 55 incarcerated in the United States.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
If a judge decrees that the prison is over-crowded, and you MUST release some people, or your budget only allows you to keep N prisoners incarcerated, then what criteria will you use to decide who to release, in order to make room for new prisoners?
How many people committed suicide because Madoff stole their life savings? IMO he’s a serial killer.
Umm, no.
How about Blago.
How about Blago.
Except that there is limited room for prisoners.
IF releasing some over-50 prisoners made room for more young felons, who would otherwise be released on plea bargain, would you change your mind?
Over 60 maybe.
Lot of islands out there.
Penal colonies?
Sensor and monitoring technology is so capable now. Rotate patrol ships and drone flyovers.
“Mass incarceration” is lie. “Masses” aren’t locked up in this country, “individuals” are locked up based on the common trait of criminality. I think this is cynical progressive posturing, a ploy to create a new problem that they can run for office on.
I could go for over 60, who had served most of his sentence, and had not gotten in trouble in prison.
I’m all for kicking cons out that are sucking their dying breaths getting free medical treatment in our prisons, just so they can finish out their sentences. Let’em out and let them die. Have them sign an agreement that in exchange for getting out early they waive their “right” to Medicare or Medicaid and also that they live with a family member
Largely true for impulsive, strong arm stuff. Rage murders, violent robberies. Not as true for sexual predators, I believe.
Wasn’t there a recent case where an elderly rapist was released, and he raped again shortly after released?
I think everyone convicted of a crime will be assigned points based on how bad they were.
When the prisons get full, execute the one with the most points to make space for the next convict.
This will motivate prisoners and non prisoners to go straight, because if carried to the extreme, a prisoner could get executed for a parking ticket.
Of course, I don’t think it would come to that!
Those on the left who press for criminal justice reform,all prisons will be converted onto camp grounds for the homeless and say say we do care for the people.
Until then they can kiss the back of my lap.
BTW I speak from experience as someone with no criminal record and a long history of steady employment who had to find work after a layoff.
We need to deter’s today’s potential offenders by punishing yesterday’s actual offenders. Is that too complicated to see?
You don’t have to be young to commit white collar crimes like old Bernie. “Don’t do the crime if you can’t do the time”
I know how hard it is. I’m near retirement myself. I have a friend who, in his youth, pled guilty to a plea bargain for drug possession in exchange for no time served. Too late, he found out how hard it is to get a professional job with a big company with a criminal record. He was talented enough to make a go of it with his own small business.
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