The Colorado Prison Situation (Denver: camper, taxes, live)

[mbalmedpoet]

I also posted this in the Politics forum, but made some changes to this one.

This has been an ongoing issue here for several years since the head of the Department of Corrections was murdered. There has been an ongoing push to release inmates early. To a point, I see non-violent offenders (weed) not needing to be in prison. Violent offenders, subject to repeat offenses like child molesters, rapists, gang offenses, and murderers are also finding their way out as well. Overloading a parole system that can barely stay above water. It's also apparent that those in charge in Colorado, since Hickenlooper took over, have absolutely no clue what is going on. The people who have been promoted and in charge, have been done so because of who they know, it's very unfortunate.

For the record, I'm against for profit prisons. I worked in LE and also the prison system for 12 years. Some people can and do make changes. There are some that simply do not. The people who make the decisions, do not listen to the people who deal with these inmates, who see how they live, and behave. What happens on a daily basis if they don't get their way. The temper tantrums they throw.

These people have no respect for others, or any figure of authority, even when respect is shown to them.

Continuously cutting taxes isn't the answer either, all that does is take away more experienced staff and put more pressure on staff not equipped to handle additional pressure. When these programs were announced several years ago by Clements, many staff members knew this is exactly what was going to happen, but no one listened to us. They had their head in the clouds about how great things were going to be, " we're going to reduce population, we're going to reduce segregation!" But they increased crime, they increased assaults, most significantly inmate on staff assaults!!

We can't lock everyone up, but we can't release everyone either.

Colorado reduces prison population, but at what cost to public safety? - The Denver Post

[Mike from back east]

Originally Posted by mbalmedpoet

... Continuously cutting taxes isn't the answer ...
Colorado reduces prison population, but at what cost to public safety? - The Denver Post

Hell, that's the problem. Dig in our smelly woodpile a while and the same stinky rat called TABOR will scamper out. The father of TABOR is back in prison, for four years, for violating his parole on his earlier tax evasion conviction. As often happens, a pied piper led the flock of voters off a cliff; we need to get the state back on solid fiscal ground but it's going to take a while.

[bryan85]

In Georgia, they parole those who keep getting arrested, and keep the one time offenders for their maximum sentence. This serves the same purpose: The one time offenders who will probably not repeat are kept as long as possible; while the repeat offenders are released because they know they will be back! People often wonder when they hear about a guy with 40 arrests-"Why is he out?! This is why- the system is designed to make money, and to "protect" itself. They want overcrowding (the more inmates, the more funding), even though they will complain about it to the media. The public doesn't want to pay increased taxes to remedy the problem, but they sure want to complain when inmates are released and re- offend.

[mbalmedpoet]

Originally Posted by Mike from back east

Hell, that's the problem. Dig in our smelly woodpile a while and the same stinky rat called TABOR will scamper out. The father of TABOR is back in prison, for four years, for violating his parole on his earlier tax evasion conviction. As often happens, a pied piper led the flock of voters off a cliff; we need to get the state back on solid fiscal ground but it's going to take a while.

Mike, this is part of the problem with not wanting to pay taxes for essential services. I've moaned about this for sometime here. That can be fixed simply by people being victimized enough to realize the problem isn't going away. Harsh, but true. I voted against TABOR, and have been vocal in my opposition for it since.

The other part of the problem is the blindness of the people up top who push their agendas, simply because they can. Without regard to the consequences. That's the part that cannot be fixed so easily. Putting someone in a position simply because they like them, and are easy to get along with.

I know many people still involved with DOC and it's only getting worse. Staff shortages, no control over inmates because of policies from up top designed to speed their release. No consequences when inmates assault or murder staff. The inmate who killed a staff member in 2002 has since been removed from 'death row.'

Some of these are older, but this is an interesting link:

A List of Murderers Released to Murder Again!