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Location: Moose Jaw, in between the Moose's butt and nose.
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it's almost to the point where you can't say, it's not that hard to stay out of jail?
I'm mean, of course, if you basically play by all reasonable rules in the USA, it's easier than hard to stay out of the criminal system, but consider this: 2.3 million people in the US are in jail and if 1 out of every 30 men between 20 and 34 are in jail right now......
most lottery games and slot machines have payout (even if it's a miniscule amount) chances that are equal that, so you have almost the same odds of winning something in the lottery, as you do of going to jail.....
if you're brown skinned in America, one out of 30, is more like 1 out of 15 or 20.....
we have more people in jail than China does and they have 3 times the population....and we have some nerve telling other countries about police states.....
so my question overall, considering these stats, is it really that easy, in the USA, to stay out of jail? Yes or no.....
I think it's easy, but not as easy as some people would think.
First of all, our criminal justice system is focused on punishment but should be focused on rehabilitation. Thus prison is a revolving door for many convicts. They are so entrenched in prison-culture cause that's all they know. In that vein, its really hard for people with criminal records to get jobs because employers do background checks and even credit checks nowadays.
Its no wonder that many return to a life of crime because we as a country permanently stigmatize them even after they have paid their debt to society.
Second of all, at the end of the day no matter how much we can point out ways in which society is responsible for this problem-ultimately we are all responsible for our own actions. We are presented daily opportunities to either keep the law or break them.
I'd rather the criminals were behind bars than wandering the streets... I don't see the point of the thread. If you don't want to be Bubba's Biotch, don't break the law. Rather simple I would think.
I've never been to jail, but the last time I got pulled over, the cop was threatening to do so.
I wasn't speeding, and the judge agreed and threw out the ticket later, but the cop was alleging that I was going "over 90" and weaving. I was going 72 in a straight line (cruise control). He was leaning in the window over my gf and asked me probably a dozen times "how fast was really going" in an attempt to entrap me. I told him "72" three times, and after that he just kept yelling at me, demanding over and over to tell him. I told him, "I told you how fast I was going," and he told me he was going to arrest me.
After I demanded he radio a superior officer, he backed off; again, the judge chucked the ticket... but that's just it: one cop who's having a bad night can lead to an arrest that can potentially ruin your life. I'm applying to universities to go back to school for business, and what if they see I've been arrested? What happens when I apply to a higher-paying job, and they like everything about me, but see that I've "been in jail" on a background check? Goodbye white-collar life! Because one ******** in a Crown Vic had just gotten in a fight with his wife, was offended I was driving a Honda, was mad that I had an Asian girlfriend, or who knows what else?
And what would throwing a regular working stiff in jail achieve, really? I'm not a danger to anyone. Sure, put me in a cell with a bunch of gang members... great idea! I pay my taxes, I've called 911 to report crimes in progress, I've got zero criminal background, and you've just screwed me over basically for the rest of my life.
I used to be pretty pro-police because my dad was an MP for some time in the military and I grew up on base, but after I moved out to LA and had an LAPD officer pull a gun on me for flagging them down to let them know I'd just seen a guy get mugged around the corner, I've changed my mind.
Location: Moose Jaw, in between the Moose's butt and nose.
5,152 posts, read 8,531,712 times
Reputation: 2038
Point of the thread is, is the prison system in the US, so punitive, where it's reached the point, where it is a harder, to some degree, to stay out of jail, than it was, even 30 years ago....
Granted, it's not most people, but some of the jails are filled with people, for misdimeanors or non violent drug offenses (like personal possession)....that's where the system, needs to show some restraint....however, not likely to happen anytime soon, since, the prison industry, really has its hands in the pockets of the elected officials in Washington D.C.
415's point above, sums up my concerns, in a concise manner.
The biggest problem is someone convicted of a crime once released has 1 of 2 choices.
1. Be a law abiding citizen and live in poverty for the rest of there life. Never be able to get a job. Basically become one of those guys in there 40s who is homeless begging for change or still sleeping on his mother couch, or live off girlfriends.
2. Commit crimes and hopefully save enough money before caught or killed to one day retire an live off money made off victimizing others.
It's a shame how an 18 year old can suddenly have to face the reality that one of those 2 choices is there only choice for the rest of there lives because they were riding shotgun in a car and the driver had drugs or guns they didn't know about. Or even worse, they witnessed a murder and were scared to snitch so the police charged them with Capital Murder.
The reality is most ppl in US prison convicted of murders are not murderers. They were simply at the wrong place at the wrong time and witnessed a murder and didn't snitch cause they didn't want themselves or anyone in there family to be killed in retaliation. The way the law works, basically if you witness a murder up close and one of those people was your friend, if you don't call the cops and report who did it an they find out later that you were there an than you refuse to tattle. You too will be getting locked up for a good amount of time.
I'm 23 and a majority of people I grew up with have either given up on life and are content with living the rest of there life in poverty, or they are actively involved in committing crimes on a daily basis to feed there bellies and provide for there families.
Why? Because they were convicted of crimes they committed between the ages of 18-21 and now there lives are over. Some of them are bad apples, some of them were just trying to succeed in life the only way they know, some of them couldn't find jobs and had mouths to feed, and a few were just in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Location: Moose Jaw, in between the Moose's butt and nose.
5,152 posts, read 8,531,712 times
Reputation: 2038
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bydand
I'd rather the criminals were behind bars than wandering the streets... I don't see the point of the thread. If you don't want to be Bubba's Biotch, don't break the law. Rather simple I would think.
Don't break the law? At least a few of the laws that they throw one in jail for in the USA, need some big time soul searching.....
The biggest problem is someone convicted of a crime once released has 1 of 2 choices.
1. Be a law abiding citizen and live in poverty for the rest of there life. Never be able to own a car or even rent a house. Basically become a homeless pariah.
2. Commit crimes and hopefully save enough money before caught or killed to one day retire an live off money made off victimizing others.
So TRUE.
They have almost ZERO options once they get out.
On the one hand, we tell them to be law abiding citizens and yet we do everything we can to steer them back into a life of crime.
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