Current Affairs, Religion and Politics Thread, Report calls for jail number cut - You views?

This is actually one of the three reasons for crime reduction in New York City. (The other two are demographic changes, and the end of the crack epidemic).

It doesn't have anything to do with 'cracking down' or 'locking up'. It has to do with community policing, delegation of authority, and intelligence work.

Giuliani came along, saw the parade was forming, and like any good politician, rushed to get in front so he could lead it. And then took credit for it, so he could further his political career.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CompStat

Prison for those who present a danger to the public.
Electronic tagging with strictly enforced curfews.
Meaningful community service.
Intensive intervention so the sentence is not a chore to be borne and forgotten, together with ongoing support after it is finished.
Compulsory adult literacy teaching where relevant.
Skills training.
Really, the current raft of sentences is not wrong but there is a need for more intensive staffing, which costs money, and a willingness to ignore the morons and their tabloid cheerleaders who scream criticism without understanding what's what.
But other measures aside from punishment are needed. The most important of which is a new power to arrest members of the 'I'm not a grass' brigade on grounds of reasonable suspicion and have them charged with either aiding and abetting or obstruction. Without the safety net of community protection that the criminal often enjoys at the moment, any sentence handed down will have that much more chance of being successful.

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Rage, rage against the dying light

Not a logical alternative to punishment is it?

To punish people who don't speak up?!!

There is always a very good reason people do not speak up.
Some may not speak up because they do belong to the 'I'm not a grass' brigade.

However the majority are fearful of reprisal because the courts expose them as witnesses and the law gives them no protection whatsoever.
.... and all that trouble to see the offender get off with a caution or other inappropriate light sentence, then they see the offender or others outside their door throwing insults or bricks.
Who in the right mind would want that?
It is easy to blame people when not exposed to their problems.

These people are as much a problem as the criminals they protect. With their silence they are helping justice not to be done, they are empowering the criminal in his lawless life and are mroe or less guilty of conspiracy. If this criminal code of slience could be broken, there would be nowhere for the criminal to hide. How many crimes are committed safe int he knowledge the perpertrator is fireproof once he gets home?
"I'm not a grass" is not a badge of honour but an admission of guilt.
And if the plea of fear is put forward, tough - they are essentially saying they like to be scared and dio not want the situation to change. If you are fearful of some illness, you go to the doctor and get cured. The non-grasser should receive adequate protrection until it is safe.

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Rage, rage against the dying light

How easy to say when it isn't you.
I think you are living in fantasy land.

Bring back the rock quarries and the canvas uniforms with arrows on them! Get rid of all those TV s etc and set up a prison library with books by Dickens, RL Stephenson, the Bronte sisters etc.

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If A is a success in life, then A equals x plus y plus z. Work is x; y is play; and z is keeping your mouth shut.
Albert Einstein

Now you are talking.

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Try to look on the bright side even if its mission impossible