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I believe that by addressing the needs of first time offenders, we can prevent some of them from committing more crimes. The State has a duty to protect
it's people and also help them as well. A balanced approach to the problem is the best approach. All of society benefits from lower crime rates. Businesses move into the area thereby creating new jobs, less taxes are needed due to lowered prison costs, and society benefits from peace of mind.
By letting crime go unpunished it will only serve to encourage the criminal to commit even more crimes, which become even more violent and serious.
I watch in disbelief at some of the things our government does. Here are some examples:
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Recently police caught man who had built a prison underneath his back yard. The police know of two 17 year-old girls that he had raped and held there. As I was watching the news he was going to his bond hearing. My question is why would anybody even consider turning this animal loose at all. How many other girls did he rape or kill?
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Another example is an individual who was arrested for murder (he should have already been in prison for past crimes committed). After paying his bond he then proceeds to the home of the witness and then tries to murder him as well.
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I have had vehicles stolen from me and the district attorney or police have allowed me to spend all day in court without telling me the criminal had either
received probation or the case had been rescheduled. I then became a victim twice as I had lost a days pay and my belief that justice would be served.
It is insane to give violent, habitual offenders bond, bail or early parole. Five percent of criminals commit fifty percent of serious crimes. So it should make sense that if you lock up this five percent crimes would drop by one half.
Tennessee prisons are full so what can be done to fix this problem? To begin with, we should only use prisons for violent offenders who are a threat to the community. By having prisoners sleep in beds on a rotating basis, we can double or triple the number of prisoners that can be housed. The beds can be given to other prisoners for eight hours to sleep. After their eight hours is up, another prisoner will use it. When the prisoner is not in their bunk, they will be housed in another building in which he can work. After their work shift is over, they will then go to another
facility. As an example of how much money this will save the tax payers, the average cost of building a new prison bed in Tennessee is around $100,000.
Prisoners who are not threats to society and have a low escape risk will be taken to farms and parks to work and live. These prisoners will help with growing food for the State, cleaning our parks and building walking trails, etc. These prisoners will live in cabins or tents. They will not have air conditioned facilities. Our troops do not have air conditioned rooms, and prisoners will not have them either
Prisoners have a return rate (i.e. recidivism) of 40 to 50% after three years. We need to do better. Prison should be punishment, but some criminals see it as a type of college. They do not mind going to jail because they can learn new criminal skills, be fed, and work out. Life is better for them in prison than it is out on the street. We need to make prison a place where no one wants to go.
In Tennessee, inmates with sentences of 4 years or less number 57.2% of the total population In order to keep them from committing more crimes, we need to break the cycle of crime. Some steps to take that will stop this cycle involve the following:
We need to take the profit motive out of crime. Criminals are similar to business people. They weigh the odds of getting caught with the likelihood of punishment. That is why more cars are stolen than there are banks robbed. Having criminals pay restitution to the victim and state is not enough. The victim should receive three times the amount of money that the are out in punitive damages. Insurance companies also need to be reimbursed. It is not fair that I have to pay higher premiums for a
criminal's actions. Nor is it fair that the insurance companies pay for the
criminal's actions.
I know a person who was in prison 15 years. When he was released, he was in trouble within hours. We need a system to better prepare prisoners for release. My idea is to build a series of apartment complexes. The apartments will be two bedroom units. Four prisoners will be in each apartment. Two years before release, prisoners will be transferred to these facilities (which will free up more space for violent criminals). They will then go into training as to how to live successfully in society. They will learn job and people skills as well as how society works. Some of these areas include building their credit and paying bills. Most criminals are poorly educated so training in this field is a must. Entrance into the program will be based on the
prisoner's acceptance of the rules. This will not be a mandatory program. However, the
prisoner's chances of being paroled will be significantly less without attending the program.
This facility will be a jail. Prisoners cannot come and go at will. The prisoners will be placed in each unit by the amount of time in the program. For example, a prisoner, who is new to the program, with be paired with others who have more time in the program Each room will have cameras and other security devices in each room.
Once the prisoners have been paroled, they will need a place to live away from their former friends. What is the point of all this work if we just abandon them? They can now move into another apartment facility in the city. This facility will have restricted access only for the
prisoner's family and an assigned guest list. We need to keep the neighborhood drug dealer and other
"friends" away. The now free prisoner can take the bus to work. The state can provide a van to take the prisoners to temporary work agencies. The prisoner now has a place to live with his family. The peer pressure from the other inmates and his family may encourage them to succeed. He now has transportation to work and the skills to perform a job that he can feed himself and family (and hopefully get off welfare). He is also paying rent to the state and providing funds for his additional training while in the complex. In the evening, multiple workshops and other training will also be a part of this program.
The prisoners employer will direct deposit the prisoners pay check into an account which will automatically be billed for victim restitution, rent, and other expenses.
This program sounds like I am soft on crime, but I am not. The goal of this program is two fold. First, by having these prisoners in lower cost facilities, we can incarcerate more violent
and habitual criminals. My goal is to stop the parole of violent and habitual offenders and to make them serve their full sentences. Secondly, by having this program, we can reduce recidivism. This will have an impact on all of society. Less crime is the main benefit. However, other benefits will occur as well such as restitution to the victim and state. Being able to walk down the street without fear is something you cannot put a price tag on.
Criminals are people too. They work on rewards. As long as we
"reward" them with reduced sentences, probation, and early parole, they will continue to commit crimes.
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