In America most problems are minimal compared to other countries in world. One of our major problems is giving unfair sentencing to non-violent criminals. For example some parts of our country might have relaxed drug laws such as California with their recently proposition 420. This law has made the procession of marijuana legal if u have a certified card. Topics like this will be covered in this paper.
First is how non-violent crime offenders have high jail sentencing. Example of this would be a drug dealer getting twenty odd years for drug possession, depending on the state of drug. Yet a violent crime offender like a rapist will just get a 5 year maximum for their first offence with little probation time. Who do you think got the better end of the deal from our legal system? So is the justice system telling us to rape and half way cover up murder, instead of just having or possessing a substance that our government looks down on?
Second is how the average cost of an inmate to any state after the productivity off of cheap labor is 2,500. Also with the number of inmates with non-violent sentences piling up to 261,796 every year. Which cost the tax payers and our government a estimated 654,490,000 dollars. This is where money for things like roads in dire need of repair, or keeping a homeless shelter open to ultimately better living conditions in communities across America. In the sense that if a portion of that money could be used for good in communities, it could deter children from making bad choices. Rather than just using it to keep somewhat good people behind bars to just continue the never ending cycle of drug dealers breeding drug dealers like doctors breeding doctors.
Lastly is our jail system is a failure. For the simple fact almost two out of three prisoners are repeat offenders. So if the jails system is letting people who are repeatedly damage their communities, why those who break the law to anyone but their selves are to stay in jail. Depending on the circumstances not all violent criminals should get a break. Those who do petty crimes to support bad life style choices are an example of a type of non-violent criminal that should stay in jail. The priors in the arrest record can determine, if the criminals actions are based on substance abuse, life style, and lack of respect for the law.
So as read in this article, sometimes the justice system leaves certain people high and dry while others do brief time and get to be back on the streets of our country. Which would u rather running around in your community a two time felon or a person who had to survive by way of life that they grew up around? I leave you with this next time you pay taxes think of the waste of hard earn money going into the never ending quickly failing justice system.
Work cited
2006, comparison in, and the incarceration rate in England. "Incarceration in the United States - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia." Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Apr. 2011. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incarceration_in_the_United_States>.
"56% OF VIOLENT FELONS ARE REPEAT OFFENDERS | Organized Crime Digest | Find Articles at BNET." Find Articles at BNET | News Articles, Magazine Back Issues & Reference Articles on All Topics. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Apr. 2011. <http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa4441/is_200609/ai_n17194955/>.
"Are sex offenders getting off easy in Pennsylvania? | The Litterbox." The Litterbox | Miscellaneous ramblings about insignificant things that matter only to a cranky cat.. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Apr. 2011. <http://run4chocolate.wordpress.com/2009/05/14/are-sex-offenders-getting-off-easy-in-pennsylvania/>.
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