Growing Prison Population

[asdf]

Lawmaker Addresses Issue of Growing Prison Population
April 19th, 2007 @ 6:50am

Gene Kennedy Reporting

It's always popular to be tough on crime. But that attitude is having a damaging effect on the state of Utah, according to one Utah lawmaker.

The Legislature has boosted several misdemeanor offenses to felonies. Other penalties are tacked on to certain offenses.

Representative Kay McIff from Richfield has told lawmakers it's only adding to an increased prison population.

McIff is a former judge. He says lawmakers need to take a hard look at this issue. He spoke to a legislative committee yesterday.

One of the examples he cited is "drug-free zones." That's where there's an additional penalty if someone deals drugs near a church or school. McIff says it's a good concept, but the zones have been expanded so much that they include huge portions of communities, and therefore are not a deterrent.

In today's Deseret Morning News, he's quoted as saying, "The great temptation in cases when something goes amiss (is) we simply ratchet up the penalty because we're offended by it."

Jack Ford, spokesperson for the Department of Corrections, says Utah has one of the lowest incarceration rates in the country. He says a lot of offenders get probation.

Still, prison growth is definitely an issue. It will be interesting to see if the legislature takes on this issue in the next session.

[jumar]

It's always popular to be tough on crime. But that attitude is having a damaging effect on the state of Utah, according to one Utah lawmaker.

Would he rather get softer on crime??

[asdf]

It's always popular to be tough on crime. But that attitude is having a damaging effect on the state of Utah, according to one Utah lawmaker.

Would he rather get softer on crime??

Would you rather have a pot smoking hippie in jail or a child molester?

[Jaxx]

thats why we need capital punishment. No jails needed. child molester gets penis cut off, same with rape. pot smoking gets a finger cut off. DUI gets hand cut off. robbery same as dui, etc. There would be no need for a jail cell. Its not perfect but a work in progress, no worse of an idea than what this judge from Richfield is going for. Why would he want drug free zones to be smaller? I say we need to make them bigger.

[asdf]

thats why we need capital punishment. No jails needed. child molester gets penis cut off, same with rape. pot smoking gets a finger cut off. DUI gets hand cut off. robbery same as dui, etc.

That is just silly

[Jaxx]

That is just silly

that is what I was going for.
Except the drug free zone stuff. Why would he want to be more lenient on people dealing drugs by schools? Oh, and child molesters should get there penis cut off, I hate them.

[jumar]

Would you rather have a pot smoking hippie in jail or a child molester?

I'd like to find a solution that wouldn't force that kind of a choice. Would you have the pot smoking hippie get off the hook for breaking the law? If laws aren't enforced, then what good are they?

I don't know what the solution over crowding in prisons, but going soft on people that break the law I don't think is going to help.

[asdf]

Would you rather have a pot smoking hippie in jail or a child molester?

I'd like to find a solution that wouldn't force that kind of a choice. Would you have the pot smoking hippie get off the hook for breaking the law? If laws aren't enforced, then what good are they?

I don't know what the solution over crowding in prisons, but going soft on people that break the law I don't think is going to help.

For the most part I agree but I don't think we should have to punish the hippie for hurting himself. Not that we should legalize all drugs but if someone wants to smoke some weed let them, how does it hurt me?

[Jaxx]

For the most part I agree but I don't think we should have to punish the hippie for hurting himself. Not that we should legalize all drugs but if someone wants to smoke some weed let them, how does it hurt me?

It does affect everyone. Most of the children in Foster care are from parents who are on drugs. Mainly what I have experienced is that pot is the only drug they do. The children are neglected and mistreated because of the parents caring more about buying pot instead of good food for the children to eat.
They also get neglected because the parents are getting high and leaving the children in playpens or locked in a room, or given to a druggy friend to babysit. I am 100% against pot and all other drugs because I have seen what it does to these poor children who have no choice about if their parents smoke pot, but they are directly affected by it.
It pisses me off when people say "someone else smoking pot doesn't affect me in any way." A murder in California probably doesn't affect you so should that be ok to do? Someone somewhere is being affected by pot smoking assholes. And who pays for the children in foster care/on medicade? Me and you.

[jumar]

For the most part I agree but I don't think we should have to punish the hippie for hurting himself. Not that we should legalize all drugs but if someone wants to smoke some weed let them, how does it hurt me?

Then to me that would be a separate debate on whether or not pot should be legalized. If you disagree with a law that's fine. Go through the proper channels to try to change the law. But we can't pick and choose what laws we follow and which laws to enforce. The law needs to be enforced or its useless.

[asdf]

Then to me that would be a separate debate on whether or not pot should be legalized. If you disagree with a law that's fine. Go through the proper channels to try to change the law. But we can't pick and choose what laws we follow and which laws to enforce. The law needs to be enforced or its useless.

What about rehab for users and jail time for dealers....

[asdf]

It does affect everyone. Most of the children in Foster care are from parents who are on drugs. Mainly what I have experienced is that pot is the only drug they do. The children are neglected and mistreated because of the parents caring more about buying pot instead of good food for the children to eat.
They also get neglected because the parents are getting high and leaving the children in playpens or locked in a room, or given to a druggy friend to babysit. I am 100% against pot and all other drugs because I have seen what it does to these poor children who have no choice about if their parents smoke pot, but they are directly affected by it.

The same thing happens every day with people that don't smoke pot. Have you heard of W.O.W.? or what about alcohol?

It pisses me off when people say "someone else smoking pot doesn't affect me in any way."

poor you.

[Death]

I have a few friends that had parents that smoked pot, they are very successful and make lots of money have great family's and love there life. There are so many people who smoke pot that you would never ever think did. I would be willing to bet that alcohol is far worse on family's than pot is but I don't hear anybody saying would should ban it.

[Jaxx]

The same thing happens every day with people that don't smoke pot. Have you heard of W.O.W.? or what about alcohol?

What happens everyday? what is WOW? Alcohol should be illegal in my opinion, Iceaxe is going to be dissapointed in me saying that

poor you.

What?

[asdf]

poor you.

What?

I am sorry that makes you so upset.

[Jaxx]

I am sorry that makes you so upset.

I was getting a little OOC for a second there. I appologize. I didn't mean anything to offend you.
The problem with pot, and alcohol, is that some people make the wrong decisions while high/drunk. I think people could be responsible with pot, just like people that drink can be, Its when stupid people get high or drunk they do even stupider things. I suppose there needs to be a middle ground, and mabey comparing pot and alcohol is a bit extreme, since you can drink without getting drunk, but I agree with Jumar its against the law, we have to enforce it.

Back on topic. Won't jails have to grow with population? Seems like the more people you have in civilization the more are going to end up in jail, right? The judge from Richfield is saying that the drug free zone is too big. I have family in Richfield and I imagine that the same size drug zone takes up alot of the city compared to a city like SLC where it is just a blip.

[Jaxx]

What about rehab for users and jail time for dealers....

That sounds resonable to me. Getting the people to attend is going to be the hard part.

[asdf]

I am sorry that makes you so upset.

I was getting a little OOC for a second there. I appologize. I didn't mean anything to offend you.

I am not offended, its all good buddy.

[Sombeech]

It seems like the Government has the only choice to be made, but we always forget that it's the criminal who makes the first decision to commit the crime.

With softer sentences, crime is more appealing. Murder is not that big of deal anymore if you can get out in 6 years.

Every time you see an "Investigative Report" that says the sentence received, you hardly learn of the time that was actually served because it is much, much less than the sentence.

Criminals know this. The consequences of getting caught are worth the risk now.

Harder sentences do not always mean more time served. If this is the only option, our system is broken.

[jumar]