MUG SHOT
Mama asked me this morning about politicians, specifically those in Congress. It seems that we are on the brink of passing the most effective law in the last decades for changing the way minor criminals are sentenced—our prison population is at a record high, and over half those residing there could easily have been given much less severe punishment and been part of rehabilitation programs that would enable them to be contributing members of society.
Those few opposing the bill and hanging up its success are holding hostage both Democrats and Republicans by predicating their consent on changes in the law that would make corporations and their executives “harder to prosecute for environmental or financial crimes” according to an editorial in the NYT.
The editorial also cites a second argument by those resistant to the law change, which is scaremongering—violent criminals would be loose in the streets—while the actual fact is that most of the law changes are directed at low-level, nonviolent drug offenders who makeup nearly HALF of all federal inmates.
What I see is that a non-violent human being, with a problem that could be helped, is sentenced to a much longer and more severe imprisonment than needed for his or her minor crime, and is then thrust into an environment which could possibly create or encourage more violent behavior and eventual incarceration for a longer period.
What kind of a country are we that we put people in prison for six years for smuggling undersized lobsters for the seafood market! (See article)
Hey, all I did was sell a couple of undersized mice to a friend!
I am especially concerned about so many young people whose lives are ruined by receiving harsh sentences that result in their being incarcerated without due cause for way too long. Sentencing procedures would be reformed by this new law, enabling judges to choose lighter sentences for minor infractions.
I know the article is long, but it’s well worth a gander…whatever that is…
Oh, Loulou! Have you fallen in with a bad crowd since Mama has been away? You, young lady are On Report. No more joints, eh, I mean treats for a week.
Awsome mug shot……..
Well, they let me off with a paw slap. Thank you for reading about my woes….
Loulou, never sell undersized mice to a friend…an enemy maybe…but never a friend. 🙂
Yeah, you’re right and they didn’t pay top dollar either! They accused me of selling cut goods.
That sounds interesting. I will check it out. I agree that many in jail could have had less of a punishment and yet some that do awful things are walking the streets ready to harm others. I love your mug shot by the way.
Oh, Loulou, we wish you had hidden those joints in the litter pan. We’ll see you in … how long are you in for?
Well, I’m not REALLY in but it’s kind of you to ask…I guess you were planning to bake a file into a cake, no? I changed the caption……didn’t want to offend anyone, but who doesn’t know what a joint is?
A gander a goose, or a dandy LouLou. our country is in a sad shape and we’s not sure a few changes in da law are gunna help. We wish peeps kuld be nicer and kinder and treet others better. But seems wiff da digital age peeps are becomin’ more and more isolated. We can finally reach to far away places, but in duin’ so we lose touch wiff those near by. We don’t know what wuld help our lands, but we do know sumfin’ has to change. Hope you have a gweat day.
Luv ya’
Dezi and Lexi
Well, I may step on toes, but Mr. Obama tried to do many things to change this and he was met by resistance from Republicans in Congress. At least he helped with health care after a long battle with them. If the law changes, many young people who simply make a mistake once will be saved being thrown in with hardened criminals. That’s positive.