Comments on: Ugh.

By: elgordo

elgordo — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 18:00:02 +0000

Mr. Smashing just forfeited his privilege to complain about his taxes for a good long while.

By: The Guilty Carnivore

The Guilty Carnivore — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 17:48:13 +0000

Yes, turn Oregon into Texas. But even Texas – TEXAS – is getting progressive on the issue and are considering alternative rehabilitation options in lieu of incarceration.

1 in 9 African-American males 18-35 are in jail. Saying 8 of every 9 isn’t in jail makes me feel not one bit better, however.

It’s easy to incarcerate. Managing the aftermath is what’s difficult.

By: Smashing.

Smashing. — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 15:17:39 +0000

There is no such thing as an overcrowded jail. Stuff them in like sardines.
I have been robbed. It is no fun. The best part is having to buy your stuff back from a pawn shop that some tweaker sold it to. The next best thing is listening to some judge explain that the thief won’t go to jail but will have to pay back has part oh his parole… two years go by and not one payment has ever come by. There should be mandatory sentences for these people. 10 years is pretty fair and would make a person think twice about doing the things they do.

By: morty

morty — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 08:55:00 +0000

Anything with the name Mannix on it needs to viewed with deep suspicion. That critique aside, even if one does not care for a bleeding heart "you can’t just lock people up argument," the rational calculus still gravitates in favor of the treatment options that Mr. Mannix seeks to eliminate.
Judge Marcus here in Multnomah Co., along with many others, has done a great deal to advance a sentencing model based on what has a more effective track record, statistically speaking. Certainly, not all bugs have been worked out, but the goal is a more rational approach to sentencing, as opposed to a "sounds good on paper but really costs way more- hit everybody with same hammer" type approach.

What Mr. Mannix seeks to do is to persuade people that no sworn judge here in the State of Oregon can be trusted to execute any type of responsibility when it comes to sentencing someone convicted of a crime. Which is neither fair nor true. Effective resources are stretched across the board, limiting options.

That all said,
speaking of law and lawmakers, didn’t you just take the bar, Mr. Tenstringesquire?

By: Pete Best

Pete Best — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 00:13:32 +0000

I think if we just rephrase that statistic to be "99 out of 100 people in America are NOT in jail", it might make us all feel a little better. Might.

By: Ron

Ron — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 23:59:29 +0000

nice post. I agree with your conclusions and point you to the latest statistics regarding the US prison population: now more than 1 in 100. Quite frankly I’m embarrassed for my country in more ways than one.