Sunday Morning Blog

August 19, 2005

Criminal Justice in America

Criminal justice? Each day we read the headlines and the conclusions are obvious. Our system is in need of a serious overhaul. We have the likes of Martha Stewart under house arrest, while repeat offenders of every variety - capable of all types of heinous crimes, are free to darken our doorsteps. Don't get me wrong, the Martha Stewarts, Enron executives and inside traders of the world should get their due, but we need to do be more concerned about the dangerous criminals on our streets. In the ranks of these criminals (who warrant monitoring more than a Martha Stewart), I would include repeat drunk drivers, sex offenders and any criminal with a history of violence. The three strikes law should apply to any offense. At the very least, these criminals should lose the right to travel freely and should be monitored via ankle bracelet. I envision a systems that people could purchase and install that would alert them when a repeat offender walked into their home or business. A screen would allow us to view a public record of their criminal history when they come within our boundaries. Liquor stores and bars would be legally bound to deny service to repeat drunk drivers for example. At home, the system would alarm you if an offender came within a preset radius. I hate to admit defeat and allow these animals to alter our lives like this, but something needs to change. Our friends, families, homes and businesses deserve more protection than they are getting.

... and once these criminals are put in jail, don't get me started! They shouldn't even be allowed to communicate with each other while in prison without punishment. We need to make our prisons places you never want to return.

Off to work!

Posted by capecodcyclist at August 19, 2005 07:03 AM