Juvenile death penalty unconstitutional

[Hawkeye]

Originally Posted by dissention

When people speak of overcrowding, they should be outraged over the fact that someone who is caught with 30 pounds of marijuana is punished with a mandatory minimum sentence in states such as New York and serve 20 years in prison, whereas someone convicted of second-degree murder is given 15 years with the possibility of parole.

WTF Do they really enforce that. This is why I can't stand America's legal system.

[dissention]

Originally Posted by Hawkeye

WTF Do they really enforce that. This is why I can't stand America's legal system.

You can bet your ass they do. Go do a search on the history of mandatory minimum drug sentences in New York state, it's shocking. There was one woman who was put in prison for over a decade for unknowingly taking a phone call from her boyfriend's drug dealer and simply handing her boyfriend the phone. She finally got out after Clinton pardoned her.

[Hawkeye]

thats messed up, and I live in New York State so I guess I should've known that.

[dissention]

Originally Posted by Hawkeye

thats messed up, and I live in New York State so I guess I should've known that.

I hope you never get caught with a joint because those mandatory minimum laws apply to not only hardened drug criminals, but first time offenders, too.

[DrummerDeanna]

Originally Posted by dissention

I hope you never get caught with a joint because those mandatory minimum laws apply to not only hardened drug criminals, but first time offenders, too.

There are lawmakers working to overturn that loser ass minimum sentence thing - it is assinine....

Also in response to what do you do about murders without the death penalty. As stated - it's really not a huge deterent to murder. I think as also stated people should work to prevent murders and violent crime in the first place.

Rochester is trying to do that - we had the HIGHEST murder rate pre capita in New York State...that's not a good distinction....but in the last year - with a new prevention program - the murder rate has fallen 40% !!!

Also - sad but true - the vast majority of murder victims were black men between the ages of 18-35 - the murderers - also overwhelmingly black males - AND almost ALL of the murders took place in one concentrated area...

A very poor area with lots of drugs, poverty, crime etc......so they know where to start the focus.

Enter Operation Impact. If one guy commits a murder - everyone associated with that guy is targeted - (everyone with any criminal activity background of any kind...) It's proven effective - increased police visibility and the fact that these people know they're being watched and held accountable....

Also also stated more $$ needs to be poured into education and health - a lot of these criminals have mental issues - but if you don't have insurance and in some cases even if you do - mental health is not considered important....

Poverty and poor education I think are very much taking their toll

[wondergirl9847]

Originally Posted by dissention

You can bet your ass they do. Go do a search on the history of mandatory minimum drug sentences in New York state, it's shocking. There was one woman who was put in prison for over a decade for unknowingly taking a phone call from her boyfriend's drug dealer and simply handing her boyfriend the phone. She finally got out after Clinton pardoned her.

It's stuff like that, that makes the justice system all screwy. Laws DO need to be changed, but like you said, it takes too much effort, and who wants to actually work.

I watched Wife Swap too! Both families needed some help, sesly. That lady screaming at that family about the new rules....dude, calm down. The son treating that lady like crap on day one....very disrespectful. I would never let my son speak to an adult that way. Fine, if you don't believe in God or the flag, but sheesh, calm down. On the flip side, making your kids keep their room and the house spotless....nuts. That was way anal, but the military families are just like that....very orderly. I'm anal about stuff too, but sheesh.

[amber]

Originally Posted by wondergirl9847

It's stuff like that, that makes the justice system all screwy. Laws DO need to be changed, but like you said, it takes too much effort, and who wants to actually work.

I watched Wife Swap too! Both families needed some help, sesly. That lady screaming at that family about the new rules....dude, calm down. The son treating that lady like crap on day one....very disrespectful. I would never let my son speak to an adult that way. Fine, if you don't believe in God or the flag, but sheesh, calm down. On the flip side, making your kids keep their room and the house spotless....nuts. That was way anal, but the military families are just like that....very orderly. I'm anal about stuff too, but sheesh.

I love that show, luckily I came home right in time for it to start! Right now! Military family is freaking me out. I'm sure the other family will, too.

[dissention]

Originally Posted by wondergirl9847

It's stuff like that, that makes the justice system all screwy. Laws DO need to be changed, but like you said, it takes too much effort, and who wants to actually work.

I watched Wife Swap too! Both families needed some help, sesly. That lady screaming at that family about the new rules....dude, calm down. The son treating that lady like crap on day one....very disrespectful. I would never let my son speak to an adult that way. Fine, if you don't believe in God or the flag, but sheesh, calm down. On the flip side, making your kids keep their room and the house spotless....nuts. That was way anal, but the military families are just like that....very orderly. I'm anal about stuff too, but sheesh.

I thought that the peace mom was a RIOT. She was so enthusiastic and loving life, it was great. Very entertaining. I almost spittled when she was hooting and hollering about getting rid of the guns at the rule change ceremony! She wouldn't know how to raise a kid if her life depended on it, but that son of hers was a monster. What a disrespectful little heathen.

That conservative family needs help big time. Those kids were obsessed with guns and violence, it was unhealthy. And when the father said "they don't see it as taking guns away, they see it is taking toys away," I couldn't believe it. Is he that clueless? Maybe that should tell you something is wrong, bub, when you raise your kids to embrace guns and violence so openly.

The peace vigil had me rolling on the floor, those neighbors were such world-class idiots. But she didn't let it bother her and was very respectful, you gotta admire that. She was great and quite the character.