Juvenile death penalty unconstitutional

[dissention]

Did anyone see that INSANE conservative chick on Wife Swap tonight? I never watch it, but I was flipping through the channels and was astounded by her idiocy to an extreme degree. Those are the kind of people that make me wish passing an IQ test was a requirement for voting.

[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.

[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.

[Moony]

Originally Posted by Lux

No sarcasm this time. I saw my friend two days ago for the first time in months. Other than that.....nope, I can't think of anything social. Now if I could just move out I wouldn't enduring speeches about being pathetic during the prime of my life. I'd use you an example to illustrate that I'm not the only one but you don't exist, apparently.

Ah, that's my problem! I don't exist!! No one told me before

[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.

[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

[dissention]

Originally Posted by The Tower

3) Dump the majority of our tax dollars into education and improving the overall health and wealth of society. Tax the hell out of the ultra-rich and the big businesses that are flush in profits to enable everyone to have a better life.

What really needs to be worked on is making college more accessible and open to people. It should be free, or nearly free, for all. It's kind of sad how kids are forced to go to community colleges because that's all they can afford (or all their circumstances will allow), then they're stigmatized in the work force because of it. It's not right, especially considering that nowadays you need a college degree.

[DrummerDeanna]

Originally Posted by dissention

What really needs to be worked on is making college more accessible and open to people. It should be free, or nearly free, for all. It's kind of sad how kids are forced to go to community colleges because that's all they can afford (or all their circumstances will allow), then they're stigmatized in the work force because of it. It's not right, especially considering that nowadays you need a college degree.

And there are still TONS of kids who don't even make it out of high school - I mean education is really hurting right now - and No Child Left Behind!?! A CROCK!!!

My sister is a teacher - and it SUCKS right now - as we speak she's missed a whole week of teaching because of these new (and useless) standardized tests...it's such a crock.....especially since it's under funded or not funded at all - education just needs a HUGE overhaul...

[GateandGarden]

Originally Posted by wondergirl9847

...Drugs is more difficult because when people are high, it affects their brain, but so can alcohol, and they are more likely to harm someone. It's a difficult issue for me. I'm not sure about it. They may only hurt themselves (well, they will for sure), but there is that possibility of hurting someone else while high, but getting drunk.....same thing. You may be right about the drugs thing...

I feel pretty much the same way you do about this.

[dissention]

Originally Posted by DrummerDeanna

And there are still TONS of kids who don't even make it out of high school - I mean education is really hurting right now - and No Child Left Behind!?! A CROCK!!!

More children are being left behind than ever. So much for being The Education President, eh?

Originally Posted by DrummerDeanna

My sister is a teacher - and it SUCKS right now - as we speak she's missed a whole week of teaching because of these new (and useless) standardized tests...it's such a crock.....especially since it's under funded or not funded at all - education just needs a HUGE overhaul...

Do they require that you pass the tests in order to graduate? They do that in Massachusetts and it's ridiculous. All the politicians have been trying to get rid of it since it went into effect, but Romney won't sign off on it. The only reason that bastard was elected is because he wanted to make English as a second language classes a requirement, but he hasn't even done anything in regards to that.

One of my old professors wrote a book (http://www.greenwood.com/books/bookdetail.asp?sku=H593) about how community college graduates are looked down upon in the work force and don't have as many opportunities open to them, but now it's becoming even a bigger issue because that's where these kids who fail the MCAS (the standardized test) end up. That is, even if they go to college. It's truly awful and does nothing but put kids down.

[SuzeQuze]

Originally Posted by dissention

What really needs to be worked on is making college more accessible and open to people. It should be free, or nearly free, for all. It's kind of sad how kids are forced to go to community colleges because that's all they can afford (or all their circumstances will allow), then they're stigmatized in the work force because of it. It's not right, especially considering that nowadays you need a college degree.

Say it loud say it proud! I am in total agreement here. I went to state college which is one step above community I guess. But it wasn't easy for my family to pay for, but bless them they did. It would have been impossible for them to pay for private college. I could have applied for financial aid but I had no idea how to and the idea of owing tens or hundreds of thousands was too overwhelming for me to even contemplate. And it is much worse now.