Comments on: Some Random Thoughts

By: Mitch

Mitch — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 18:29:18 +0000

Thanks for your comment, Brandon. In my own way, I’m an open book. The stuff I keep secret,… well, you wouldn’t want to know anyway.

By: Brandon

Brandon — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 17:39:30 +0000

Mitch, You’ve giving me alot to consider here. I feel like I’m really getting to know you. Post like this let you peer through your screen into people’s soul’s a little bit. Thanks for “imjustsharing” brother!

Brandon´s last blog post..How I Shaved $30,000 From My Family Budget

By: Mitch

Mitch — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 12:54:26 +0000

They tend to get grouped together here also, Sire, but like other crimes, there are variations on the theme. Even with children, I see a difference between doing stuff to children under 12, I’d say, where those folks should never get out, and an 18 year old with a 14 year old, where now the 18 year old would go to jail and have to register as a sex offender, but I don’t quite see it the same way as, to me, both were still kids. It’s those gray areas in the criminal system that someone should define, then handle differently.

By: Sire

Sire — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 06:55:32 +0000

Sorry Mitch,I actually took sex offenders as child molesters and I think that is where my confusion was. Two entirely different situations.

By: Mitch

Mitch — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 06:38:19 +0000

One of the problems with statistics, Sire, is that sometimes people will glom onto one stat and continue quoting it, without really looking at everything. For instance, statistics say that sex offenders were about four times more likely than non-sex offenders to be arrested for another sex crime after their discharge from prison –– 5.3 percent of sex offenders versus 1.3 percent of non-sex offenders. But then, the stats also say that sex offenders were less likely than non-sex offenders to be rearrested for any offense –– 43 percent of sex offenders versus 68 percent of non-sex offenders.

So, with the new knowledge, it shows that sex offenders are less likely than other criminals to commit any crimes at all; that’s what I mean by balance. We let Joe Murderer out because he pleaded to manslaughter, but he’s more likely to do something bad to someone then Joe Sex Offender. If we’re going to watch one, we have to watch them all. If we’re not going to do that, then segregating one group out for another is troublesome. Here’s kind of my point. I believe the police should know, I believe these folks should register, and by federal law they have to put down on job applications that they were in prison, and what for.

Oh yeah, one last stat; fewer than 40% of sex offenders will re=offend within fifteen-to-twenty years after being released. It’s still high and scary, but it’s nothing close to this 90% figure I’ve heard bandied about for years. And, I will add one more thing; I do believe child molesters should end up with life sentences so that we don’t have to worry about their “well being”; that one should be a no brainer.

By: Mitch

Mitch — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 06:26:23 +0000

I got rid of one of those for you, since you pretty much wrote the same thing. lol

And what you’ve said here is exactly my point. We actually do have different degrees of prisons, but I don’t think we apply them properly, nor do we have enough of the lesser ones. But we should; trust me, confinement is confinement, unless you’re confined to staying in your own house and are allowed to have TV and a computer.

By: Sire

Sire — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 06:26:11 +0000

Perhaps you can delete my double comment. Don’t know what happened there. As for sexual predators, I’m all for second chances, but the problem is that if stats show they re offend then I reckon people have the right to know if one lives nearby. Sort of a catch 22 isn’t it?

Sire´s last blog post..Thesis Theme Is Just Not Flexible Enough

By: Sire

Sire — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 06:23:02 +0000

Perhaps if they could segregate the prisoners so you don’t put those in for say speeding with rapists and murderers.

Sire´s last blog post..Thesis Theme Is Just Not Flexible Enough

By: Mitch

Mitch — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 06:06:38 +0000

In some cases Sire, yes, especially if someone was killed, that’s the kind of time they do get.

As for the other, I just can’t go along with that. We can’t let these people out and then not give them a chance to have a place to live or have a chance to make a living. When we do, we just push them back into the behavior and then back into prison. All I’m looking for is some balance and equity; the American way is supposed to be you do the time, you get out, you’re given a second chance to do right. These people don’t end up having a chance to do anything with their lives, which means the states have to then pick up the tab for them with government programs.

Did you have more to say, since your last word was “now”?

By: Mitch

Mitch — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 05:58:31 +0000

I think there are different layers of punishment, Sire. For instance, if someone gets life, that’s one thing. If you’re planning on letting people out at some point, however, you don’t do anyone any favors if you don’t try to give them some kind of job skills, and some of those job skills are dependent on education. That, plus prisons are violent places, and if one could find a way to diffuse that tension, they would be more safe, and when those people came out they’d be less violent also.