WASHINGTON – Joe Sullivan was sent away for life for raping an elderly woman and judged incorrigible though he was only 13 at the time of the attack.
Terrance Graham, implicated in armed robberies when he was 16 and 17, was given a life sentence by a judge who told the teenager he threw his life away.
They didn't kill anyone, but they effectively were sentenced to die in prison.
Life sentences with no chance of parole are rare and harsh for juveniles tried as adults and convicted of crimes less serious than killing. Just over 100 prison inmates in the United States are serving those terms, according to data compiled by opponents of the sentences.
I'd imagine the vast majority of those 100+ are black, just as the vast majority of prisoners on death row are black. The "justice" system is blatantly racist.
I have no problem with long prison sentences for juvenials that commit violent crimes, such as rape. I have a big problem with long sentences for non-violent and drug related crimes committed by juveniles.
Even for those who are justifiably given long sentences for dangerous crimes, there needs to be a chance for parole when an inmate demonstrates a true change of character. Unfortunately, the prison system in the US is not designed to reform anyone, nor prepare them to make an honest living once they are released. All prison is designed to do is remove the offenders from society and house them away from the rest of us.
The way the justice system functions now, there is very little chance that a person who has made a mistake can truly change the direction their life is heading and get on a productive and honest path. Society is done a great disservice by encouraging the revolving door of the prison system.
The death penalty needs to be abolished as a start. The prison system needs to be reformed so as to make sure it's not a place of intimidation and violence for those who are truly contrite and wanting to do the right thing going forward. There needs to be funding to reduce the recidivism rate.
If we were to spend some money to help keep people from coming back to prison, it would be cheaper than incarcerating them in the first place. Not only is it the humanitarian thing to do, it would also be the economical approach.. much like we'd save a whole lot of money by ending the death penalty.
1 comment:
No surprise here, the prison system is just another massive industry that 'shouldn't' be changed just like the military.
Why the fuck are their 'privately' owned prisons?
Perhaps that should be your new business venture.. open a prison, im sure all the Texans will love you for it... until they find out your gay at which point their heads will explode.
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