cart before horse is as release before support by (me!) ~topps
i have not been able to get this article off my mind. but i know how to get it off my mind, so
here we go:
article: san jose spotlight, by brian howey, re: california county resentencing pilot program.
response:
This article has remained on my mind
since I first read it on the 9th,
I have long stated that our current jail system does not work; and sets criminals up to fail again in the outside world. When I learned that an inmate being released can leave jail with no money, no job, and no place to live; that is in fact a set up for failure.
That acknowledged,
we do have jails for good reason. And
rewarding criminal behavior by providing an abundance of services, when our
upstanding citizens, with good work ethics, who make many sacrifices to attend
college, or vocational training themselves struggle to find work, shelter, living
wages. It is not easy for anyone. Everyone struggles. So I have that question: How easy or difficult should it be for a
convicted criminal to find shelter, employment, livable income? And who is responsible to make sure a former
inmate succeeds in the outside world?
And if they don’t succeed, -who
is held accountable? At what point do we
let people suffer the consequences for their criminal decisions and activity? And how can we better reward upstanding
citizens for being -upstanding citizens?
I strongly believe in merit based; merit earned rewards.
I was glad to read
about Vejar attending classes at De Anza College, and working for De-Bug, and
moved to see him welcomed home by his family.
In Jesus name, I pray their family thrives.
But I cannot
ignore, also reading, Vejar was convicted on gang-related drug dealing charges
and, it was his THIRD FELONY
[those only represent the ones on record].
And I cannot ignore
reading, The California County Resentencing Pilot Program; awarded $18 million to
D.A.’s, public defenders and non-profits.
What I wouldn’t give to see a bullet point list of the plethora of
programs which have been funded and launched over the past several decades. An
audit of the results.
I cannot ignore
reading about the ‘shortened sentences.’
How, ‘A year into the program,
his [assistant D.A. David Angel] office had
-successfully- shortened another five people’s sentences. Six more could be released… The office also oversaw 101 resentenced
cases from county jails in 2021.
These numbers
seen in isolation can be very deceiving!
Unless you also factor in whether or not crimes went up as inmates were
released; are you factoring in how many store owners had to invest in locking
up their products; pay for extra security because of the new released inmate
population.
Our neighborhood
experienced a crime spike that can be directly correlated with the premature
release of inmates, so when I see the word ‘successfully’ associated with
shorter sentences I am well aware that is utterly subjective and dramatically short-sighted.
Is this a good time
and place to share, I am the survivor of multiple violent crimes. And that the common denominator among the individual
predatory criminals is that they were each released from having served jail
time. Can you see how I might be
personally invested in both: Making certain
convicted criminals are not released to commit more crimes; harm more
people/families AND also very interested in finding new true ways to
help and support released inmates so they do not default back into criminal behavior.
Is this a good time and place to share, my husband’s sister was murdered by her own son. And that her violent, criminal son had ‘graduated’ from three different anger management classes offered by the jail system before he was released. I wonder how much funding supported that program? And who pat themselves on the back for offering it? And called it "successful."
Our system is
broken. Our greatest need is for higher
quality, more accurate assessments and discernment regarding who should remain
removed from society; and who can transition back into civilian life as a contributor;
not a repeat felon.
I cannot ignore, in
one paragraph of the article we learn this, ‘Resentencing Pilot Program’ is
celebrating its one year anniversary
And in a later
paragraph, the Assistant D.A. ‘agrees lack of resources for people leaving
prison is a problem that needs to be addressed.
His office is hoping to launch new programs to provide that
help by January.
Honest to our good
God.. did you receive 18 million to
launch a program that releases convicted criminals EARLY, without having a plan
for their support needs? The support they'll need IS AN AFTERTHOUGHT!?! This level of
incompetence is exactly why we remain in the mess we are in.
WE need to return
to the fundamentals. Jail is bad; it is
not supposed to be a place you want to go to.
The chance you may go to jail for criminal behavior should create a disincentive
so great, that you DO NOT COMMIT CRIMES.
IF YOU DO COMMIT CRIMES -I Pray you are caught, and you absolutely
should be punished and go to JAIL. -For
certain crimes, remain there permanently.
When you destroy,
violate the human rights of others; you forfeit your own right to share the
planet with the rest of us.
We have spent too
much time, money, resources on pampering and enabling our criminals; while
simultaneously removing authority and autonomy from our officers and deputies. We need to go back to the basics: Reward upstanding contributors. Catch and convict criminals. Create disincentives for jail time and
criminal activity; Create incentives for careers in law enforcement -those who protect and serve; -no more incentives for those who violate
and steal.
I want to close by
sharing that I’ve been forced, via multiple victimizations (by released
inmates) to consider and think about these topics my entire life. And a rather new thought and consideration for
me, is this use of the term ‘non violent’ crime. Does the buying and/or selling of drugs fall
in this ‘non violent’ category?
It is my
observation and opinion, that the way drugs can hijack/kidnap a human beings
brain; destroy the individual and their entire family -drug damage to the brain can be equal to bodily
damage by a fight, knife or gun. I am
certain it should not be considered ‘non violent.’
Is this a good time
and place to share, how many neighborhood kids, I watched lose their
minds/lives to drug related activity? The unfathomable pain and suffering
experienced by grandparents, parents, siblings; loved ones in general, forced
to watch their drug addicted family member slip away
My husband, a Retired
Correctional Deputy for Santa Clara County, has 27+ years worth of direct
experience, observations and insights regarding criminals. If he were given 18 million, he would invest
in prevention programs, which reach out to elementary and middle school age students,
informing them of the true horrors of using drugs and how becoming criminals
prevents them from having productive lives. The vast majority of inmates he supervised had
a past of criminal behavior that started in middle school. He explains, there is not enough done in our
culture to create fear, shame or discouragement for drug dealing and other
crimes. To the contrary, our culture
continues to glamorize, incentivize, and almost reward criminal behaviors.
We both know and
agree, that anytime a person commits a crime of any kind, and is not caught or
penalized; that immediately empowers the person to commit more crimes, and the
severity of the crimes will escalate.
“In 2017, Vejar was convicted on gang-related
drug dealing charges in Santa Clara County.
It was his THIRD FELONY.”
..life after prison is a complex path.. We pray for you & your
family.
****
there; it is off my mind. in Jesus name, hallelujah & amen.
posted by SANDRA HARRISON KAY @ 12:39 PM
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