The primary purposes of the justice system should be to protect innocent citizens and rehabilitate convicted offenders. Currently the system does neither very well. Our criminal justice system has become inhumane, ineffective, and prohibitively expensive. Jails are breeding grounds for criminals. The majority of prisoners are serving terms for minor property and drug crimes or violations of parole or probation. They overcrowd the system making it unmanageable.
We advocate the following:
Non violent drug offenders should not be jailed. They crowd the prisons and are often educated into being more successful criminals while in jail. Drug use should be decriminalized and treated as a medical problem, not a criminal problem.
Treatment programs should be adequately funded to provide treatment on demand. There is no waiting list for those convicted of possession of drugs to get into jail; there should be no waiting list for those who want to cure their addiction.
Mentally ill prisoners should be segregated into psychiatric facilities providing adequate psychological and medical care. A substantial portion of the prison population is composed of people who were formerly in the mental health system. Ninety-five percent of those who commit suicide in jail or prison have a diagnosed mental disorder. These prisoners deserve proper care.
Prisoners' rights must be respected. They should have adequate access to health care and education; they should not have to fear torture or violence. Prisoners should receive assistance when returning to civilian life. Private support groups report that recidivism drops dramatically when released prisoners are given individual support and advice on personal care and job seeking.
We advocate increased support for programs such as The Maryland Reentry Partnership.
Law officers and prison workers perform vital and dangerous work. They should receive wages commensurate to their importance. At the same time they must be held to the highest standards. Police should be thoroughly trained in conflict resolution and mediation. Independent civilian oversight boards should vigorously root out corruption and abuse of power. Police should be assigned to specific neighborhoods so that they know the people living there.
The growing use of Prison Industry Enhancement programs that use prisoners as cheap labor must be closely monitored. Prison labor has become a $2 billion a year industry while paying the inmates almost nothing and shutting out local businesses in the process. Enforcement of prison industry regulations has been lax; some institutions refuse to allow inspectors into plants. These programs must be transparent. They should allow skilled workers the opportunity to advance to supervisory positions, and give them priority hiring when they are released from prison. Cooperative work arrangements should be tried.
We oppose racial profiling by police.
We oppose the use of capital punishment.
We advocate the following:
Non violent drug offenders should not be jailed. They crowd the prisons and are often educated into being more successful criminals while in jail. Drug use should be decriminalized and treated as a medical problem, not a criminal problem.
Treatment programs should be adequately funded to provide treatment on demand. There is no waiting list for those convicted of possession of drugs to get into jail; there should be no waiting list for those who want to cure their addiction.
Mentally ill prisoners should be segregated into psychiatric facilities providing adequate psychological and medical care. A substantial portion of the prison population is composed of people who were formerly in the mental health system. Ninety-five percent of those who commit suicide in jail or prison have a diagnosed mental disorder. These prisoners deserve proper care.
Prisoners' rights must be respected. They should have adequate access to health care and education; they should not have to fear torture or violence. Prisoners should receive assistance when returning to civilian life. Private support groups report that recidivism drops dramatically when released prisoners are given individual support and advice on personal care and job seeking.
We advocate increased support for programs such as The Maryland Reentry Partnership.
Law officers and prison workers perform vital and dangerous work. They should receive wages commensurate to their importance. At the same time they must be held to the highest standards. Police should be thoroughly trained in conflict resolution and mediation. Independent civilian oversight boards should vigorously root out corruption and abuse of power. Police should be assigned to specific neighborhoods so that they know the people living there.
The growing use of Prison Industry Enhancement programs that use prisoners as cheap labor must be closely monitored. Prison labor has become a $2 billion a year industry while paying the inmates almost nothing and shutting out local businesses in the process. Enforcement of prison industry regulations has been lax; some institutions refuse to allow inspectors into plants. These programs must be transparent. They should allow skilled workers the opportunity to advance to supervisory positions, and give them priority hiring when they are released from prison. Cooperative work arrangements should be tried.
We oppose racial profiling by police.
We oppose the use of capital punishment.
1 comment:
Financial crimes? White collar crime?
Extending the statues of limitations for those involved in financial crimes from almost a decade ago?
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