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Sir Kenyth · 01-14-2002, 01:02 PM

It would be nice if everything worked the way it was supposed to. Only guilty people get convicted, right? I think if you knew just how many innocent people fell to the coercement of plea-bargaining, you'd be surprised. Particularly people who need to use the free counsel provided by the state. Why not just hold guns to their heads and tell them to confess. It has the same effect on their resolve.

That point made, let's remember that prison is not meant to be just a punishment. It's meant to reform someone and turn a menace into a productive person. You have to do something constructive with them! Remember, the whipped dog bites the most. You can't reform someone by hurting them constantly. You have to follow a breaking down with a building up. A reward system that stimulates them to act a certain way. Most prisons are sorely lacking in this area. Remember also, the serial rapist and killer that is depicted on TV rarely exists in the real world. A lot of criminals have very complex issues leading to what they did. There can be a lot of mitigating circumstances. It would be nice if they were all evil and it was nice and black and white. Guess what though, once convicted they all go to the same place. Do you know how many relatively harmless drug users are in prison? Some with longer sentences than violent criminals.

Have you ever seen how nasty domestic cases get? I have a freind who, when younger, accepted a plea bargain on a class D felony theft he didn't commit. What happened? His wife wanted a divorce. She quit paying on his truck and it was reposessed. $500 worth of stolen tools were magically in the vehicle when the police emptied it of personal effects. Once he was arrested when he went to the station to get his stuff, the wife and her brother came in with a few more items they claimed to find around the house and offered to testify against him. I guess he might lie about it, but it smells like a set up to me. The state provided lawyer was very helpful in recommending he accept the plea bargain and just get some probation. A that time, he didn't realize just what having a felony record could do to you, regardless of severity. My point here, is that the justice system can be quite flawed and it's usually the poor and lower middle class who get shafted. Thus my beef with plea bargains.

01-14-2002, 01:02 PM	#32
Sir Kenyth Fzoul Chembryl Join Date: August 30, 2001 Location: somewhere Age: 55 Posts: 1,785	It would be nice if everything worked the way it was supposed to. Only guilty people get convicted, right? I think if you knew just how many innocent people fell to the coercement of plea-bargaining, you'd be surprised. Particularly people who need to use the free counsel provided by the state. Why not just hold guns to their heads and tell them to confess. It has the same effect on their resolve. That point made, let's remember that prison is not meant to be just a punishment. It's meant to reform someone and turn a menace into a productive person. You have to do something constructive with them! Remember, the whipped dog bites the most. You can't reform someone by hurting them constantly. You have to follow a breaking down with a building up. A reward system that stimulates them to act a certain way. Most prisons are sorely lacking in this area. Remember also, the serial rapist and killer that is depicted on TV rarely exists in the real world. A lot of criminals have very complex issues leading to what they did. There can be a lot of mitigating circumstances. It would be nice if they were all evil and it was nice and black and white. Guess what though, once convicted they all go to the same place. Do you know how many relatively harmless drug users are in prison? Some with longer sentences than violent criminals. Have you ever seen how nasty domestic cases get? I have a freind who, when younger, accepted a plea bargain on a class D felony theft he didn't commit. What happened? His wife wanted a divorce. She quit paying on his truck and it was reposessed. $500 worth of stolen tools were magically in the vehicle when the police emptied it of personal effects. Once he was arrested when he went to the station to get his stuff, the wife and her brother came in with a few more items they claimed to find around the house and offered to testify against him. I guess he might lie about it, but it smells like a set up to me. The state provided lawyer was very helpful in recommending he accept the plea bargain and just get some probation. A that time, he didn't realize just what having a felony record could do to you, regardless of severity. My point here, is that the justice system can be quite flawed and it's usually the poor and lower middle class who get shafted. Thus my beef with plea bargains. __________________ Master Barbsman and wielder of the razor wit!<br /><br />There are dark angels among us. They present themselves in shining raiment but there is, in their hearts, the blackness of the abyss.