Comments on: Member Submission – Why we need justice reform and why you should care.

By: Capt Charles Munsey Jr. USN Ret

Capt Charles Munsey Jr. USN Ret — Mon, 06 May 2019 17:24:24 +0000

In reply to Aracely.

The goal of the justice system should be zero need for probation…not likely to happen. Given the correct counselling, encouragement, and opportunity to be productive citizens, many will survive probation and go on to productive lives. But when we approach the subject of ‘probationer reduction’ we we talking about job security, and we can’t have any of that kind of talk. A few probation officers try to serve others, most though, try to serve only themselves. Let’s face it, some people seemed to be ‘wired’ to condemn and punish others, while living in the protected environs of their own self esteem.
When I was in the Navy my goal was to help marginal sailors…and junior officers…become exceptional. When all the members of an organization have high regard for themselves, the organization shines.

By: Capt Charles Munsey Jr. USN Ret

Capt Charles Munsey Jr. USN Ret — Mon, 06 May 2019 17:10:58 +0000

We have met the enemy and it is the so-called ‘corrections system’. The only solution they have for today’s problems is punishment. I have a friend who went through the criminal justice course at a local college. She worked as a waitress while going to school and when she graduated she got a job in probation for the juvenile justice system. She went into the work thinking she could help young offenders. It took her three months to see that was not a goal of the system. She is back to waitress-ing until she can find a job where she can help and not hinder those in need of sincere counselling.

By: Aracely

Aracely — Mon, 06 May 2019 13:38:41 +0000

We clearly have people working in our system (narcissists and even sociopaths) who are abusing our system and abusing anyone and everyone they can, all for self serving purposes.
The problem is that it is very easy for selfish people who don’t give a damn about anyone but themselves to work in our system and do things that serve no one but themselves. It is very easy for prosecutors and law enforcement to gain public support for dishonest work that only serves themselves, and they do it all the time. They can very easily do the wrong things for the wrong reasons and still have a great deal of support for it, because these are people we are supposed to trust. No one expects or thinks of finding narcissists and sociopaths in those fields, even though it is not uncommon to find them in positions like this.
The problem is that the government has done very little, if anything, to protect people from the individuals like this that make it into positions where they hold this much power over others and can easily abuse that power (for self serving purposes).
People with little to no integrity need to face consequences to keep them from taking advantage, misusing resources, and abusing others. Unfortunately, we need to have severe consequences for people who work in our system (including lawyers) who purposefully take advantage and abuse others, for self serving purposes. We need laws that protect people from this.

By: MJ

MJ — Mon, 06 May 2019 12:55:32 +0000

Wow. A lot of people need to see this!

By: Gerald

Gerald — Mon, 06 May 2019 12:54:19 +0000

Michigan has reduced its prison population by more than 20% over the past few years in an effort to reduce expense, with absolutely NO spike in crime. Every State should follow suit.