The tail end of the Dallas News piece focused on possible legislative solutions:
Keith Hampton, legislative chairman of the Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, said the law should be changed so people cannot be jailed on offenses that aren't punishable with jail time, like Class C misdemeanors.Those would be a good start, but in some ways preveailing political winds are blowing in the other direction. The Texas Legislature twice tried to restrict police officers' authority to arrest people for non-jailable offenses (2001 and 2003), but Gov. Perry vetoed both bills.His other solution is to create a strong deterrent, such as allowing damages against the county.
"Have a penalty built in, like an automatic dismissal if the person basically was lost. I guarantee you people won't get lost anymore after that," he said.
You know, I worked for a county jail as a jailer for a little while and I remember going to Dallas County to pick up an inmate. They claimed they didn't have him and tried to make that the end of the discussion. We had a warrant, the teletype they sent us as well as other identifying information. If not for our persistence, how long would he have sat there. Who know, they found him, but it was not from a lack of trying to be lazy.
ReplyDeleteYou reckon there is a problem, if we are locking up so many people WE CAN'T EVEN KEEP TRACK OF THEM??? What’s the odds of receiving justice if they can't even find you???
ReplyDeleteDoes anybody find it """ UNUSUAL """ they can't find anyone, but when it comes time for the monthly bill to charge the state ( US TAX PAYERS ) or the county they are housing these AMERICANS for, THEY KNOW EXACTLY HOW MANY TO CHARGE FOR???? If these people ranches for profit can't even find a person for court, what are the odds they are " NOT " OVER CHARGING US for inmates that are not even there!!!!
The only way to end a corrupt system is to OVERLOAD IT! And there is little doubt from one end to the other our jails, courts and prisons are overloaded! TO THE POINT OF DENYING BASIC HUMAN RIGHTS AND FOR DAMN SURE NO CHANCE OF JUSTICES! So there is " NO " DOUBT OUR SYSTEM IS CORRUPT "!!
At every turn Perry good hair has vetoed bills that would of helped TEXAS, WHY??? Makes one wonder how much it cost those operating these " PEOPLE RANCHES FOR PROFIT "???? Just like watching MILLIONS of our states dollars being given to casinos across the state line?? How much did they pay to keep it out of Texas, so they could have the monopoly and the MONEY???
Who is the ONLY ONE running for Governor openly talking about letting non-violent drug offenders out of our jail and prisons? Thereby putting families back together while relieving a MAJOR TAX BURDEN on us all!!
Who is the only ones willing to give Texans the choice to leave there money in this state instead of being forced to give to other states? Thereby adding BILLIONS to our budget and relieving and lowering our TAX RATES!
No more career politicians!!!
COME ON KINKY!! www.kinkyfriedman.com
This seems to be a common occurrence across the US. Watched a program in the UK about the prisoners in New Orleans who are still in prison and no body knows why after Hurricane Katrina. There are even some in there who were only put in for jay walking and are still there a year or so later.
ReplyDeletePerry and Bush...
ReplyDeleteTexas and America need a do over.
doesn't suprise me. will have to see if i can find the link. but there was a case posed to another fourm about a federal case in New York. Guy had been in federal prison for last 15 years with no sentence. His original sentence had been tossed by the appeallact court and he was never brought back and sentenced.
ReplyDelete