tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post6697443960105228196..comments2024-03-25T20:06:39.794-05:00Comments on Grits for Breakfast: 'How game theory is reinventing crime fighting'Gritsforbreakfasthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10152152869466958902noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-91345597167865977872012-02-09T08:52:27.512-06:002012-02-09T08:52:27.512-06:00And many of the District Attorney's who are in...And many of the District Attorney's who are involved with prison sentences are young lawyers, lawyers with very little experience, lawyers who are just trying to move a docket along, lawyers who only want to satisfy their puny egos.<br /><br />Judges are to blame as well. They tend to rubber stamp plea agreements made by defense attorneys and prosecutors rather than truly asking a professional person with training in determining risk and need to provide evidence based data on what will assist an offender into becoming a productive member of society.<br /><br />I guess peoples votes at election time aren't based on evidence based practices, so why should those in elected positions make decisions based on evidence based practices.<br /><br />The criminal justice isn't broken per se, but it could be so much better. <br /><br />Tying finances to decisions made by major players is the only way to cause anyone to pay attention. However, I doubt prosecutors or judges will ever have strings attached to their budgets. But, of course, probation has strings attached. Makes no sense.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-28947573971706445292012-02-08T12:40:43.768-06:002012-02-08T12:40:43.768-06:00@Arce...
"require that the district (county o...@Arce...<br />"require that the district (county or counties) from which the DA and judge(s) are elected pay the cost of all persons sentenced to prison..."<br /><br />You are dead spot on! There is an ungodly amount of money thrown in the TDCJ whole just to satisfy the egos of district and county attorneys. A modified mandatory set of sentencing guidelines would be effective. Any prosecutor who deviates from the sentencing guidelines would have a percentage of their budget reduced or their county would incur the cost for prison overutilization on a case by case basis.<br /><br />Better yet, charge their seizure funds. Both law enforcement and Prosecutors.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-35657388850512686072012-02-08T08:41:44.084-06:002012-02-08T08:41:44.084-06:00True prison reform must start with the decriminali...True prison reform must start with the decriminalization of drugs. Drug addiction is a disease and should be viewed as such. Even now in Austin ,the philosophy is that we can "win" a war on drugs- a bi-partisan view. Until that crazy view changes, there can be no true prison reform.<br />tpTom Mnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-36269714182928115812012-02-07T12:21:23.638-06:002012-02-07T12:21:23.638-06:00A different idea on how to control prison costs. ...A different idea on how to control prison costs. Require that the district (county or counties) from which the DA and judge(s) are elected pay the cost of all persons sentenced to prison, beginning with all sentenced after the beginning of the budget year two years after the legislation is enacted. State fully funds diversion and reentry programs, including felony probation, non-prison drug treatment, etc.<br /><br />This would result in sentences that are less extreme and even-handed, because there would be some cost to the system and to the citizens for inappropriately long sentences. Over time, the state would have more money for other matters, such as education and crime prevention.Arcenoreply@blogger.com