Posts
Has anyone ever heard of MobilePatrol?
It's eye opening. You should take a look but be prepared, you may not like what you see.
Consider this a spoiler warning.
It is an app that you can download onto your smart device that shows you who has been arrested and why.
I downloaded the app about a year ago and occasionally peruse Clark County Inmates. It is amazing the amount of meth, paraphernalia, and common nuisance arrests there are. So I dug in deeper.
I selected a few of the people on there as a test. Then I got onto the Indiana Court Records were you can look up current and past cases then read through them to see the outcome.
**Insert very graphic language HERE describing feelings of anger and disgust**
Every single one of my sample group had either current pending cases and been released or had previous convictions and been released. RELEASED being the main word in that sentence.
REVOLVING DOOR of tweaking meth and heroine addicts! You know what else these people are? THIEVES! The two go hand in hand. These people will do ANYTHING to get the next fix. B & E, car theft, shoplifting, you name it.
So now I have to question the elected judges in our community. I have to question our laws. I have to question our ability to enforce them. It's time to be President Washington during the Whiskey Rebellion where, for the first time in our nations' history, the government showed it's people it had the resolve and ability to enforce its' laws. It's time to make an example out of some of these people. It's time to put the fear of God in them with punishments that truly give these people pause before going down the path. At some point these people were not addicts. At some point had a choice to make. Give them a harsh reason not to choose that path.
I agree there is an epidemic going on. I agree we must come up with ways to attack the addiction. But I also agree most of these people have no interest in getting or wanting help.
Most of these people have been before the same judges again and again. Again and again these people are released. WHY!?! All they are doing is going back out there then not coming back for their court hearing. Then you know what happens? They skip their court date and the judge has to issue a warrant. So these people continue on unless the police happen to run into them somewhere and the circle starts over. WHY ARE THESE PEOPLE BEING PUT BACK ON THE STREET?
Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice shame on me. Fool me more than that, I am a fool who has no business making any decisions that effect other people EVER.
Why are these people put back out there to steal change out of unlocked cars?
Why are these people put back on the street to drain our society?
Why are these people allowed to maintain a common nuisance that forces all of us to feel helpless?
In my opinion, we are all sitting ducks for one of these people to strike. Not if, but when they do, they take so much more than a few dollars out of your unlocked car.
They take more than what ever you accidently left outside.
They take more than what was in your jewelry box, or tool box, or trash can, or store shelf.
They steal from us something things that can not be replaced. They steal from us piece of mind. They steal from us security. They steal from us our sleep at night. They steal from us trust.
WHY ARE WE ALLOWING OUR LAWS TO BE SO FORGIVING?
We are harder on drunk drivers then we are on meth users, heroine addicts, and thieves.
We are harder on habitual traffic offenders then we are on meth users, heroine addicts, and thieves.
It's time we as a community, neighbors, constituents, friends, residents come together. It's time we look at all options within the law to protect ourselves and each other. I would rather be physically injured than to have my piece of mind taken from me. They are stealing my personal Liberty. To me, that is the greatest harm one person can inflict on another.
What's your thoughts?
Do you have the scoop?
Post them in the comments below.
I understand your concerns, unfortunately there are no answers. While these numerous arrests are disturbing the laws broken as they now stand are relatively minor.
ReplyDeleteYou can't lock these addicts up forever for minor charges our jails would be swamped beyond what they already are. It's frustrating to law abiding citizens I know, but unless drug laws are hardened and society is willing to pay higher taxes to house the enormous influx of offenders and hire more police, judges to enforce tougher laws things will continue as is...
The "war on drugs" was lost a long time ago and I believe decriminalization of possession laws are the last option. Concentrating on rehabilitation with the money saved from the constant merry go round of arrests and court appearances.
Decriminalization can't be any worse than the current system that just feeds and grows within itself. Those who commit crimes that feed addiction should be dealt with more harshly but the possession laws need to pretty much just go away IMO...
No easy or any answer but this is a problem that is the dirge of our society and growing...
I do agree the decriminalization of weed in certain scenarios would easy the burden on the system. However, the decriminalization of manufactured drugs such as meth, heroine, cocaine, other manufacture drugs are out of the question.
ReplyDeleteThere is no easy answer, but as long as these people know there are easy laws, the numbers of users will continue to grow.
I have a sibling that is a recovering heroine user. I understand the unique aspects to all of this better than most. I also know that from an addicts point of view, knowing the extremely harsh consequences would have deterred them and others like them to possibly make a different choice before the first hit or shot. This comes not just from my sibling, but those who they are close with who are also in recovery. This issue has no limitation. This issue is not limited to the poor or rich. To the white or black community. It is an issue that see no race, no creed, no income.
There has to be a starting point. For those already in the clutches of these horrible drugs, there is no choice but rehabilitation. But we have to look past just those people and look to deterrents for future possible users. We have to start somewhere.
I am reminded of sitting in the court room for one of my sibling's many court hearings. As I sat there, I over heard others in the crowd who are users (fact, as I hear them talking about it) and some who are supporters of their addict talking about how they were glad their person wasn't picked up in this community or that one. It was because this judge was more lax than another or prosecutor in this county was easier than one in another area.
These people are smart and know how to work the system. Until we put the hammer down, there is no hope for decreasing the users of the future.
Today is the time to start. Today is the day to make the example. Now is the time to show there is no chance to for you to be free tomorrow if you go down this path.
All good points A.A., but are we as taxpayers willing to put up with the added tax burden of paying for more jails, judges, enforcement officers. These are all expensive endeavors and I seriously doubt politicians will go down that road of higher taxes to pay for them. Sadly, politically it would be safer to keep a status quo...
ReplyDeleteAs voters we need to watch prosecutors and judges that promise to keep a tough line on drug defendants and hold them to keeping a hard line. The system is so overcrowded now it just perpetuates delays and slow execution of laws and punishment...