"The Criminal Must Pay"

As mentioned in a previous article we must begin to make the criminal pay for his or her cost to our society. It is only in this manner that we can make crime a non viable substitute for working for a living. With our present system it is not only a viable option but to some a more desirable one for it really does pay well and punishes little. Yes no one desires to spend time behind bars. Well maybe bartenders but you know what I mean. The criminal, like all of us who drive, feel that it will never happen to them but of course it does. However in the case of crime, when caught, they still have many options to avoid or reduce their penalty.

There are many ways to revise the system that will make the criminal more responsible for his actions. It has been said many times that to be free, man must take responsibility for his own actions.   That right there, shows us where we are going wrong.  Our system today no longer makes the individual responsible for their actions but tries to excuse them.  Also they do not lose their freedom immediately, and when they do, it is for a shorter time than most of us would expect.  After all aren't the prisons too crowded to keep them in prison for their full sentence?  If an inmate does not use self control than he or she should lose their freedom for they have not exercised the first commandment of freedom.  I can see no other way to treat them.  I am sure that when they finally realize this, then; they too will develop self control to regain their freedom.  As it now stands they have no incentive to develop self control.

As mentioned in my article "Judicial",  the criminal must pay for the full cost of the crime and the prosecution thereof.  I feel certain that once we have this philosophy fully ingrained into our legal system ,we not only will reduce the incidence of crime, but the criminal once caught, will be more willing to co-operate with the authorities.  In other words the more he works with the system, the less his penalty will be, in terms of both time and money.  The more the criminal hides from and resists authority then the more he or she will have to pay, for it has cost society that much more to protect itself from him or her.

An immediate solution to our crowded prisons is very simple.  Keeping in mind that the criminal is in prison because he or she owes a debt to society, which they can help to pay off by producing their own building.  This will not only give them a trade for when they get out, but it will also show that they are willing to work with the authorities.  It would also give them credit towards an earned early release rather than the current unearned release.  The current unearned release, proves to today's criminal, that society is not able to effectively control them and that they have a basically free reign, to act as they wish.

If we keep crowding the cells and give those who do not wish to share a cell the where withal to create their own room, we have killed two birds with one stone.  We are showing those who do not co-operate that they must lie in the bed that they have made and those who do co-operate that they can and will benefit by using their own self control.  Oh I know that it will not be quite as simple as it sounds and there will be many who will try to point out the difficulties.  However I must point out again that we (the majority) must exercise our rights to dictate to those who are in charge as to how our prisons will be run and not let the lawyers and the criminals dictate to us.  Here again the citizen's  judicial board would revue the releases and keep those in prison who have not been rehabilitated or had not served their full term.

Yes the criminal should have some rights but not to the determent of society as a whole.  One of their rights (the right to a speedy trial) has been most abused by their own lawyer's tactics and the revisions they created in our laws.  Under the current system there is no way that a speedy trial can be performed.  Yes the prosecutor does sometimes cause a delay but I feel sure that the majority are caused by the defense for a delay is most often to their advantage. The longer it takes to come to trial, the more difficult it is to convict, due to the time between the event and the trial.  In a case where the criminal and his attorney, decide to ask for a continuance, if they eventually lose the case, they should be made to pay for the additional court expense.   In this way they would automatically have to weigh the benefit against the cost to make a more intelligent decision.  As the system is currently designed, there is no penalty for delaying only benefits and this delays justice which; which in turn encourages crime and increases the cost.

The criminal has the right to a honest trial but again not to the determent of society.  Meaning that he is entitled to professional help, to see that the law is fairly and justly applied.  However he must not be allowed to use technicalities which are in the law to avoid judgment.  Here again the judicial board would decide whether the technicality is being misused.  Reading the criminal his rights is just one example of many that can be cited.  We should all know what our rights are thru education and the misuse of this technicality is a sin.  Better stated, the misuse of any technicality is a cardinal sin against society.

Now for the rights of those who have lost their case and must serve their time in prison.  They have the right to a place to sleep, to healthy nutritional but minimal meals, to fair and equal treatment and to exercise.  Nothing else would be provided, but the chance to earn more should be provided.  From that basic subsistence, they could earn themselves (not receive from others) while serving time, a better way of life.  Note that it says while they are serving time.  That means, that a person with money could not buy his way to a higher standard of life with money earned outside the prison.  If space allows each would have a cell by himself.  If space is at a premium they would have to share cells until they build one of their own.  Should only one be willing to put forth the effort then the other would be made to double bunk with another inmate who has also refused to help build.  Since they created the need, for more cells; I see no reason why they should not create the supply.  In fact I would bunk them 4 to a cell.  The prisoner who works full time at providing services for the other inmates would earn additional benefits, such as a better mattress and or bed, a TV etc.  This would encourage good work habits and the attitude such as, you get what you work for.  There is no free ride outside of prison, so I see no need for one in prison.  The only hired help required for any prison should be the guards and a few department heads.  All other work should be performed by prison labor.  I can hear a lot of you saying.  That's easier said then done. Well I believe you are wrong.  Here again you have been programmed to think that way, by the use of the current system.

However once we get the new system going it will not only work but will encourage everyone to take the easier less violent path thru life.  It is now being proved in some schools that control can be had, if only we do it firmly and justly.  Yes the inmates do need a way of correcting the occasional misuse of authority in prison and that too can be provided.  Here again, when misuse does occur those who are misusing their authority must be punished.  Some will say. Why worry about the criminal?  It is exactly that attitude that got us where we are.  The courts worrying more over the prisoner's rights, than societies' rights.

Yes we (the majority) must see that everyone's rights are protected.  If we attend to only one side we are no better than those who have led us into this mess.  Here again I feel that a layman type of committee can do a better job.  Once a person has become overly educated in a given field, they tend to have blinders on in relation to the over all picture.  Perhaps our educational system could be revised to help us here.  As an example.  We have all known of a person whose outlook changes once he or she changes jobs.  Education is much the same way. It trains or programs a person to think what is best for that field alone and seldom if ever encourages the student to examine the overall effect on society.

THANKS FOR READING

NOW ACT

 Just A. Pebble

CLOSING THOUGHT:

"WE WILL HAVE RIGHTS FOR ALL"  "OR RIGHTS FOR NONE" " AND THAT IS ANARCHY"   author unknown

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