Some Background Information

I am doing some active research on our wonderful prison systems here in the great US of A. I am not liking what I am finding out, nor am I liking what I am finding out that can be done about it that ISN'T being done about it.

I got involved with this when I came to know a remarkable woman named Yraida Guanipa who is currently serving a federal mandatory minimum sentence in one of our federal prisons in Florida. I am the type of person who looks for the good in all people, and can usually find it, even in the most lost of lost causes. Yraida does not fit this profile. As I got to know Yraida and researched her case, I came to learn alot about how our prison system-- especially our federal prison system-- works. I am learning alot about how mandatory minimums and federal mandation is taking the "just" out of American Justice. I would like to encourage you to keep reading and keep an open mind. Educate yourselves, my friends, because what happened to Yraida could happen to any of us alot easier than what you think.

Don't get me wrong... I am all for punishment for crime, but I believe that the punishment needs to fit the crime, and I also believe that a crime needs to have been COMMITTED before being punished! It angers me to see how easily a person can be tried and convicted on federal charges involving drugs without having even done anything criminal. It also angers me to see what we are imposing on these people when there are clear, more effective and more cost effective options available to us! The idea of prison is to a) PROTECT THE PUBLIC b) DETER CRIME c) PUNISH THOSE WHO COMMIT CRIME d) KEEP CRIMINALS FROM BEING ABLE TO COMMIT CRIMES FOR A PERIOD OF TIME. You will learn that not only are federal minimums very costly and largely cruel and inhumane, THEY ARE NOT WORKING! Remember, this system is supposed to protect US. There are clear alternatives that have been proven many more times effective that are not being implemented. These alternatives give our judges room to consider all the facts in the case, character of the defendant and many other important factors in any sentencing. These alternatives also offer ways to improve our currently disgusting recidivism rate as well as truly reform offenders.

So please, read on, post comments and ask questions. Please keep an open mind until you have seen the facts. Those who know me, know that if I back something, it has alot of merit to it. I appreciate any feedback y'all might have and please, pass this link on to any and all, ask questions, and be informed. And for God's sake, if you agree with what you read, TELL YOUR REPRESENTATIVE, because it's their job to work for us and this system that's supposed to protect us, is NOT doing it... Thanks...


****Editor's Note: I am currently working on moving all the posts over from the original blog site and keeping them up on both sites. Please bear with me on this, and you can read ALL posts until then at http://spaces.msn.com/members/prisontalk****