Keeping Repeat Offenders Behind Bars (Charlotte, King: crimes, felons, taxes)

[paulosfm]

This county has had the reputation of being one of the most lenient judicial systems in the county. The police officers were doing their job, but there was a breakdown in the system by the D.A.’s office and some judges. Dangerous, repeat offenders (felons) were being let back on the streets without any accountability to the system or the community.

Two and a half years ago, a Charlotte couple started Char Meck Court Watch after they grew tired of seeing the same people rearrested time and time again only to commit even more crimes. The couple started tracking the most egregious criminal cases affecting their community. Their advocacy quickly took root and other like-minded citizens joined their local community effort. Since then the Char Meck Court Watch has grown into a volunteer organization with a presence in five (5) Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department divisions.

Recently, my wife and were introduced to Char Meck Court Watch and the dedicated leadership of the organization. Convinced that we need to get involved in the work, we signed up. We were able to put together a core group of individuals who think like us – people who want to keep repeat offenders off the street and behind bars as long as the system will permit. This core group has become the foundation of a Char Meck Court Watch unit in the CMPD Independence Division. Char Meck Court Watch voices are being heard and are working closely with the Police Department and the D.A.’s office to select high risk repeat offenders for special attention as to their criminal history and to bring attention to the need for bonds that are appropriate for their history and crimes committed.

While I do not speak for the organization, please do not wait until you become a victim before taking a look at the Char Meck Court Watch web site – CharMeck Court Watch > Home

My wife and I believe that once you and your community association (if you have one) are introduced to the organization, the volunteer base can be expanded so that eventually there will be a Char Meck Court Watch presence in all police divisions and towns in Mecklenburg County. It’s a trite expression, but true – you can make a difference when it comes to fighting crime.

[cheesecracker]

I agree with you 100% that repeat offenders need to be dealt with appropriately both in the legal system and by society. This seems obvious to those of us with common sense and who live lives using good judgement. Unfortunately, the majority of people in our county and in our country seem to have lost their grip on these virtues. It makes you just have to stop and take a step back sometimes and ask " What is going on with America?

I hate it when you hear scholars, politicians, diplomats and famous people sometimes refer to America as the "greatest experiment in the history of the world" America was built to last, not see "what would happen if we tried it". Just read The Constitution. It's got soul. It's got roots. It is the most intelligent literary work I have ever read. It was written by master architects, not gamblers.

We forget how young this country is. I think we as a people have gotten lost in our success. We have got it twisted. We have forgot that attaining success and maintaining success are two different things, two different worlds. It is one thing to get there. It is a whole different thing to stay there.

Just read your history books. Kingdoms and empires that have been larger, more dominant, more successful, and more historically significant than the USA have crumbled. There is an old saying: "those that don't know their history are doomed to repeat it". The same things that made man and nation successful thousands of years ago are the same things that makes man and nation successful today. The same things that destroyed man and nation thousands of years ago are the exact same things that destroys man and nation today.

The historical and factual foundation of this country is as follows.
1. Faith in God
2. Justice
3. Common sense
4. Hard work
5. Individual liberty.

You take away these five things and you have..........well, repeat offenders.
The answer: Not forgetting your history.

[spankys bbq]

You take away those 5 things and you have what he have now. And I don't just mean repeat offenders.

[vmaxnc]

Originally Posted by cheesecracker

The historical and factual foundation of this country is as follows.
1. Faith in God
2. Justice
3. Common sense
4. Hard work
5. Individual liberty.

You take away these five things and you have..........well, repeat offenders.
The answer: Not forgetting your history.

I would suggest that your #1 is not necessarily accurate. There is a large and growing group of scholars, historians, and others who do not agree that belief in God is a founding principle, but that freedom to choose a religion (or lack of one) is. In fact, your #5 violates your #1.

There is also a growing group of people who do not believe in any religion. Are they any less American? Are they any less...good...than believers? Should non-believers, or people who believe in a different God be less a part of this nation?

The Constitution is an excellent basis for a new country. But the reality is that the world has changed, and as smart as our founding fathers were, they could not possibly see every permutation of the future.

Back on topic. Keeping repeat offenders behind bars is a noble idea, but who funds it and all the requisite work to make it happen? Do we just keep building more jails, and spend ~$35K a year per inmate to keep them in cages? Do we find other ways to punish these people? When do we begin viewing a sentence as something other than punishment, such as simply protecting society?

[Barkingowl]

Re-institute public executions.

[gvsteve]

Jail space is limited and expensive. If you want longer sentences for repeat violent offenders, we need to stop imprisoning so many people for nonviolent drug offenses.


Low taxes
Long sentences for violent offenders
War on Drugs

Pick any two.