>>I think a real serious case can be made (I believe Angela Davis has
>>written on this) that the criminal justice system creates more crime
>>than it prevents -- especially more street crime.
This is probbaly true, in virtue of criminalizing activity that is not necessarily harmful except to those who engage in it, such as (mainmly) drug use and sales and prostitution. About half those in prison are now in for drug offenses. Many are bad guys generally, thugs, killers, etc., but often it was drug dealing that helped make them bad.
And certainly,
>>the
>>most vicious and destructive street gang in Chicago is the Chicago
>>Police Department.
Having addressed a good many police brutality cases, I have intimate
knowledge of the defects of the CPD. But I could also introduce Carrol to
the Latin Kings and the Project Kings and other sweeties of my acquaintance.
. . .
>
>Question: "In general, do you think the courts in this area deal too
>harshly or not harshly enough with criminals?" (General Social
>Survey, 1998)
>
> not
> too harshly about
> harshly enough right
>male 15 72 7
>female 12 76 6
>
>white 13 75 4
>black 12 71 12
>
>
A scary thought, considering how harshly we _do_ deal with criminal defendants. Most people haven't a clue, I think, They watch TV and imagine that the bench is packed with bleeding hearts eager to let bad guys walk because the police made some tiny technical slip-up gathering the evidence, or juries go starry-eyed and acquit whenever some psycho pleads insanity, or something of that sort. They don't know that in federal court, indictment is tantamount to conviction (95%!), and that defendants face astoundingly long sentences with no parole. It's a bit looser in state court, especially in urban areas, where juries acquit at higher rates, but most cases--90%--are pleaded out and never go trial. jks
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