do you think the justice system has failed !

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Gordon Arnold Wright Property Clerk at City of Orlando ( Retired ) Your Premise is Correct. Money can purchase any one and any thing in America. Look at "King Mitt Romney", he has purchased being America's Next President! Monday, April 16th 2012 at 2:17PM

Gordon Arnold Wright Property Clerk at City of Orlando ( Retired ) I Agree. All Americans Should Participate in the American Process except Rich People who's Sons are not Required to serve in the Military like Kimg Mitt Romney. I and every one in my Family have served in the US military in one form or another and are presently serving in the Navy , Army and Air Force. What about you and yours. I know about me and mine. Monday, April 16th 2012 at 2:57PM

DAVID JOHNSON BROTHER KNOWLEDGE at THE BOOKS The public needs to be moved away from the idea that the criminal justice system can provide ‘the’ answer to crime. Indeed, our responses to crime often exacerbate the problem. Criminal justice agencies in a local jurisdiction must collaborate to get the proper message to the public and collectively say, ‘this is what we can do, this is what we cannot do’ and then concentrate on improving the system—particularly in the area of reducing racial disparities which result from our collective decision-making. Monday, April 16th 2012 at 5:05PM

DAVID JOHNSON BROTHER KNOWLEDGE at THE BOOKS long as racism exists within society at large, it will be found within the criminal justice system. Racism fuels the overt bias which can show in the language, attitudes, conduct, assumptions, strategies and policies of criminal justice agencies. Instances of overt bias can lead in turn to the improper use of discretion among actors in the criminal justice system. Certainly, in the past two decades, much of the overt racist language and attitudes once common in many parts of the system have come to be considered out of bounds. Despite safeguards now in place to reduce or eliminate overt racism, it can still flourish behind the scenes in more subtle ways. The need to address racism wherever and however it manifests itself is a basic component of a strategy to reduce racial disparity. Monday, April 16th 2012 at 5:23PM

DAVID JOHNSON BROTHER KNOWLEDGE at THE BOOKS Alternatives to Incarceration Persons of color, especially African Americans, are less likely than white offenders to receive a sentence that keeps them in their communities to participate in programming and are more likely to be incarcerated. This may be related to relevant considerations such as prior record, or may be the result of bias or limited sentencing options. The consequences have grown more obvious over time as minority communities experience reduced social cohesion, severance of important family ties, income losses, and a growing population of children of incarcerated parents. Tuesday, April 17th 2012 at 12:55AM

DAVID JOHNSON BROTHER KNOWLEDGE at THE BOOKS While the removal of certain offenders from the community clearly is appropriate, incarceration is often overused, especially for low-level, nonviolent offenders. A snapshot view of most prisons and jails reveals that they are occupied by a disproportionately large number of minorities. And for those who are in prison, there is relatively little offered by way of education, substance abuse, or vocational programming. Tuesday, April 17th 2012 at 12:56AM

DAVID JOHNSON BROTHER KNOWLEDGE at THE BOOKS This means that they are at a great disadvantage for success upon release. Ideally, inmates could receive the necessary education, substance abuse and mental health treatment, and vocational training that would prepare them for law-abiding futures upon their release. Because minorities are more likely to be in prison than are whites, treatment while they are incarcerated is an important component of reducing overall disparity. Individuals who do not receive appropriate services in prison face greatly increased odds of returning to jail and/ or prison for a new offense. Tuesday, April 17th 2012 at 12:57AM

DAVID JOHNSON BROTHER KNOWLEDGE at THE BOOKS As prison and jail populations have increased, the resources available for institutional education, counseling, and skills development programming have not kept up with the increased demand. This intensifies the problems of prison management, and returns prisoners to the community even less equipped for effective and law-abiding lifestyles than when they were first imprisoned. Since 1980, drug-related offenses have been the fastest-growing crime type for which individuals are incarcerated. Since many drug crimes are committed to support a drug addiction, it is essential that drug rehabilitation programs be a priority in prisons. Again, the absence of programming has an even greater negative impact on minorities because of their greater likelihood of incarceration, especially for drug-related offenses. A prison system’s failure to address addiction while inmates are incarcerated is a virtual guarantee of return to substance use and a high likelihood of return to prison. Tuesday, April 17th 2012 at 12:58AM

DAVID JOHNSON BROTHER KNOWLEDGE at THE BOOKS Self-report data reveal that approximately twenty percent of inmates in prison or jail have been diagnosed with a mental health problem (such as major depression, mania, or a psychotic disorder), and approximately 50% exhibited symptoms of a mental health problem in the previous year. Substance abuse problems are common as well. In another assessment, researchers reported that roughly half of state and federal prison inmates meet the DSM-IV criteria for drug abuse or dependence. These inmates constitute a special challenge for correctional personnel, who often are untrained in understanding their behavior or needs. Some research suggests that African American inmates tend to be assigned more severe mental health diagnoses in comparison to whites even when they exhibit similar symptoms. For example, African Americans tend to be diagnosed as schizophrenic proportionately more often than whites, while the latter tend to be diagnosed as presenting depressive symptoms. The differences in diagnosis may reflect the cultural distance between African American inmates and the generally white personnel in psychological services positions, and may result in a different assessment of the potential dangerousness of the inmate. Some cite the inaccessibility of mental health services in minority communities as a reason for their overrepresentation in the criminal justice system. Tuesday, April 17th 2012 at 1:11AM

DAVID JOHNSON BROTHER KNOWLEDGE at THE BOOKS Criminal justice practitioners cannot eliminate all disparities from the system alone. The high rates of minority involvement in the system reflect a complex set of social, economic, and community problems; in many respects, minority overrepresentation in the criminal justice system is the end result of disparate treatment in other areas, such as equal access to education, jobs, sustainable income, and affordable housing. Criminal justice practitioners might view themselves as being in the unfortunate position of being responsible for repairing racial differences over which they have little control. We hope this manual offers feasible solutions through describing ways by which practitioners can address bias at various points in the system. We advocate for a systematic, holistic approach which considers the long-term impact of decisions on the racial composition of the criminal justice system. This should involve the use of resources, professionally informed discretion, leadership, accountability, public involvement, and coordination among many participants in the system. Policymakers should remain involved and informed about evolving best practices to eliminate the practice of disparate treatment of persons of color within the criminal justice system. Moreover, policymakers can advocate for reform through sponsoring legislation that remedies racial and ethnic disparity in the criminal justice system. Practitioners, policymakers, academics and advocates in the criminal justice field have a duty to challenge themselves to lead a national conversation on the role of race in crime and punishment. If jurisdictions can accomplish this successfully, we can expect to see other fields follow suit. This would be an important step toward addressing the racial disparity that permeates our society. Tuesday, April 17th 2012 at 1:12AM

Michael Hall Director at August Eve, Inc. The Justice System has failed many poor and black youth in this country. The numbers speak for themselves. I have compared the statistics and the system is definitely stacked against black men. No one wants to talk about it in polite society but the numbers are astoundingly against the Trayvon Martins of this country. When you look at other countries we are looking pretty bad in so many ways when in fact we use to be at the top of the list. We are putting way to much money in the punitive side of justice in nothing in the rehabilitation side. The far right has hijacked our system of government and the Black Community is too careless. We have assimilated whites in some terrible ways and actually believe we are above some situations. However, the Trayvon Martin case opened many eyes that this is actually being perpetuated against our children. We are no longer the Aristocrats our parents and Grandparents were. We come from true Aristocracy and our children are not aware of this. Too many of our youth believe what the media and the right has fed them and we as stewards have allowed it to happen. The churches quit doing their parts when the preachers became millionaires and started preaching wealth instead of salvation. Our children believe that everything has a price and that is so far from the truth. Salvation is free and always has been. We need to stand up and be the men and women we were destined to be by our ancestors. If we quit chasing material wealth and chase the wealth of knowledge we may get back on track. It was education that lifted us and it is mis-education that is destroying us. Tuesday, April 17th 2012 at 1:17AM

DAVID JOHNSON BROTHER KNOWLEDGE at THE BOOKS Brothers , Martin Luther King Jr., said we as a nation must undergo a radical revolution of values. A radical approach to the US criminal justice system means we must go to the root of the problem. Not reform. Not better beds in better prisons. We are not called to only trim the leaves or prune the branches, but rip up this unjust system by its roots. We are all entitled to safety. That is a human right everyone has a right to expect. But do we really think that continuing with a deeply racist system leading the world in incarcerating our children is making us safer? It is time for every person interested in justice and safety to join in and dismantle this racist system. Should the US decriminalize drugs like marijuana? Should prisons be abolished? Should we expand the use of restorative justice? Can we create fair educational, medical and employment systems? All these questions and many more have to be seriously explored. Join a group like INCITE, Critical Resistance, the Center for Community Alternatives, Thousand Kites, or the California Prison Moratorium and work on it. As Professor Alexander says “Nothing short of a major social movement can dismantle this new caste system.” Bill Quigley is Legal Director of the Center for Constitutional Rights and a law professor at Loyola University New Orleans. He can be reached at quigley77@gmail.com. Tuesday, April 17th 2012 at 2:54AM

DAVID JOHNSON BROTHER KNOWLEDGE at THE BOOKS THE solutions is for people in your town, neighborhood or community to come together at your local mosque, church, library or recreation center to discuss the skills, talents and ideas that you collectively have. The goal should be to create economic opportunities for yourselves within your community. Focus on products and services to the elderly, young, hospitals, transportation and delivery, cleaning services, music, publishing, healthy foods, technology and renewable energy areas. Plan to Collectively Compete!!!!! Pool your resources to established community cooperatives. Move at the speed of business and think creatively and innovatively. Create something by competing collectively. Where there is a Will, there's A Way, but where there is No Will, there are Excuses and if you really don't want to do something, any excuse will do. For those tired and want take back control of your community and future, I offer respectfully offer my two cents for your consideration. Tuesday, April 17th 2012 at 4:55AM

Gordon Arnold Wright Property Clerk at City of Orlando ( Retired ) Quigley, I am a participant in seeking Justice for Trayvon Martin and All the Trayvon Martin's in the World. The Non- Violent Protest Worked when I Marched with the Late Great Martin Luther King Jr. The Non - Violent Protest is At Work in The Trayvon Martin Case. I can not March due to Health reasons but I can collect signatures and Participate in Fund Raiser,s and Stop purchasing Products from Companies that support the Genocide of Special interest Groups like Young Black Males or Young Red Males or Young Yellow Males. In Justice Any Where is UnJustice Every Where . I have never been a Procrastinator . We should All do what is in our Power to do to Eliminate the Murder of innocent Young Black Men. Contrary to Hollywood the Majority of Black Men are Not in Prison. The HBCU, The NFL, The NBA, MLB and the Military would cease to exist if All Black Men were in Prison. The Wealthy Robber Barons are not going to send their Sons and daughter,s into the Military. If they do . They send 12 mention to Protect them from Harm. The USA Found Saddam Hussein's Hide Out. The USA found and killed Osama Bin Laden . There is nothing the USA can not do. The Scientist need Human specimens to Practice Transplanting Hearts into Evil Rich Men that is why the Prison's exist. Rich People need Body Parts. Black Men are the Healthiest Men on the Planet! Tuesday, April 17th 2012 at 10:26AM

betty endsley machine operator at psc fabricating inc. Good topic, yes yes yes I think the worst thing for black people, unless maybe you have money- is the justice system. ONE NATION,UNDER GOD, WITH LIBERTY, AND JUSTICE FOR SOME. Friday, April 20th 2012 at 8:39PM

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