Most D.C. Homicide Victims Had Arrests - Washington Post Article

[DavidMS]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A42721-2004Feb14.html

Nearly three of every four adult homicide victims in the District last year had an arrest history, according to an analysis of court records that casts new light on why the city has one of the highest homicide rates in the country.

As opposed to discussing gun control, can we spend a little time on the shortcommings of the revolving door criminal justice system? From the article, it sounds like more efforts need to be made in rehabilitating former criminals.

[alwynsw]

1. Rehabilitation of criminals is desirable, but a pipe dream.

Why do I say that?

Having worked in the corrections system, I have observed first-hand the conditions inmates are subjected to on a daily basis. I'll not bore you with a description of everyday life behind bars except to say that the inmates themselves are responsible for a great deal of the restrictions and depravations they endure because of their constant attempts to cause mischief and mayhem with any and all materials available to them. "Give him an inch, and he'll take a mile" is an incredibly accurate phrase when it comes to inmates liberties.

Having said that, there is a sort of brainwashing that occurs constantly within the inmate population of any institution. The most common line I heard was, "We didn't do anything everyone else hasn't done. We just got caught." This line, repeated incessantly throught the day and night over a period of months or years becomes ingrained as absolute truth to most convicts.

Another one that is at the top of the list is: "I'll never be able to get a job after I get out, so why not go back to (insert crime here) so I can live how I want?"

Try this one, it's one of the most common: "I'm gonna get even with (insert victim, witness, LEO, CO, etc. here) for putting me in here as soon as I get out.

Unless you've witnessed it, the level of us (inmates) vs. them (law abiding society) is greater than you will ever see elsewhere.

We used to have underground pools predicting recidivism among the staff. They weren't "if" pools, but "when" pools. We rarely ( I can recall but one in two years - my mentor recalled 2 in 29 years) had a released inmate who did not return to the system.

I don't have a solution to recidivism/rehabilitation. I'm merely stating my experience.

FInal thought: Perhaps one of the reasons so many ex-cons/formerly arrested get dead is because they tend to continue with the bullying tactics they learned in gangs or behind bars.

[Wickerman]

2. Yeah, the inmates are a pretty fucked up lot

there is no doubt about it. And a fucked up society contributed to put them in that status. Of course they are responsible for their own actions, but we, society as a whole, pay lip service to the fact that our inner cities are breeding grounds for future inmates, and don't do a damn thing to make sure that real change occurs to give people hope for a different kind of life. Hell, we even cut what few programs are available. Anyone remember midnight basketball? Yeah, it was really expensive - what a million spread out across the country? But, it was showing positive effect.

We also know the corrections system is an utter failure.

FInal thought: Perhaps one of the reasons so many ex-cons/formerly arrested get dead is because they tend to continue with the bullying tactics they learned in gangs or behind bars.

Combine that with the previous statement of
The most common line I heard was, "We didn't do anything everyone else hasn't done. We just got caught." This line, repeated incessantly throught the day and night over a period of months or years becomes ingrained as absolute truth to most convicts.

and its clear that folks aren't learning anything in prison. We have largely been a punitive system in the US. Brief attempts were made at rehabilitation, but were often quickly abandoned and grossly underfunded. Successful programs in rehabilitation are not replicated or grown to cover larger populations - thats the price of having corrections influenced by politics. Jailing wrong doers brings in more votes than advocating for dollars to be spent in rehabilitation, or even research in what might be successful in rehab.

[Superfly]

6. What happened to your cowboy hat?

:shrug:

[Wickerman]

12. The new Dylan avatar came up

but, since then I uploaded my own. The Cowboy hat had been around since post 1 - time for a change.

I kinda miss the Cowboy hat, but I'll adapt.

[AndyTiedye]

3. This Article is Talking about Homicide VICTIMS, not their killers

blaming the victim, as it were.

[alwynsw]

4. Read my post carefully before you comment

FInal thought: Perhaps one of the reasons so many ex-cons/formerly arrested get dead is because they tend to continue with the bullying tactics they learned in gangs or behind bars.

If you're intent is to have us believe that continued criminal/anitsocial behavior cannot lead to the practitioner being killed, your intent is failing.

on edit: I am not condoning the killings. I am simply pointing out a possible contributing factor.

[MrSandman]

5. I wonder how many of the killers were...

on early release
on probation
on bail pending trial
on suspended sentences

BTW, there was a quote that being an offender did not allow someone to be killed. It was exploring the dynamic of the CJ system in victimization(as I read it).

[Wcross]

7. Corrections system??

"Having worked in the corrections system, I have observed first-hand the conditions inmates are subjected to on a daily basis."

I have no bone to pick with you alwynsw but lets be honest, it is the prison system. They rarely "correct" anyone, just lock them up.

The governments "war on drugs" has claimed far too many casualties by promoting a black market and incarcerating the sellers of banned substances. I would be willing to bet that without our crusade against drugs, the murder rate in D.C. would be 1/3 of what it is today.

[MrSandman]

9. Some solutions indicated?

[alwynsw]

10. I didn't name it

I just worked in it: Kentucky Department of Corrections. Here's where I worked:

http://www.corrections.ky.gov/KentuckyStatePenitentiary/

You may recognize it from "Last Dance." The outside scenes were shot there.

[DavidMS]

8. But if you look at the Finnish Pennal system...

http://www.boosman.com/blog/archives/000459.html

It seems that without "supermax" prisions and cells, they are somehow able to seperate offenders from victims and actualy rehabiliate prisioners.

http://www.november.org/stayinfo/breaking/Finland.html

Here is a discussion of social conditions in Finland as it relates to law-inforcement policy.

It sounds like in the US we have a cultural problem (income disparity, official corupton, anarchism (excessive mistrust of govermental authority), etc.

[skippythwndrdog]

11. Bad people do bad things.

Bad people doing bad things get arrested. Bad people get convicted and sent to bad jails. Bad people get released. Bad people go back to doing bad things. Other bad people kill them.

Bad news. Reasonably expected outcome.