Listen, Steve Prator, the Sheriff of Caddo Parish in Louisiana, is extremely displeased with the state’s Justice Reinvestment Act (JRA), which will allow for the early release of some 1,400 inmates next month.
Louisiana, you’re reminded, “boasts” the highest per capita incarceration rate in the country at something like 815 people in prison for every 100,000 residents. That’s almost double the national average. Here’s the local KLSA News with a little background color for you:
The Justice Reinvestment Act is made up of 10 bills passed by the Louisiana Legislature and signed by Governor John Bel Edwards in June, intended to change Louisiana’s reputation as the most imprisoned state in the country.
Generally speaking, if you’re the most imprisoned state in the country, you’d be inclined to think that maybe there’s a problem that goes beyond crime. That is, maybe there’s something wrong with the system itself.
But if you’re inclined to think that, you’d be wrong. And the above mentioned Sheriff Steve will tell you why:
Let’s face it, somebody gotta’ be number one and we got some bad dudes around here, we got some folks that need to be in jail.
Yes, “somebody gotta’ be number one,” and besides, there are “some bad dudes” around Steve’s parts.
But as it turns out, the people being released aren’t really “bad dudes,” at least according to Criminal Justice Reform Field Director for the Southern Poverty Law Center John Burkhardt. To wit:
These are folks that were convicted of nonviolent offenses and they’re on average being released about eight weeks early thanks to a 5% change in the application of good time credit for parole.
Oh. Well when you put it that way.
But if you’re Sheriff Steve, that’s even worse. Because what that means is that all the “good” prisoners are going to be released and if they’re released they can’t “wash cars, and cook in the kitchen” anymore. What a waste.
And look, if you think that already sounds outrageous, just wait until you hear Steve “explain” it. Cue Steve:
https://twitter.com/ShaunKing/status/918431668658212865
See, this is the problem with criminal justice reform. Nobody wants to listen to “reasonable” people like Sheriff Steve.
So you know, if you’re pushing for the early release of non-violent offenders in order to bring down the astronomical cost of holding them for no good reason, then don’t you go complaining about having to wash your own car and cook your own dinner.
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Instead of the anthem, the owners ought run the 38 seconds on a loop at the NFL games while the players are taking a knee. Also, each player ought to line up and give Prator a knee if he can take it, or at a least a finger.
I cannot help but ask, when he refers to “the ones” exactly who are “the ones”? Having been born in that state myself, I can probably tell you what he means!
Let’s assume he is not making a racist comment (ahem!) but instead he thinks keeping these men in prison to avoid upgrading the status of other prisoners to take their place (maybe called rehab!) or actually paying for labor to come and cook for the prisoners is a good idea? Saving over 200 million $ sounds like a good reason to release and even provide better assistance in finding work and/or education or training so the Justice Reinvestment Act actually does some good in lowering the incarceration and state wide crime rates! Also avoid having to build new prisons in order to have beds for violent offenders! ka-ching ka-ching!
This loon thinks if a man committed a non-violent crime (DWI, Theft, etc) they should serve “hard time” instead of working to improve the problem in the state? How about you think about hiring the released prisoners as free men to cook or clean and they get to go to their own homes at the end of the workday? Maybe it is time for Sheriff Prator in Caddo Parrish to find a new job himself.
Yup, he just can’t understand why they’re going to let the good ones out and keep the bad ones in. He’s just a good ole boy from Looooeeseeana, Murphy!?!?! Let ’em be.
I call it Loseranna. My family who still lives in a couple of places there hate it when I say that. But it be true. Worse schools in America also. Prisons packed beyond capacity. I was only born there and when my father changed jobs, we got the hell out. Ok, it got worse. My younger brother by 3 years, born in Mississippi. Holy Shit. Even worse. Three more years and finally in Texas. This place is so big you don’t have to live next door to the assholes!