Monday, July 19, 2010

Incarceration Blues....Part I

So I totally told a few people (ahem Steph) that I was going to write about this weeks ago. My bad, however better late than never? So last Friday I went on a Career Exposure to the Bergen County Courthouse with my EOF students. I think the students got a lot out of it, however I found myself more frustrated with the justice system than ever before. I think I've finally decided that I am officially a prison abolitionist. THE SYSTEM IS SYSTEMATICALLY FLAWED.

This mini-piphany was all with good reason. We were able to sit in on a series of sentencing hearings. What instantly stuck out to me the most was the sea of white faces. I mean public defenders, prosecutors, stenographers, officers, onlookers, and of course the judge. The only people of color were the majority of the students I had brought and the people being sentenced. I tried to get past this and focus on the crimes and neither the criminals nor those who have been granted the authority to pass judgement on them. But this just ended up making me even more frustrated.

One man was being sentenced after having plead guilty to raping a young girl from the time she was 5 to the time she was 13. He was sentenced to 5 years in American prison plus deportation following this time period due to his lack of legal status in the states. His response when the judge asked him if he had anything to say on his behalf: "Coming to this country has only brought me troubles." So does this mean he can go back to raping young children when he gets out in 5 years???? Talk about a lack of remorse or accountability for one's own actions. The next man to come up was also Latino. He had been charged with drug possession, but unfortunetly for him it was his third offense. He had been holding down a full-time job, and paying weekly child support for his 13 year-old son. He was clearly a drug addict. A man who's addictions have truly ruined his life and landed him in court time and time again. His last statement: I'm truly sorry. I just want to get the help I need to get better so that I can take care of my son. His sentence: 4 years. No drug treatment, no rehab, no chance of probation...

REALLLLLLY?

After the observations we had a chance to reflect with our tour guide. I expressed that I had some sympathy for the one man suffering from addiction...she became frustrated with me and gave a stern warning to the rest of the students: "Never make the mistake of feeling bad for these people...they made their own choices."

Needless to say, I want to talk about what choice really means, however this will have to be saved until tomorrow as this will be a 5-part series this week!!!!! Tune in tomorrow and as always your comments/love is always appreciated.


3 comments:

  1. There is too much fucking injustice everywhere.

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  2. Very nice. On a related note, I read an article in the Ledger saying that as a state, New Jersey is becoming much better about giving people found guilty of drug related offenses alternate sentences. True? Maybe, maybe not, but it still makes me hopeful that major change could come our way.

    (PS: I cant believe how positive the above comment was. Past few days have tanked hard. Miss you,Z)

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  3. Just reading this was frustrating. It's like lawmakers these days are wearing blinders or something; they only see what they want to see. I wish people took the time to fully use their logical reasoning skills. I look forward to the rest =)

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