Minor Computer Flaw Frees State Prisoners 268
Ruvim writes "A Michigan State audit shows a software glitch let some prisoners get out early. From the article: 'The audit report shows errors in the release dates of 23 prisoners between October 2003 and March 2005. Some were let out early, while others were let out late... A flaw in computer programming caused State jails to release 8 prisoners anywhere from 39-161 days early, prisoners who were doing time for everything from embezzlement and drugs to bad check writing.'"
Gracious Me! (Score:5, Insightful)
I guess I don't see the 'crisis' in this other than these people were low-level, non-violent offenders. If a software glitch had let a Ted Bundy out for another killing spree, I would probably be more concerned.
Fact is, we have WAAAAAY too many people in jail as it is. If we were to only charge and incarcerate those who pose a safety risk to the rest of society then you could probably monitor the entire population in half as many facilities with 1/3 of the correctional officers we have today.
The US incarcerates people largely to punish them for stuff they do to themselves. If someone is strung out on meth or heroin, they are only a problem to me if they steal something to support their habit. Considering the fact that theft is already a crime, I can't see how locking up people who are casual users and functioning addicts helps society at all.
These prison systems are getting too complex, too expensive, and are locking too many people away for "their own good".
Rep. Rick Jones: " 8 people is too many. I understand the department found another 15, that's too many, even 1 is too many."
Fuck that. Notice he shed no tears for the few that were held too long? I'm glad some of them got out early. The only sad thing in this story is that somebody got held longer than they should have.
Re:Gracious Me! (Score:4, Insightful)
These prison systems are getting too complex, too expensive, and are locking too many people away for "their own good".
It's essentially the Catholic Justice System. You're locked away not so much because of offenses you commit that harm other people, but for offenses that upset god and baby jesus and mother mary and all that jazz. How else do you explain laws intended to punish 18 year olds having sex with same-sex 15 year olds with 17 years in prison, but punish 18 year olds having sex with female 15 year olds with 15 months in prison? It's all about morality and just because something is considered "immoral" by many doesn't make it harmful to anyone.
Minor Flaw? (Score:3, Insightful)
Minor glitch ? (Score:2, Insightful)
I'm not saying that mistakes don't happen, but that's bad! Fortunately no one like John Wayne Gayce was let out mistakenly.
What are the odds that the 'software glitch' has a SSN and enjoys fast food?
Re:Gracious Me! (Score:1, Insightful)
Reminds me of some 3rd world prison systems.
Re:Gracious Me! (Score:5, Insightful)
I think the Baptists would take exception at your excluding them from this party. They like controlling people too.
You're locked away not so much because of offenses you commit that harm other people, but for offenses that upset god and baby jesus and mother mary and all that jazz.
And it is only getting worse. Every year some dumbass politician screws the whole world up with just six simple words: "There ought to be a law!"
How else do you explain laws intended to punish 18 year olds having sex with same-sex 15 year olds with 17 years in prison, but punish 18 year olds having sex with female 15 year olds with 15 months in prison?
You can't. Neither can you rationalize incarcerating a person who does drugs, keeps their job, pays their taxes, and doesn't commit any other criminal offense. They *try* to rationalize it by claiming that "they need treatment" as though the criminal justice system is any substitute for medical therapy.
It's all about morality and just because something is considered "immoral" by many doesn't make it harmful to anyone.
Aye. That about sums it up.
Let out late... (Score:3, Insightful)
Human rights issues (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:Released prisoners late? (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:Gracious Me! (Score:3, Insightful)
That reminds me of a funny headline in the NYTimes. Paraphrased it said:
Jails overflowing despite record low crime rates!"
I doubled over laughing. The Times brainiacs actually didn't understand how the jails could have so many people in them when crime was down so much. Obviously, they deduced, this proved that the Bush administration was locking up innocent people. In reality they were actually too stupid (or blinded by their biases) to realize that crime was down BECAUSE the jails were full. Cause and affect. Go figure.
Re:Minor Flaw? (Score:2, Insightful)
When a stock market crashes.
When a smartbomb hits a daycare.
When people are given the wrong blood type at the hospital.
This is minor, no bones about it.
Re:Gracious Me! (Score:3, Insightful)
Unfortunately, some people who are not dangerous are not detered by anything short of prison. Even after some prison time, some will still repeat the offense. Look up Maricopa County's Tent City Jail.
Re:Gracious Me! (Score:3, Insightful)
Yes, crime is down for several categories of the penal code. But if you keep adding categories, then the jails will never see a decrease in prison population.
There are too many offenses that require jail time.
Re:Gracious Me! (Score:5, Insightful)
Yes, most drugs (including alcohol and tobacco) are detrimental to one's time/revenue ratio, which is a reason to legislate against them. But "if people buy this stuff the money goes to bad people" is not, because the money only goes to bad people because no one else can sell the stuff.
Someone should remind Representative Rick Jones... (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:The opposite happened In Dallas TX (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:computer flaw? how about organisation flaw? (Score:1, Insightful)
Re:Gracious Me! (Score:3, Insightful)
Ah, so you're one of those "smoking pot leads to twin towers being blown up" theorists? Always good to get your opinions on drugs from mass-marketing media.
And if it became accepted to do crack, and more people did it, less cool stuff would be done in the real world, because more people would have fun doing crack instead.
I'm not sure I follow. You're saying if we can smoke crack absolutely no one would do anything else? I'd have to disagree with you there because I wouldn't smoke it. And, yes, I'm one of those evil potheads who funds terrorism. I did try to grow my own for moral reasons, but was too stoned all the time to get it right. Did I need to put sarcasm tags in there, or did you get it on your own?
So, stfu.
Well, you've brought out the "you disagree with me, so I've ceased listening" argument. Good for you! Way to make a point! Woot!
Just because everyone and their sister smokes pot in the US doesn't mean it's a good thing.
It also don't make it anything close to a bad thing.
I'm not a believer in morality as an absolute, aka religious stuff, but if you put it into (beneficial|detractive) for (me|some group|society|the human race), I'd say drugs are on the detractive side.
Well, congrats, you managed to eek out an opinion. A completely wrong opinion, but an opinion nonetheless. The only reason you believe drugs are on the detractive side of society is because you've failed to do any real research on the issue. Yes, drugs can be devastating to SOME individuals, but not everyone who picks up a crack pipe will end up turning tricks in an alley for their next fix. You take away the drugs completely, they'll find some other way to destroy their lives. You need to fight the root issue, not the symptoms.
Maybe not for the individual crackhead (probably though), but the laws are (ideally, some crap exists) there to guide society onto a route that is beneficial for society, not dopeheads.
Well, I'm glad that you're not one of those all-knowing religious moralists who believes that they know the path society should head and wants to implement all kinds of laws that lead it in their direction. No, you're an all-knowing NON-religious moralist who believes that they know the path society should head and wants to implement all kinds of laws that lead it in your direction.
Re:Consider the source (Score:1, Insightful)
Damnit! I meant how hot. How how, white man.
Re:Gracious Me! (Score:4, Insightful)
Law is an external deposit of morality. Your idea of deciding if something is immoral is testing to see if it hurts someone. You want law to minimize suffering. You think suffering is a Bad thing (absolute moral qualifier). There are a lot of people who think morality is different. You not only look down upon their beliefs, but also think that your way is better. That your version of morality is better. Sounds like you're the same type of person as those other people
To speak more specifically on the idea of incarcerating adults (18 year olds) who have sex with minors (less than 18 years old), you could always consider the utilitarian argument. For the most part, 18 year olds have a chance at economic freedom, the ability to support themselves independent of their parents -- a productive member of a capitalist society. A minor does not necessarily have that same freedom (because of other laws, like child labor laws). That restriction is important because it sends a clear signal to those tempted to drop out of school that there will be barriers (and also theoretically involves the parents, implying a certain strength of the family). Why would you drop out of school? Because you're pregnant or because you're suffering from the emotional and psychological issues generated from considering and implementing abortion. High school drop outs usually are a liability to society, unable to produce much with their lives (they influence limited amounts of happiness). That family having to support their child for a longer period of time will spend less money. Furthermore, this effects the amount of retirement funds allocated to the family and to the child. A high school graduate will not be able to put in as much into the social security system as a college graduate. This stresses an already stressed (perhaps even broken) system. This law is in support of family. And that isn't just a moral statement, but a measurable economic factor as well. Japan is beginning to show signs of familial breakdown and their health system is having to support more people in their old-age. Same for Europe.
Don't assume the problem is so small.
Re:Gracious Me! (Score:3, Insightful)
Actually, it's the Corporate Justice System. Prisoners make fine cheap laborers [inthesetimes.com] for a good number of American corporations, as well as a profit center for said corporations and privately run correctional facilities. Now do you understand why having some reefer is an imprisonable offense? It's always the dollars. (Not surprisingly, Tom DeLay has profitted from prison profit centers. Hopefully someone will now profit from his imminent incarceration...)
Re:Gracious Me! (Score:1, Insightful)
Re: administering controlled drugs (Score:2, Insightful)
There exist drugs which are handed out like this (all prescription drugs) and yet there also exists a blooming black market for those. Just read your favourite spam if you don't believe me. So if the concept doesn't work for Cialis, Viagra, Prozac and whatever they are called (I'm just citing from the spam I get), why would this suddenly work with heroin, crack and cannabis ?
Correct me if I'm wrong, but don't most addicts start thinking about ending their addiction for the first time once they are confronted with a criminal court (i.e. get a drastic picture of their situation) ? The vast majority of drug addicts will only go to those doctors voluntarily if no questions are asked but certainly not to break with their habbits or to go through often painful treatment (just read the conspiracy theories about methadone as substitute for heroin out there!).
Re:Gracious Me! (Score:3, Insightful)
Law and morality, althoug related, are not the same thing. If you think that actions which don't harm others are nonetheless wrong, then fine, that's your opinion. But you need a stronger argument than that to show why we should put such people in prison.
If one's argument is that the law should enforce (your interpretation of) God's will, then sure, you can say their opinion is just as valid as my opinion of what the law should be. But that's exactly what the OP was pointing out when he called it the "Catholic Justice System" - ie, law which enforces the rules of a religion.
To speak more specifically on the idea of incarcerating adults (18 year olds) who have sex with minors (less than 18 years old), you could always consider the utilitarian argument. For the most part, 18 year olds have a chance at economic freedom, the ability to support themselves independent of their parents -- a productive member of a capitalist society.
Not when they're in prison they don't. If you're so worried about people's productivity, why are we so eager to put them in prison because their actions might have led to someone getting pregnant whilst as school, and then might drop out of school?
Why would you drop out of school? Because you're pregnant or because you're suffering from the emotional and psychological issues generated from considering and implementing abortion.
Yes, it's well known that sex between same-sex members can produce children, that's why we punish them even more harshly!
Don't you see? Try to justify it all you like, but these laws are not explained by the problems of teenage pregnancy.
And that isn't just a moral statement, but a measurable economic factor as well.
I take it you've factored in the productivity lost by locking up people (even where it didn't result in pregnancy), or the cost to keep them in prison?
Also, do you advocate raising the age of consent to 21 - after, we can't have people dropping out of University. Perhaps we should clamp down on it altogether - we can't have people's careers being affected by childbirth.
Japan is beginning to show signs of familial breakdown and their health system is having to support more people in their old-age. Same for Europe.
Erm, evidence? Here in the UK our families are doing quite well, and our national health system, though under strain, is still something better than the US.
As for retirement, that is a problem due to having too few children! If anything, we need to encourage people to have more children, even at a younger age.