bleeding heart Posted April 7, 2014 Report Posted April 7, 2014 (edited) I don't know about your second point, WestCoastRunner, but I wholeheartedly agree with your first. The criminal justice system is inherently a class-based system, on the distinctions between degrees of counsel talent alone. Edited April 7, 2014 by bleeding heart Quote “There is a limit to how much we can constantly say no to the political masters in Washington. All we had was Afghanistan to wave. On every other file we were offside. Eventually we came onside on Haiti, so we got another arrow in our quiver." --Bill Graham, Former Canadian Foreign Minister, 2007
WestCoastRunner Posted April 7, 2014 Report Posted April 7, 2014 I don't know about your second point, WestCoastRunner, but I wholeheartedly agree with your first. The criminal justice system is inherently a class-based system, on the distinctions between degrees of counsel talent alone. This report 'Justice and the Poor' provides some very good information about policing the poor. The chapter 'Justice in Policing' provides some information that I drew upon for my statements. It's a very long report by the 'National Council of Welfare' that was written in 2000 but is quite excellent if anyone is interested in this topic. http://www.oaith.ca/assets/files/Publications/justice_andthe_poor.pdf Quote I love to see a young girl go out and grab the world by the lapels. Life's a bitch. You've got to go out and kick ass. - Maya Angelou
bleeding heart Posted April 7, 2014 Report Posted April 7, 2014 Very interesting, and parts of it are quite devastating. Quote “There is a limit to how much we can constantly say no to the political masters in Washington. All we had was Afghanistan to wave. On every other file we were offside. Eventually we came onside on Haiti, so we got another arrow in our quiver." --Bill Graham, Former Canadian Foreign Minister, 2007
WestCoastRunner Posted April 8, 2014 Report Posted April 8, 2014 Very interesting, and parts of it are quite devastating. Very disturbing. Hopefully since 2000, things have improved. Quote I love to see a young girl go out and grab the world by the lapels. Life's a bitch. You've got to go out and kick ass. - Maya Angelou
dre Posted April 8, 2014 Report Posted April 8, 2014 Murder is treated differently from theft. Theft is treated differently from assault. Assault is treated differently from fraud. Different crimes are treated differently. What is your point? Thats the problem with any comparison. White collar crimes are prosecuted differently. For example... A white collar criminal like Jeffery Skill or the investment bankers that brought down the economy in 07 have literally millions of victims. If you count each one of those as an act of fraud like you would count the victims in a mass murder trial, you will probably find that white collar crime is by far more prevailent that convention crime, and victimizes way more people and costs soceity way way more. Quote I question things because I am human. And call no one my father who's no closer than a stranger
bleeding heart Posted April 8, 2014 Report Posted April 8, 2014 This exact point is briefly navigated in the very good piece that WestCoastRunner linked to. Quote “There is a limit to how much we can constantly say no to the political masters in Washington. All we had was Afghanistan to wave. On every other file we were offside. Eventually we came onside on Haiti, so we got another arrow in our quiver." --Bill Graham, Former Canadian Foreign Minister, 2007
cybercoma Posted April 8, 2014 Report Posted April 8, 2014 It's not true until you quantify it apparently. Quote
Moonlight Graham Posted April 8, 2014 Report Posted April 8, 2014 What is my responsibility to the poor? It's whatever you decide it to be (beyond paying taxes I guess). Nobody can decide that for you. You have free will. Quote "All generalizations are false, including this one." - Mark Twain Partisanship is a disease of the intellect.
bleeding heart Posted April 8, 2014 Report Posted April 8, 2014 (edited) Well, cyber, as I think you alluded, there exists the perennial problem of class and/or institutionalized bias whenever we discuss poverty and crime. In the linked study I mentioned, it was relayed that youth from disparate economic backgrounds were questioned about their own illegal behaviours--with the promise of anonymity and no reprisals. And it so turned out that middle class youth and youth from wealthier families did not clearly commit less (or less serious) crime. The poor are more likely to be arrested, of course; but also more likely for the matter to go to court (instead of parents buying their way out of trouble, with money or influence); and certainly more likely to be prosecuted. Edited April 8, 2014 by bleeding heart Quote “There is a limit to how much we can constantly say no to the political masters in Washington. All we had was Afghanistan to wave. On every other file we were offside. Eventually we came onside on Haiti, so we got another arrow in our quiver." --Bill Graham, Former Canadian Foreign Minister, 2007
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