Wait I'm not understanding? You release hundreds or thousands of criminals onto the streets with no work or chance for them to rehabilitate themselves (for the few that actually want to) and this is supposed to somehow lead to more crime?

Doesn't make any sense, what the fuck are they smoking in CO, oh wait, nevermind.

quote:

Originally posted by kramden:
I still await the day some high profile liberal or their family suffer as the result of their policies. Unfortunately usually always happens to some innocent citizen.

Any harm comes to my family as a result of this policy and severe vengeance will be released on EVERY entity responsible.

quote:

Originally posted by kramden:
I still await the day some high profile liberal or their family suffer as the result of their policies. Unfortunately usually always happens to some innocent citizen.

Yeah, I keep waiting for karma to kick in.

What many don't realize is that even before the current pandemic emergency, the Democrat controlled legislature and Democrat Governor had already passed or proposed legislation on a handful of issues that worked in favor of criminals. Decriminalizing most illegal drug offenses or lowering their enforcement priority, forcing so-called "safe-injection sites" or "needle exchange programs" on counties/ cities that didn't want them or the problems that come with them, and there were proposals to lower the prison system population with early releases...the pandemic was simply a convenient crisis ("never let one go to waste") to come along and push through their plans through a governor's executive order rather than having to debate it in the more public venue of the legislature...far less pushback from a panicked public hiding in their homes when the Governor simply utters the word "safety".

quote:

Originally posted by Modern Day Savage:
What many don't realize is that even before the current pandemic emergency, the Democrat controlled legislature and Democrat Governor had already passed or proposed legislation on a handful of issues that worked in favor of criminals.

It’s interesting to contemplate the future of our societies. Many science fiction tales have been written about dystopian futures, but to the extent that their causes are discussed at all, most have been based on an assumption relating to the loss of jobs and other productive activities due to automation, overpopulation, destruction of the environment, or the increased separation of the haves and have-nots. None I recall reading were based on the idea that the judicial system would break down first and lead to the rest of the decay and destruction. That particular breakdown always happens as a result of whatever led to the breakdown of society, not its cause. It could be that all those imaginative writers overlooked the most likely cause at all.

But then again, perhaps there were limits to what they believed humans were capable of doing to harm themselves.

quote:

Originally posted by sigfreund:
None I recall reading were based on the idea that the judicial system would break down first and lead to the rest of the decay and destruction. That particular breakdown always happens as a result of whatever led to the breakdown of society, not its cause. It could be that all those imaginative writers overlooked the most likely cause at all.

But then again, perhaps there were limits to what they believed humans were capable of doing to harm themselves.

For at least as long as I can remember, certainly back to my earliest memories of when I could first learn to read and write, my father instilled an interest in science fiction in me, and I watched or read whatever was available. I greatly enjoy various themes in the genre but I've had a penchant for dystopian sci-fi in particular, although I really don't know why...maybe it's just that that was the prevailing theme of the time, or maybe it's just that I could so readily imagine myself facing the challenges of that imagined future.

I agree that it is interesting to contemplate the future of societies, especially given the current context.

You may be familiar with a series of movies and, apparently, a spin-off TV show, about a dystopian future (it may actually be more accurately descibed as dystopian horror rather than dystopian sci-fi) in which a new political party has instituted an annual holiday known as The Purge in which all crimes, including murder, are legalized for a 12 hour period with no consequences for the attackers.

The Purge

A partial description from Wikipedia:

The films and the television series, created and developed by James DeMonaco, are presenting a near-future dystopian America celebrating an annual national holiday known as the Purge. All crimes including murder, are legal for a 12-hour period, all while others are fighting for their lives. The Purge was enacted by a new political party called the New Founding Fathers of America, or NFFA for short, as an act of desperation after an economic collapse and recession.

However, in the installment of The First Purge (2018), it’s revealed that the NFFA’s true intent with the holiday is to kill off the poor in an attempt to minimize the amount of people on government assistance. The First Purge depicts a 'trial run' in New York City and is first in the timeline of events in the series, despite being the most recent film released.

I've never watched more than a few minutes of the first movie, not because I'm opposed to violence depicted in movies or books, but it strikes me as gratuitous violence, or violence for the sake of violence...but I should probably give the movie a chance because, as with so many movies/ TV shows/ and books, I find the concept so interesting, but they fail in their execution.

Given the current state of affairs in which elected officials are actually enacting policies that sanction, or at least enable, certain criminals or their crimes, perhaps the movies/ TV show aren't quite so far-fetched.

Sigfreund, I've come to rely on your thoughtful, and thought-provoking insights.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Modern Day Savage,

[Note: hyperlinks found at linked website article]

Weld Sheriff calls ACLU suit a ‘head scratcher,’ as larger jail outbreaks go unchallenged

May 26, 2020 By Sherrie Peif

DENVER — A recent report from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) shows the number of COVID-19 cases continues to climb at both state prisons and local jail facilities, while those purporting to defend the incarcerated from exposure to the virus appear to be turning a blind eye to the worst outbreak cases.

The Colorado chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) — which recently sued Weld County Sheriff Steve Reams over his handling of their request to release inmates — has yet to take on other correctional facilities in the state, despite much larger outbreaks than the one in Weld.

The ACLU sent a letter to all county sheriffs in March asking them to release inmates to help slow the spread after Gov. Jared Polis did the same. When Reams spoke up and said it wasn’t his job to determine who is and who isn’t ready for release, the ACLU sued Reams in federal court on behalf of seven inmates, alleging Reams’ political differences with Polis caused Reams to deliberately ignore the COVID-19 pandemic and that he did not protect inmates at the Weld County Jail from exposure to the illness.

Yet, according to CDPHE numbers, several facilities across Colorado have much worse breakouts, and the ACLU has yet to take legal action against any of them. The ACLU won its case against Reams — although the outcome of the suit actually called for fewer precautions than were in place before the suit, according to Reams.

“The ruling is kind of a head scratcher,” Reams said, adding the order required him to identify a particular class of inmate and take precautions for those inmates. “It’s really a step backwards. We were treating all the inmates as if they were vulnerable. We were taking precautions as if everyone in there could get infected.”

Perhaps more disturbing, however, is that on a percentage basis, four county facilities in Colorado have higher infection rates, with the highest being Denver’s jail system (which includes both the Denver County Jail and the Van Cise-Simonet Detention Center). Its percentage of inmates with the virus is significantly higher than Weld County.

According to the most recent numbers available, Douglas County has 199 inmates, Jefferson County 565 and Weld County 483. Approximately 5 percent of inmates in the Douglas County Jail have either tested positive or are assumed positive and 7 percent in the Jefferson County jail, while Weld County has never been above 2 percent.

Denver County, which houses slightly more than 1,000 inmates, however, is exponentially higher. With 651 inmates reported ill or 63 percent. It is understood that the number of inmates changes daily; however, even taking into consideration if the jails were at capacity and keeping Weld County’s numbers static, both Jefferson (4 percent) and Denver County (30 percent) jails would still have much larger breakouts.

Weld County’s outbreak began April 1, with a total of 11 cases reported to date, while Denver’s outbreaks began April 30 (Van Cise) and May 12 (Denver County), with 581 and 70 cases, respectively. Additionally, the outbreaks came nearly two months after — according to a report in Colorado Politics — Denver released roughly half its population in an attempt to avoid an outbreak.

Jefferson County’s outbreak (41) began May 5 and Douglas County’s (10) began April 28.

Among statewide facilities, the Sterling Correctional Facility also has a much higher rate of infection. The facility, with a capacity of 2,488 beds, currently houses 2,232 inmates. According to CDPHE, 440 or 20 percent, are or have been infected since April 14.

“I was absolutely a target,” Reams said, adding he believes his statement that it is not for him to advocate for the release of inmates was the reason for the suit. He stands behind that today. “It’s not my place or role to go out and say this is unfair for this particular inmate, that’s up to the courts, DA, public defenders and attorneys. All I did was tell the judge and courts I’m not going to release anyone. We have staff on site, and we can treat the inmates. If they want to let anyone out that’s fine.”

Considering the judge did not make a ruling in the ACLU case until May 11, and that changes in how Reams was to treat inmates were not effective until May 15, population was at one point at a high of 796, and cases in his jail topped out at 11, Reams said is more proof he was doing everything he could to protect his inmates.

“Back in March and April, no one knew exactly what to do to prevent Covid-19,” Reams said. “We quarantined my entire jail at one point. My medical staff has done more than the CDC guidelines ever recommended. They’ve caused us to move people around inside the jail and label those folks as vulnerable. The judge provided much more narrow guidelines that what we were doing.”

A request for comment from the ACLU about its plans for future lawsuits has gone unanswered.

Emphasis added

[Note: video embedded at linked article website]

Weld County Inmate Released Early Due To Coronavirus Back Behind Bars After Alleged Strangulation

By Dillon ThomasMay 27, 2020 at 6:52 pm

CBS4) – Weeks after being released early due to COVID-19 concerns in Weld County, Christopher Vecchiarelli has been arrested and re-booked into jail. Vecchiarelli, 36, is accused of strangling and attacking a woman in Windsor — shortly after he was released by a judge who cited concerns with coronavirus in the work release program.

CBS4’s Dillon Thomas was told Vecchiarelli was arrested at 10:25 p.m. on Monday in Colorado Springs — after the victim in the alleged strangulation called investigators and told them where he was hiding.

Vecchiarelli had an active warrant for DUI and child abuse when police took him into custody.

Vecchiarelli faces charges of violating his parole and also for the attack on the woman in Windsor.