The Obama administration, made several changes in the way police operate in the field by changing the federal guidelines for the way crake, and cocaine is being panelized by federal law enforcement Obama has also giving a lot of distraction into federal judges for them to decide what the penalties for a crime would be. What was also outstanding their have been less arrests during the Obama administration less arrests for criminal offesnses. I also agree with the PBS report that the cities that are dangerous have been declared as more dangerous. I think its also a benefit that cities with such a massive amounts of people as New York city crime rates have dropped after the new rise crime in other areas. The way The Trump adminstraction I think having less officers that are afired in the face of their duties would make for a more unqie police force compared to the fear officers may face in their day to day responseability Also by having a more community poiceing approach to our current approach which is distant from the community this will cause less tension between police and the community as a whole. Eagle001
There can be no doubt there there are some harsh flaws when it comes to mandatory sentencing, and I like the fact that local governments and the federal government are recognizing the issues. Quickly removing the high recidivism rates from the equation, we can see that prisons are quite literally overflowing with prisoners and jails even more so. Rehabilitative programs that do happen to exist show a high potential for positive human progression for many inmates. Not all, of course, but there can be no mistake that many people are being served an injustice in the system of justice. The Florida Attorney General, Bill, doesn't so much agree that criminal justice isn't in the need of a reform that promotes a more discretionary sentencing system. And while I agree that the Obama Administration should place a good effort on the bolstering of police forces and the support of the morale in light of recent events, I think he couldnt be more wrong in the idea that we shouldn't focus the discretion in a mandatory sentencing system. This will boost the economical state of the people released, as well as the facilities and personnel that run them. Even federal appointed judges, according to this story, will say that they would have chosen a different sentence if the law had allowed it. While I am firm advocate for justice, and certainly not coddling with regards to justice, I'm also an advocate for fairness and second chances if it is within moral standards. JAY002
I agree with what you said about still believing in justice being served. I also think that if you do the crime, you pay the time. But in some cases, the law may be too much and be a little "overkill". If someone is thought of to be truly a better and changed person who is not going to go back to their old ways before jail, then they should be considered to be released early. Blackhawks001
I believe in correcting the gap that we currently have between the federal government and the public that I agree that recognizing that the harsh flaws of mandatory sentencing are ruining lives creating a gap between the public and law enforcement. The Obama Administration has done an extermly good effort in repairing the gaps that policy makers have had in the criminal justice system by placing guidelines for federal offices to follow. Having a way for rehiblitioning for those individuals can also make for a better more positive change in society as this would allow people to correct wrongs. This will also help for the offender to fix holes that would have been in the heart of the victim effected by the crime. Eagle002
I like how you wrote about justice being served as well, as the comment above mine said. I think that when someone does a crime, a consequence should be given, of course. Even though a crime should be punished, i do also believe that some punishments are a bit overboard as far as sentences go. When individuals show true change and trust while in prison, i believe they should be considered with benefits. Whether that is rehabilitation, probation, or early release. Not everyone is monsters and people do bad things. I believe it is a learning process. behappy001
i completely agree with your opinions on the Obama administration. I like the fact that Obama had pardoned many people out of prison in the last 8 years but sometimes i think he had overdone it to an extent. RM001
I agree with you when yousaid moral standards. I believe thats what criminal justice is all about. Having morals and going about those morals until it takes you great places. It is not very moral to sentence people who are non violent offenders or only to self harming crimes. The ones who pose a threat to society are the violent and aggressive ones. Klick61
Obama has his priorities set straight at least. He realizes that in the past the criminal justice system was wasting it's time trying to get tough on drugs. As the article states, a man was locked up for nearly 25 years due to distributing a controlled substance to the public. That is a huge waste of resources and funding. So he released him along with plenty of other drug offenders who do not need to be incarcerated any longer. Obama was also really big on preventing people from living in poverty. Poverty is one of the biggest reasons as to why people commit crime. Eliminating things such as that will also help decrease crime rates and prison population numbers. In the past couple decades, policing has changed quite a bit from "get tough on crime" to "get tough on drugs" to "community based policing". I am sure a missed a few in there but the point being, with policing being more community oriented and cooperative people will show a decrease in crime. In order to derive people from turning to crime, Obama must figure out a way to make everyone happy with they way their life is. Unfortunately, that is not possible at the moment, but programs and administrations that Obama has created is a great start. Bry001
Obama has done a very good job in trying to make right the wrongs of the past criminal justice system that incarcerated many people who had committed minor offenses for very long prison sentences. Although this is a small step forward towards making a change, it is the right step towards making a big change in our criminal justice system. Many people have been given life in prison sentences for committing minor drugs crimes that should not have even warranted them double digit year prison sentences. As far as preventing crime goes, being poor and living in poverty does add a lot of stress to one's life, enough stress to make them want to commit crimes. If we could help more people out of poverty, we could essentially help the crime rate and crime itself decrease. Pack001
I can't say I totally agree with you on the Obama thing. It seems to me, that he has taken a very biased look at our criminal justice system. He offers no support to law enforcement, whether that be funding, or just verbal support. When big cases have come out, or large incidents involving law enforcement, it seems that he is quick to side with the opposition to law enforcement, rather than have their back. Now yes, there have been some cases in which law enforcement clearly handled something wrong, but he has taken that "law enforcement is in the wrong" approach with almost all of these events. I think if he showed a little more support to the law enforcement community, he would be on a better track. -OKC001
I found many very interesting facts throughout the course of this video. I definitely believe that there are many flaws in some sentencing cases. For example in the video when the Judge stated that they would have given a shorter sentence if the law allowed it but it didn't. In those cases I think that over a substantial amount of time that the inmate should be evaluated and if they are thought to have proved themselves as truly being rehabilitated and capable of being a productive member of society then they should be given the chance to be released. I do believe in being punished for crimes someone has chosen to commit, but I also do think that second chances can do more good rather than extensive punishment and not giving anyone another chance to start over and make things right. For example, the man in the video was released and he is now speaking as a mentor to other released inmates and younger kids who may be at risk or do not weigh the potential outcomes and how they will effect their lives. Another point that I found very interesting was when they spoke about the crime rate in the US. They mentioned how low the crime rate was, but then stand that if you asked some areas where crime has been high, you would get a different answer. In Chicago for example, they would say that crime has been extremely high this past year. The speaker then stated that crime has dropped in most areas, but in the areas where crime has been high, it has gotten higher. I believe that the more programs that we get started to help specific at risk youths to make right decisions, the more progress we will see in the future to lowering the crime rate. Blackhawks001
By tieing judges hands with sentencing guidelines this limits how effective our punishment system should be which can make for a nonviolent offender to serve a harsh sentence because those are the federal guidelines for which the crime should be penalized for. I also agree that by giving a second allowing this person to change can overall create a better society because someone will not be labeled as a criminal but has the opportunity to turn their live around in a positive direction. I agree by having the youth juveniles to make the right choices and good decision I believe they will pass this on to their kids and their families which will help promote positive impact behavior. Eagle001
There are many instances within our criminal justice system where the punishments handed down upon those with their "third strike" can be very extreme and often times unnecessarily harsh. In any instance, we must take the proper steps in order to keep our communities and country safe from criminals and repeat offenders. In instances like those explained in the video where a criminal who has had his "third strike" will always be sentenced to life with no parole can sometimes be a little bit of overkill, especially if the crime they committed as their third strike is a minor offense. What president Obama has done by pardoning those from their life-long prison sentences for minor crimes is a step in the right direction towards a fairer and more just criminal justice system. Another issue to note is that of the high crimes in some cities across the nation. Although the crime rate has been steadily dropping over the years, there are many communities where crime is still a major problem. With more programs educate the youth and more people like Norman Brown to volunteer his time to help them understand would be very beneficial not only to the community effected but all communities around our nation. Pack001
I agree with this. So many are handed those life sentences even for a minor third strike. This is a step in the right direction because maybe it will show these types of offenders that second or even third chances are given to help you change your life around. Ciaccio001
I agree with what you said about education and using programs to essentially deter youth before they even start. It's not just drugs it's any crime in the system that needs reform on how we educate and how we sentence. Education can go a long way inside prisons as well. But that also only helps with individuals are allowed to show through release their progress. Hopefully the new administration also continues the efforts towards a more well educated and less tough on crime type of system. Marras002
I agree with you for the most part; however, a third strike is a third strike, whether it is a major or minor offense. If someone has already had three chances to clean up their act, then they do not deserve a fourth. If someone has shown no effort to stop their criminal acts after three offenses, then it is very obvious that jail time is the only punishment that will suffice. When these offenders are locked up, then there won’t even be a chance of them dealing drugs or what have you. Spending life in prison may be a little excessive, depending on the offense; however, we need to remember how times were back when the men in the video were sentenced. Dealing drugs was a bigger problem in the 80’-90’s than it is now, and we have to understand that those who sentenced the offenders were looking out for the best interest of the safety of our people. Purple003
I agree that what they did to Norman Brown was a harsh punishment. His time spent in prison he was not able to see his children grow up and the death of his parents. Him having a second chance and being an example to the kids, in the juvenile detention center, that if they keep doing what they do. They might not get a second chance like he did. coutinho004
The Obama administration has been non-stop attacking the police force since he got in office. To say they are reforming the criminal justice system is absurd. Am I the only one that sees how biased this article is? “I’m joined now by Wesley Lowery. He’s a reporter for The Washington Post who won a Pulitzer Prize for his work on policing, and he’s the author of the book “They Can’t Kill Us All.””- PBS. “They can’t kill us all.” Since Obama has gotten in office we have seen some of the worst race relations in U.S. history. Police officers don’t want to shoot anybody. Shooting somebody is a heavy burden to take, but if someone is shot by an officer most of the time it was justifiable. It doesn’t help that when someone gets shot by the police some news channels don’t wait for the facts and immediately say it was a cop that shot a black guy. Or sometimes the same news channels will cherry pick the facts they want to report instead of the whole truth. Paddle001
I don't necessary agree with how the Obama administration has been attacking the police force, because Obama has helped a bit. I do believe that certain departments needing changes though. During some of the racial riots that have happened, some police officers have shot innocent people, and I feel like they wanted to just to get away with it and say it was self defense, so I don't agree with some officers not wanting to shoot people. Not all officers are bad. I trust police. Just some of them aren't the best, and you'll get a few of those that aren't as serious about it. stlblues001
I completely agree with Bill McCullum in this video interview. President Obama throughout his eight years in office has done nothing to help law enforcement do their jobs better, and in most cases has stifled the work they are doing. Now that being said, I do agree with the federal government telling departments where they need to make changes. If I were to say that our criminal justice system, including police departments didn't need reform I would be lying. Sentences being handed out for drug charges are too harsh in my opinion, and I do believe it is why we are in a state of mass incarceration today. We trust judges to make sentencing decisions, and I believe if we get rid of the high “minimal” sentences attached to these drug charges, we can make great strides in shrinking our bloated prison population. That being said, I am torn on whether or not I agree with President Obama’s use of mass clemency. As the expert in the video said, recidivism rates are anywhere between 50 and 75 percent. To me, that is just too high a number to just release these men and women back into the community knowing that two or three out of four of them are going to commit a crime again. -OKC001
Did you have an idea on how he could help them to be able to do their jobs as best they can? As McCullum also said in the video, the president and federal government don't have that much to do with local police departments, of course on some level they do but for the most part a local police department stands on its own. I'm not sure if I would describe it as mass clemency either, President Obama received upwards of 30,000 requests fro clemency and only granted around 1,500. This sounds like a large number but keep in mind these are most likely petty drug offenses that got sentenced 20+ years ago when we were in the middle of the cocaine rush. And at the rate we incarcerate and the amount it costs to house inmates I don't think granting clemency to 1,500 cases of petty crimes that have already been incarcerated for decades is that bad. Yes, recedivism rates are awful, but who's more likely to go back to their old ways? A guy who's only been off the streets a few months or someone who's been out of the life for 20+ years. The younger sentence still knows the street life, still has connections etc. It would be a lot harder for someone who's been out of the game that long tot jump right back in. Still possible, but harder. -Hootie002
I agree that President Obama has not done anything to help law enforcement perform better, except for that he is trying to reduce prison population rates which makes it easier for those working in corrections. I also believe Obama should consult the judges who sentenced the criminals he (Obama) is releasing. Times are changing and the system is shifting towards lighter sentences for drug offenders, but I believe judges gave drug offenders that sentence for a reason. It is important that we lower our prison population rate safely. Recidivism rates are too high; it looks like the criminal justice system is starting to focus on rehabilitation. Scuba002
I strongly agree with you, OKC001. I do not think President Obama made any efforts to back the officers that serve and protect every day on the streets. The criminal justice system is definitely not perfect, but not having the support of the President for the last eight years has definitely not helped out the situation at all. As far as the clemency goes, I am fine with granting clemency to those who have committed drug offenses and are serving extreme sentences for the small crime they have committed. gh_blackhawks002
I agree OKC001, Obama has not done much to help our criminal justice system. Probably the most help he has done is give clemency to all these prisoners which will make for a lower number of prisoners, but that is about it. I feel like as president a huge goal would be to have the best criminal justice system you can, but that's just me. zmw001
I do understand that the length of sentencing for some crimes are fairly extensive but what do people think is going to happen if you continue to commit a felony over and over again. For the first guy, Norman Brown, he is almost complaining that he was in prison although he continue to sell drugs after getting caught twice and is upset because the third time was life in prison. I don’t know what the other lengths of times are for his other sentences was but it sounds to me that if he hadn’t got this life imprisonment than he wouldn’t have been this “changed” man. He says they he didn’t think that he would get more than 15 years, so was this man going to continue to sell drugs and get caught until he received his 15 years in prison even so 15 years in prison you would still be unable to watch your children grow and more than likely be unable to see some love ones before they pass away so how can he or anyone else be upset at these kind things if you don’t show any kind of improvement from the first incarceration you can’t be given any kind a benefit of the doubts. And I agree with Bill McCollum when he seems to kinda emphasize that needs to be a minimum mandatory sentence. If someone commits a crime especially a felony of sorts they need to do a mandatory time without any kind of early release. ACE001
Sometimes the system can be flawed in how they hand down punishments to repeat offenders, however in this you do make a very good point in the fact that he kept selling drugs and doing illegal things. With many instances though, the lifetime sentences can be very unreasonable for the crime they committed as their "third strike". I agree with the fact that there should a minimum mandatory sentence for some crimes because if the person committing the crime goes to jail for the minimum time, this may cause them to realize their mistake and stop them from committing the same crime again. This could help deter repeat offenders and save many people from life long sentences. Pack002
Less time for investigators will be focused on just on finding not every issue or mistake that may happen with that individual but to be able to investigate on the major crimes that have such a prolong effect on society. The Obama Administration also recognized that the federal guidelines are causing more problems into our society. By lowering the overcrowding from jails and prisons this provides more safety for correctional officers as they are not majorly out numbered by the inmate population. This will also allow for the government to look into more serious crimes that have a larger impact on our society as a whole. I also agree with the view point in the video that changes in the presidency could effect police as a whole This would be a positive change as a possible change was mentioned in the video of law enforcement going from scared to confident in the way they perform their jobs on a day to day basic. Giving more power to judges will also mean once evidence relives the mindset of the person to decide what would be most beneficial for society as a whole. Also with facts the video spoke of when mentioning that New York City's crime rate dropped could be investigated to understand the causes and then apply New York Cities crime control model into other bigger cities inside of the US. Eagle002
Mandatory Minimums have always been an issuse especially when it comes to those minor drug offenses. It is great that Obama was able to see the flaw in the system and try and correct it. Over-crowding is a huge issuse as well and when prisons become over populated that puts alot more stress not only on the facilty but the staff at that facilty as well. I think that this is a step in the right direction but will it last is my only concern. Being that I am getting into this career field I want to know what changes are going to be made and stuck with to insure not only the safety of correctional personel but inmates as well (imates are people too regardless of crime committed). Ciaccio001
I agree with you it is a step in the right direction for the criminal justice system. To finally helping make it easier for everyone. Even for the people running the prisons.People should not stay in prison for that long for a drug offences. If they are charged with a drug offence they should be helped not sent to prison.adelle002
Investigators will not have to spend as much time investigating the minor drug cases that they often have to spend lots of time on when they are doing their job. From one point of view one might argue that Obama has pardoned the people that investigators may have spent a lot of time investigating and finding evidence against them for their trial. One might that this time that they spent on those trials of the people who have been pardoned may seem like wasted time that they could have been spending on other investigations. For the most part I believe that is not the case because in this field of work there is no time that can be wasted, nothing that we do is a waste. People in the system continue to work hard and protect their communities and the people within them. As far as pardoning those who were very harsh sentences for very minor crimes goes, I believe that what president Obama has is a step in the right direction for making right the wrongs our federal government has made in the past, and work towards a more understanding criminal justice system. Doing this will help the system gain a more positive image within the people which will always be helpful to those who work within the system. Pack002
I believe Obama is doing good by granting more clemency commutation requests, especially when it comes to petty drug crimes. Having taken a previous corrections course with Dr. White I've learned that petty drug crimes makes up the charges for the majority of inmates in the prison system. Back in the 80's and early 90's when the cocaine rush was in full throttle people buying and selling the drug were getting the maximum time that a judge could impose. So now we have men and women sitting in prison looking at 25 years plus like Mr. Brown did. In today's day and age we're looking at heroin instead of cocaine. The difference is that now instead of throwing the heroin dealers and users in prison for maximum time we are sending them to drug courts, giving them less time and giving more probations and mandatory rehabilitation programs than the harsh sentences formerly imposed. According to the U.S. bureau of statistics, in the last 40 years incarceration rates have increased at rates of up to 500% even though crime rates are decreasing nationally. This doesn't make any sense at first until we realize that although crimes are decreasing and less people may be going in, they're going in on top of the many inmates that are stuck there for 25 to life. It makes sense that the first people to be eligible for commutation are the inmates in for petty drug crimes. Hootie002
As mentioned in the article, Norman Brown believed he would not get more than 15 years in prison for selling drugs. The punishment for crimes should be made known better; criminals act when they perceive the rewards of committing the crime is greater than the punishment of the crime. Hari Sreenivasan said, “Even the judge who sentenced him to life sent a letter to the president saying he would have imposed a shorter sentence if the law had allowed it.” It is difficult to find the perfect balance between laws and use of discretion. The statistic that the U.S. is 5% of the world’s population but holds 20% of the world’s prisoners reflects our tough on crime laws. It is insane that the Department of Justice argues that police departments are violating the civil rights of its residence due to traffic stops. Traffic stops are part of policing. It’s strange to me that Wesley Lowery stated, “The Obama years are some of the most peaceful years in American history as it relates to crime.” Chicago just had an insanely high homicide rate for the year 2016. Lowery further states that the majority of the country has become safer, but he does not state any facts to prove this is indeed a true statement. Scuba002
I think it is great that the federal government is realizing the consequences they are putting on prisoner's life. If course some people deserve their harsh sentences 100%. For murder, rape, and all crimes of the like. I do also believe that drug sentencing can be changed a little though as far as time. As the PBS broadcast states, Norman Brown was in federal prison for for 24.5 years for selling drugs in Washington, D.C., specifically six counts of distributing cocaine. This being his third count, he had life without parole. President Obama made an impact as far as decreasing the inmate population in federal prisons since the 1960s. The interview says that the judge who sentenced Brown to life sent a letter to the president saying he would have imposed a shorter sentence if the law had allowed it. This just goes to show that not everyone is monsters and that when possible, different actions should be able to take place. When someone is charged for drugs, he should be allowed rehabilitation to better him or herself. Most of the time these people are addicted and without the proper help will live in a cycle of letdown and hurt, most likely resulting in prison time or death. It is important to shine a spotlight on these sentencing and for the federal government, prisons, courts and corrections come up with a plan to help these people instead of throwing them behind bars with no chance to better. behappy001
Yes. I do believe that some sentences for prisoners are longer then they should be sometimes and with that being said granting clemency for some prisoners is a good thing. I am a strong believe that people can change mad make their life better even after being in trouble with the law so many times. You can not continue to punish someone for what they did in the pass. Many prisoners do change while they are incarcerated. As stated in the article Mr.Brown did not know that he would get as many years as he did. By giving these criminals long sentencing it does not give them a chance to show that they have turned their life around or that they are trying. We as a nation always doubt that criminals who are incarcerated can change and we say that they won't be anything more than a criminal. BY thinking like this the recidivism rate of inmates will go up. Many people have to realize that prisons do offer programs to help inmates, such as educational programs and rehabilitation programs. I do agree that if you have committed a felony that you be giving a minimum sentence that you have to serve and should not be able to get out early because of good time or anything else. I believe this because as an adult you know right from wrong. And you shouldn't be able to get release early just because you have been good and "learned your lesson". As an adult you should have to serve the minimum sentience because you committed the crime knowing the consequences so you should at least serve the minimum time. So on some parts I do believe what President Obama did was good and helped many people get the second chance that they deserved, but I also believe that all inmates do not deserve this chance. Hawk001
I agree that some prisoners do deserve clemency, but I do not believe that just because someone has been locked up for a long time means they deserve to get out, simply because they served a lot of time already. Cliche, but if you do the crime, you can do the time. It's very simple, and I realize everyone has heard that saying a hundred times, but it remains true. gh_blackhawks001
Obama in my opinion was the best president I've lived to see so far. He might have brought up the national debt more than any other president but I believe his charisma and public relations has excelled us as a nation. He really loved to pardon people from prison who didn't deserve to be locked up anyways but he seemed to over do it from time to time. I understand that the people who don't deserve prison time shouldn't get it but you can't really just be letting people out at that rate. but besides those facts i can really say Barack Obama has done wonders for this country and I dont think anyone can tell me otherwise. RM001
There is only so much one person can do. Even harder for them when they only have so little time to make sure a big change. He can't help that others wouldn't help and make these changes also. Pie001
After the recent election, I’ve heard so many rude comments about how “Obama never did anything for us.” This article explains what he did for the Criminal Justice System. While some people don’t agree with the things he did while in office, I didn’t mind him. I like how he helped out the system by releasing some people from prison early because they were in there for drugs. He realized being in prison all of your life for a drug charge that happened 26 years ago isn’t necessary. Which I agree, and think it’s just more funding. I do agree with the PBS report that cities are becoming more dangerous. stlblues001
In the article, it explains how Obama has helped the Criminal Justice System by releasing or shortening the sentences of those in prison for drug charges. By doing so, he’s cut funding and leaving some space in the prisons. In the article, Norman Brown thought he wouldn’t get more than 15 years, but yet he got more. Yes, selling drugs is illegal, but maybe some of the people in prison did it only to provide for their families, that they no longer can see because of such long sentences. Not everyone was addicted to drugs. I don’t think everyone caught with drugs should be sentenced in prison for over 20 years. I read another article before on how a man was in jail for 20+ years just for selling a pot brownie. I think it’s ridiculous how some people are sentenced, but I’m glad Obama stepped in to help the criminal justice system. stlblues002
I agree with you, that we should not waste our resource jailing small and petty drug charges. I Believe that we should be looking for alternatives to get this people help. Some people want to change their life but do not have the support from the government like they should. so instead of throwing them in jail their should be an alternative to it. evo001
I also agree with you that Obama has helped the criminal justice system. Shortening the sentences for a minor drug crime can be a good thing. Wasting funding on one person that made a mistake by having drugs on them should have to spend the rest of their life in jail. Incarceration rates are finally dropping and hopefully they continue to drop while staying at a respectable level. The sentencing needed to be change and we're finally getting that change. Obama has helped a good amount rather rather than hurt it. Mustang003
President Obama was remarkable president that we ever had. While he was in office our crime rates have went down tremendously in some areas. From reading this article, it shows how Obama helped fix the criminal justice system and how he fixed the economy as a whole. I personally think crime went down a bit because Obama was in office and he understood people in society to build a relationship with them. As the guy in the video said, recidivism rates are anywhere between 50 and 75 percent. Which is pretty good from where it use to be at the end of 2015 and the beginning of 2016. Since trump is in office now I personally think a lot of things in the criminal justice system is going to change. I don't know if its going to be bad or worse but it most likely won't be good.-NIKE001
Mr.Obama was able to improve and change many thing that where wrong with our criminal justice system. he was able to stop mandatory jailing and gave the judges the ability to use their discretion. this will allow the judge to get that person the help that they need. This will also help lower the major overflow of inmates in our jails. He is also believed that we shouldn't be wasting all funding on locking small drug charges up. He believed that their should be another way to deal with this people. by doing this Mr.Obama was able to able to start to close the gap between the people and the government. I hope in the future that we can continue to keep improving our criminal justice system. i am also glade that Obama was able to see some mistakes that the system had made and corrected them. He was able to give people their life's back because of it. evo001
No President is perfect, but throughout the last eight years, I think that Obama has hurt the criminal justice system. We have seen a lot of rioting and bashing of the criminal justice system, saying that there is racial and ethnic bias throughout the system. This is true, partially. Of course, there are some bad cops, or judges, or lawyers out there that are biased, whether it is intended or implicit bias. I do not think Obama backed up the men and women that are out there each day protecting our safety, in fact I think that he almost backed the rioters in some of the cases that we have seen over the last five years or so. With a new President about to take office, I am hoping that we will see the opposite in this sense. Trump is not perfect either, but he has expressed a lot of trust in officers and placed importance upon law and order within the communities throughout the United States. I am not pleased with the last eight years, especially when it comes to how our law enforcement officers have been portrayed and represented by the Presidential administration. gh_blackhawks001
I do agree with you on no president is perfect, and yes president Obama may have hurt the criminal justice system in a few different ways. However there is something that needs to be taken into consideration and that is the fact that its not just one persons part here. There are many circumstances and people that have to be taken into consideration in this. for instance, the police force itself and the officers as well need to really be conscious about how they are approaching their tactics. it takes a trust betweent the community and the law enforcement officers in order to have effective policing. The president also has a big role behind this too because if the president acts on something that may not seem fair to a community or society then it could blow back into a law enforcement agencies face. HSP001
I too would like to see the respect and thankfulness for our boys in blue restored as a entity of protection and service to the communities they serve. I feel these last 8 years have portrayed the extremely negative actions of a few, with the focus on racial biases versus the whole picture of crime, what police officers deal with on a daily bases, and how racial tension affects ALL races. steel001
The criminal justice system has stayed a float because of President Obama. Obama has done more than he could ever imagine, than what previous presidents done. President Obama has set his main focus on releasing offenders and shorting sentences for offenders who deserve it. In result of that he received much more respect from people. As for incarceration rates it all depends in how much discretion is used on a offender. -NIKE002
I'm with you on this because it's not just his fault if things aren't going just perfect. He can only do so much when the whole country is watching his every move. Pie002
This was a very intriguing video involving the Obama administration and what he has done during his presidency. With Obama giving pardons, granting clemency, and reducing criminals sentences it has some what helped in my eyes. By giving these people a second chance and letting them prove their selves can be a very risky tactic yet can very well be rewarding. Like stated in the video a lot of these people have a certain talent that society needs and if left locked up in jail for years on end then they are simply wasting. A lot of these criminals were not given the chance to be shown down the right path. Another subject regarding Obama was how during his presidency some of the lowest crime rates in years have been seen. I agree with this statement to a certain extent. Yes, crime rates may be lower in certain places like they mentioned (New York). However that doesn't mean the same goes for a place like Chicago. and that reason being is the demographics of the city and or place the statistics are being looked at. One thing I would like to see president elect Donald Trump do is get the officers back out on the street and make encourage them to build a trust with the community. HSP001
I agree with you. Obama was able to give people a second chance and many of us do need a second chance in life to prove that they can do something right. Many of these people that are being locked up for a life time, are being locked up at a young age so it is hard to make right decisions when one has a young mind. bball001
I believe in second chances, especially at life in general. Plus when a man worked so hard to piece his life back together in prison by teaching others and earning degrees in trade school; he showed in my eyes that he is a changed man. i agree that Obama's administration needed to put more effort into the system, but having him trying to piece it together before he leaves offices shows he care somewhat. by helping he did grant clemency, giving pardons, and help reducing sentences that shouldnt be so long and excessive. anpcougs002
In this article it does bring up several good points about the time Obama spent in office and his effect on the United States Criminal Justice System. Overall, it shows the ignorance of this administration, in the fact that recidivism rate remains between 50-75%. This means that when prisoners get out in society that there might be a spike in crime ,due to so many being pardon and commuted. In this article they focused most on one person who benefitted from Obama's pardon, so you could also say it could be a little biased. Now that Trump is getting in office things will change, hopefully with lower recidivism rates and a better view of the criminal justice system. Obama often would send in Federal investigations due to public opinion, instead of leaving these matter to the state and local governments. This is somewhat an infringement on our state rights. steel001
Just like in the case of Norman Brown, who sold drugs, a life sentence is a little extreme for just a simple crime. A crime is a crime, but I do not think that it is proper that the law requires such an extreme and harsh sentence. I think that calls for reform, and in that case, executive clemency is not unjust, in fact I think that is fair. I think we need to focus more on decreasing the incarceration rates that have been sky high. By changing the sentences on petty crimes, we will see less spending on inmates in prisons, and hopefully a decrease in the amount of prisoners locked up. I am hopeful that the new Presidential administration will make positive steps towards improving the criminal justice system. gh_blackhawks002
I agree that the Norman Brown case was extreme, but I think it is important to hold the sentences for petty crimes at where they are because deterrence is important. If there is not much of a punishment for petty crimes, the rate of those crimes will likely increase and get out of hand. Most petty crimes are misdemeanors instead of felonies, so that does not affect the prison population rate. Executive clemency is fair; I believe it should be done by case-to-case. The incarceration rate has been high; it is important to find a balance between being able to control the prison population rate and being able to deter crime. Scuba004
This article says that there is a recidivism rate of 50-75%. This is very high and demonstrates the lack of good rehabilitation in our prison systems. I feel Obama should have focused more on this than on pushing his own agenda and pardoning people based on a law he felt was incorrect or in just. As president, he should have worked at getting laws pushed through Congress, that would have changed the laws he felt were unnecessary, instead of only pardoning those who are effected by the law. Our recidivism rates are demonstrating that most criminals are NOT learning from their mistakes their first time around. Banshee002
I agree with you on that one Banshee002. Giving people who have committed relatively minor crimes a second chance can be a good thing, but only if it is done right and if the people learn. Rayder004
mandatory sentencing can be an extremely tough thing to deal with but with the obama administration he has done wonders to the criminal justice system. shortening sentences and pardoning the innocent is just a few things barack obama has done in attempt to patch up the broken pieces that is the US criminal justice system. the steps president obama has made over these 2 terms towards the criminal justice system are leaps and bounds ahead of previous presidents and i think the court prison and police systems will be very grateful of him for years to come due to this. RM002
I think president Obama is right about giving some people clemency just because some people deserve a second chance at life.I think people who have been in prison for that long of time change for the better. The police have charged some people with drugs excessively and some others not so much who have done the same thing as them. And president Obama has figured that out and is doing right by those people who are not shown as violent. Also with him granting clemency to people it brings down the coast of prisons that the warden have to keep up with.Therefore brings the state out of debut.adelle002
Obama administration I believe needed to have more control on the Criminal Justice system. The man that was sentenced to life without parole for selling crack in Washington DC made zero sense to me. Even though that man was sentenced in the late 80s when Obama wasn't in office. But back then, selling cocaine was a huge problem. That is why during that time the law was so strict about it. also for a man to just sell drugs is something so simple it doesn't need to be as harsh as it was for life. With Obama giving pardons, granting clemency, and reducing criminals sentences it has some what helped. But to those that are stuck in prison for the same crimes, when will they be released? Time could only tell. I feel like this is one of Obama's last hoorays during his presidency, is to help somewhat fix the criminal justice system. anpcougs002
Offering leniency on non-violent crime to help reduce prison population sounds like a decent policy, if done correctly. On one hand, cases like Brown show that former criminals can learn to become contributing members of society, but on the other, many criminals will re-offend. Reducing the minimum mandatory sentences for crimes would reduce the burden on prisons, but criminals would have less motivation to avoid committing the crime in the first place. It's possible that few would try to turn themselves around, without the threat of a life sentence over a relatively minor non-violent crime. Mentioned elsewhere in the article is that the United States contains over 20% of the world's prison population, despite being only 5% of the world population. From this, and the reforms Obama was pushing for, it seems as if he believes that our policies against crime are too harsh. Whether its being too picky about what crimes we punish, or the length of time is not mentioned. While reducing the punishments for certain drug crimes would help with the prison population issue, it wouldn't help free up investigators much, as they would still need to determine how severe the crime is. Overall, the reforms have a good intention, but possibly not the best execution, as of yet. - Green002
I agree with your statement. Even though selling drugs is still a crime, i do not think someone should be serving a life time from it. By this video showing that a man made a mistake and has now missed his entire family growing up, not only does it affect him as a father, but it affects the children because they are now growing up without a father. Since this is a non-violent crime, i do believe that the sentence should decrease. bball002
I couldn't agree with you more. Non violent crimes don't need a super strict sentence. By reducing certain sentences this can help the jail by saving money on funding while letting people live their lives. As long as they can keep this policy working in good shape and not completely mess it up, it should work well. This can give prisoners positive outlook and make a change in their own life. Mustang 004
I think non violent offenses like drug offenses should get more lenient sentences, that is probably one of the best polices that have been made. Locking someone up for years that was possibly a working member of society for a non violent crime is ludicrous. That person who was possibly a member in society could very easily turn into a true criminal just by serving time in prison with actual criminals. I The statistic that shows that there have been less arrests since Obama took office shocks me. With all the hype about prison population. the fact that the U.S holds the worlds prison population at 20% is outrageous, but when a nation has so many freedoms they are also going to have a great deal of mistakes. Obama's polices could very well do great things, they could also not do so well based on the way they are carried out and enforced. #Klick61
You have a very good point. Giving more leniency to the prison sentences put against certain offenses could pay off in promoting a better society and economy as well as reducing the number of people's lives being locked away. However, all good things can go wrong. There is also to be a consideration of those who are perhaps getting let loose due to the new regimes and that leading to said individuals not really deserving it. It's a risky endeavor, but it could pay of super well.
I am actually really glad to see this video. To see that individuals like the Brown case have a second chance at correcting and doing what is right for themselves and family. I believe people may think of it as if someone incarcerated for a drug crime is only going to go out and do it again if given a second change. Brown proved many wrong and I'm glad to see that he's educating the youth and making his negative actions have a positive impact in the long run. I do agree that Browns sentencing was overly exaggerated and overwhelming for his actions but all that matters now is that he came out a better person and seemed to learn from that one mistake. Kt001
Barack Obama said in the video himself the title of President gives him a great deal of ability to change the way we practice criminal justice and his influence. Mandatory guidelines have in the past hurt how we criminalize those for drug offenses, making individuals spend such a long time in prison when it was unnecessary. The video promoted the fact that even a judge said had that not been their practice and law that some of those given a mandatory sentence would have otherwise received a less harsh punishment. The reform of the Criminal Justice System has been on a positive improvement since Obama has taken office. If it isn't our goal to decrease the prison population, and sentence fairly than what are our goals? I think this is exactly what Obama had spent his time doing when it came to the prison population by his pardons and clemency he allowed for a positive change in our prison population, decreasing the amount of time someone has to spend in prison for a sentence given to them when the system was more flawed. In the video this referenced if Obama is taking credit for something he didn't really come up with or finish, I don't personally believe that is the case. I think Obama has taken on the task of continuing to better our system and use his power when he could to influence the rest of the nation. Have we created a significant dent? Probably not. But we are working towards a common goal. If this momentum does not continue then yes it seems like this is possibly the end of the incline we have been on. Crime rates have been increasing especially lately with how much publicity has been showing us the public shootings and terrorist attacks, but it is the new administration who will prove if the improvement ended with Obama rather than got itself going with him. Marras002
I agree that Obama has definitely given our country momentum and has led us into a more positive direction. I believe that second chances will always be important. Rehabilitating those who have been granted clemency should be something Americans can be proud of. Obama's Administration has restored hope for these individuals. Instead of knocking the idea of clemency, I think we should embrace and support it. I really hope that the Trump administration can prove a lot of us Americans wrong and continue us onto an even greater path than the one Obama has set us on. Peanut003
This video shows how Obama has given many people second chances to do something right and to make up for things they have done in the past. According to Psychologists, one's brain is not fully developed until the age of 25, therefore, this means that there is room for a person to make an un-rational decision at a young age. Most of the people who have committed non-violent crimes have done so while still at a young age and they have to live up to the consequences for a life time. I do think that with non-violent crimes, people should get a second chance. If a second chance is given, then we will really see who has learned their lesson and who hasn't. If there is one that is a multiple offender, then it is more reasonable to give him/her a longer sentence, versus a first time offender. bball001
This article told about how Barack Obama granted clemency to about thirteen hundred prisoners, in turn freeing up a lot of space in the prisons. This could be viewed two different ways. One of the ways being that what he did was good. Some of these people have been sentenced for a very long time just for possessing or selling drugs, which is kind of stupid. This also frees up space in our already over crowded prisons. On the other hand, people can look at it as Obama just released all these criminals back into the streets and we have no real way of knowing if they will go back to their old ways or not. Whatever the solution may be, I am confident that our nation will find the answer. zmw002
I agree that it is unreasonable for someone to be incarcerated for ridiculous amounts of time for non-violent drug offenses. It would be great to see more rehabilitation programs put in our prison systems to reduce the chances of recidivism by the offender and possibly putting the public at risk. CAE004
I agree with Obama for choosing to give some people a second chance on doing things right and not committing a crime. As shown in the video, a man missed out on his entire child's life because he was locked up and behind bars. Not only is it hard for the father to sit behind bars knowing he has children growing up with out a father, but it is hard for a child to grow up with out that father figure in their life. I do think people deserve a second chance to do things right. It's hard to take back a mistake one made at a young age, but as time goes on, many people begin to mature and understand right from wrong. bball002
If the parents want to be in the children's life, maybe they should have thought about that before committing the crime they did. Once that child was born, the childish games should have went away. People do deserve second chances, but those chances should not happen after the kid come in the picture. hotfox003
President Obama promised in the beginning that he would make efforts to shine some light on the problems facing the incarceration system and the criminal justice system. It really is a brilliant idea. I wonder if that is why our classes focus on it as much as they do. Anyways, there are many ways to get the problems in a system to be publisized. Obama's way is very effective. Giving a bunch of people a second chance is amazing, and I am sure that most of them absolutely deserved the break. A second chance at life is a pretty big step towards seeing the bright side of the world again. Obama's efforts seemed to have worked, as our education today is clearly showing us that our system is flawed and we need a fix for it. - AJC001
I agree with the idea of granting clemency to nonviolent drug offenders, especially first time offenders. As stated in the video, The United States occupies roughly five percent of the world's population, yet as a country we have over twenty percent of the world's prisoners. I find this statistic to be outlandish and quite ridiculous frankly. Our prisons are flooded with people who, in my opinion, don't deserve to be there for such an extended time period. I commend President Obama and his administration for their determination and not letting Congress deter them from their goals.
To shine light on the later half of the video, I wasn't too fond of Bill, however he did mention one thing that stuck out to me. Within the past two years, police have been have not been recognized in a positive manor. He somewhat knocks how the Obama Administration has taken a "civil rights" approach in implementing change. I'm not sure if I disagree with the statement, but I do support those who have raised their voices against our judicial system and its enforcers. Peanut003
I am all for people having a second chance in life, but the moment people say it is better for the father and kids to know each other. I could not agree more, but maybe the father should have though about that before the committed the crime they did in the first place. I am not for light punishments only because people need to learn and I don't think people learn when they get a slap on the hand. Maybe they will think twice before committing a crime. hotfox003
Hotfox003 how do you know that this father was left with any other choice. Maybe selling drugs was the only way he could support his family. As far as people needing to be punished to learn a lesson I can agree to that. But the reality is that mandatory life sentences for dealing drugs is insane. Life sentences should be reserved for violent offenders. The fact is there is a huge problem with our system and it is not working properly and way to go to Obama for having the courage to stand up and say so despite the backlash he would face from some of the American citizens. Everyone makes mistakes and should at least be given a second chance before they are locked away for life. mommy004
I agree with you that people shouldn't be let off easy because of selling drugs. Once they get away with drugs then what else are they going to try and get away with. People who made a mistake once but they are grown adults that still know right from wrong. Pie004
It is about time a President has acknowledged that the system is in desperate need of an overhaul. Yes drug dealers deserve to be punished, but mandatory life sentences are a little too much. Police departments where there have been acts of police brutality and racial profiling deserve to be investigated. Everyone makes mistakes at some point in life and deserve a second chance. These harsh sentences are not helping stop criminal activity they are merely filling up our prisons. Leaving children without fathers and mothers leaving them susceptible to becoming criminals themselves. Anyone who thinks locking up non-violent offenders for life can only expect more criminal behaviors within society. Giving drug dealers mandatory sentences hasn't stopped people from selling drugs, so some type of reform is needed. The U.S. incarcerates more people than any other nation and it hasn't stopped crime. The system needs to be giving out punishments that fit the crime. As far as the issue with cocaine sentences and crack sentences they should be the same. It is the same drug one is just in powder form the other is rocked up. I don't see how the the government can justify sentencing a dealer of crack with a stiffer sentence than one dealing in cocaine. Our system is in dire need of an overhaul and way to go President Obama for standing up and saying so despite the criticism he knew he would be faced with. It is past time to stand up and speak out for the rights of the citizens of this nation and stop locking everyone up for non-violent crimes and throwing the book at them. mommy004
I’m with you 100%. You bring up a good point about taking mothers and fathers away from their children. With no direction kids are bound to end up in the criminal justice system like their parent. It’s a cycle that can’t be stopped by extensive sentences. Drug offenders need to be rehabilitated and released in order to raise their family and attempt to be productive members of society. RustyPete001
I believe that everybody makes mistakes and nobody is perfect. I believe everybody deserves a second chance. However if we keep giving them chances, they will continue to do what they're doing. Its a complicated matter. Instead of sending someone straight to jail and it being their first offense, why not start by sending them to rehab? As for the parents missing out on their child's lives, its nobody's faults except their own. Would you want your child around a drug dealer? I wouldn't. Its a bad and nasty cycle that takes time to overcome, and unfortunately we cant break every cycle. Snacks003
I am pretty conflicted with the idea with clemency. I do think that there are a bunch of people who are in prison that have done some relatively minor crimes such as possession that end up with outlandish prison sentences. Not only that, but when someone ends up with a prison sentence, their life has been turned upside down with almost no way of reaching back at the top. When thrust back into the "real world" people expect them to live an ordinary life and turn their life around, but these prisoners could have been in prison for a lifetime and be pretty old when they get out. It is hard to get a job when you are old, let alone if you are a prisoner. If someone is both however, then the odds have just stacked against them. Therefore, I think that shortening one's prison term or giving them a pardon could be beneficial. When it comes to the amount of prisoners that the United States has compared to the other nations too, I think that there is a minor flaw in the way the US deals with law breakers. I think that President Obama understood that our prisons are getting way too overcrowded and that something needed to be done and so he looked for a simple solution and gave clemency to prisoners he thought were no longer a harm to society, but a benefactor. Rayder004
As the video explains, Bill McCollum believes Obama is wrong in signing law that reduce mandatory minimum sentences and right in trying to reduce the differences between crack and powder cocaine. I agree with McCollum; he also believes in granting clemency on a case-by-case basis. Cases are unique and it’s hard in creating laws that fit every unique case. I also believe in minimum mandatory sentences. One of the parts of sentencing criminals is to deter that criminal and other criminals from committing crimes. When the reward of the crime becomes greater of the punishment, crimes will rise. I agree that we have a lower crime rate today because we locked criminals up for long sentences. I like that the Trump administration is supporting police officers because the media and others are fueling the war on police. I hope the Trump administration can show everyone how important law enforcement is and how good these people are. The Obama administration does not recognize how great of a job law enforcement does. As the video says, places are becoming more and more dangerous. I hope 2017 will be a new time for Chicago where they can crack down on homicide. Trump should definitely address black-on-black crime, Hispanic-upon-Hispanic, and gangs. We have very serious issues that need to be solved to be able to better the community. Scuba004
I have no problem whatsoever with President Obama granting clemency to non-violent drug offenders that were given absurd sentences for drug crimes they committed in the 80’s and 90’s. In my opinion it makes no sense to give someone a life sentence for a non-violent offense. Statistics show that that the 3 Strikes/Get Tough on Crime laws on the 90’s did nothing to reduce recidivism rates in America. President Obama should disagree with those laws, because we know that they don’t work! In my opinion, the implementation of drug courts across the country would do more to improve the rate of reoffending rather as opposed locking someone up for 25 years for possessing/trafficking drugs. The only thing Bill McCollum said that I agreed with was that offenders aren’t being rehabilitated. They aren’t being given a chance to redeem themselves, and the man in the video who was granted a pardon was absolutely right when he said that we need some of the skillsets that these people in prison have. If the Trump administration does what they are implying, and brings back the “Tough on Crime” laws, we are taking a step backward from solving our prison overcrowding problem, and continuing to put a Band-Aid on something that has plagued our country for the last couple decades. RustyPete001
Why have laws if nobody wants to follow them? Selling and buying drugs are illegal. Yes, I believe in second chances but not when someone keeps taking advantage of the law and they keep getting 3,4,5,6 chances and so on. The families were talking about how they think their dad, brother, uncle whoever he may be to them have suffered enough and deserves to be released. NO. No he should not. If he was caught selling drugs for the sixth time why would you want him on the street? There are laws for a reason. Some people do get more time than they deserve but if its your first offense, I believe they shouldn't just be sent straight to jail. Try rehab or get them some kind of help. But if its more than a second chance, no they need to be behind bars. Snacks003
Obama has started doing a good job by reducing some of the sentences for people in jail. Not all criminals deserve to be in there for twenty plus years. Some minor drug crimes are not that bad, especially if the may only be their first offense. Ruining a person's life by keeping them in jail is no help. As a society today we need to help people and if we keep them locked up in jail for a minor crime, were not doing that. Everyone makes mistakes in life and that shouldn't be held against their will for the rest of their life. Incarceration rates have finally started dropping over the past years. Obama has played a big part in this and it's a good thing. Hopefully that number can continue to reduce while still keeping it at a respectable level. Some people deserve to be in jail for a long time, but not every criminal does. Mustang003
I completely agree with this. I don't think many non violent crimes should cost someone a huge portion of their life. Obama in my opinion has done a great job of bringing the incarceration rate down and cutting time off of people's outrageous sentences in prison. I think everyone deserves a second chance especially if a drug charge is there first offense. In my opinion parts of the sentencing process should be changed and lengths of time for sentences should be changed as well. gym003
Norman Brown was not a monster. He served twenty four years in jail for a non violent drug charge. He may not be a bad guy at all. The world is very cruel to some people and at the time maybe he didn't have a choice. He missed out on being with his whole family who are now gone. I like how he speaks to juvenile delinquents. You can clearly tell he has served his fair amount of time and being granted clemency by former president Obama was well done. A lot of people sit in jail for long sentences they do not deserve. You can tell some people don't deserve them by just the amount of clemency petitions Obama has received. It says he's granted one thousand three hundred and twenty four of them. I don't believe that the president at the time would help these people out if they weren't given lengthy sentences that they don't deserve. This has been a step in the right direction and i hope that it stays that way. Mustang004
I a hundred percent agree with you. We don't know what was going on with his life at that time and maybe that was the only way he could afford to pay for his family. He should have never got a sentence like that. He did miss out on a lot and this is why what Obama has started needs to keep going so that things like this never happens again. CRC001
In my opinion it was not wrong of Obama to be giving many people clemencies or commutations for their past crimes. For one they were not violent they were mostly drug related. Some of these people were serving life in prison for drug charges. To me that seems a little overkill, I could see a few years being reasonable but not life without parole. I am sure Obama had thought long and hard over who he wanted to grant clemency to as well. Also I am sure that anyone who was granted clemency would have a lot of pressure on them to steer clear of crime as it had come from the president. I do not agree with the fact that the federal government should intervene with local police and how they operate. I think they do much more good than bad and it is only the bad things that the people of the United States hear about. Now I do believe that some areas with higher crime rate should be watched more carefully by the federal government to see what more can be done to lower the crime rate. Gym003
I agree that it was responsible of Obama to give clemencies to people who were the victims of harsh sentences. It helps get more people into rehabilitative programs and helping them get back out on the streets to go on and make a life for themselves outside of prison. Many people are not the monsters that the courts make them seem like and don't deserve to be in prison for life. Bike001
I agree with Obama granting clemency to people who have been sentenced quite harshly for non-violent drug related crimes. There was a stat thrown out in this article that stood out to me and that was that the United States’ prisons hold about twenty percent of the world’s prisoners. They also went on to talk about how crime has been at an all-time low, but then reasoned that it is due to the fact that there are several non-violent offenders being incarcerated for unreasonable amounts of time, such as life in prison for a non-violent drug offense. I mean is it really fair for someone who got caught selling a little bit of crack or whatever to sit in prison for years and years, not getting to see their children grow up, or even receive rehabilitation? Recidivism rates in this country range anywhere from fifty to seventy-five percent, which can put people and the public at risk. Offering clemency, I believe would reduce the rate of recidivism and allow those to seek rehabilitation treatment that they would not otherwise receive in a prison. Hopefully there will be more continued steps with the new administration to reduce the rates of incarceration in this country for non-violent offenders. CAE004
If one in two or three in four of these incarcerated individuals with end up back in the system is mass clemency really a good idea? I do agree that the high minimum sentences are not a good way to handle non-violent offenders, but mass clemency, when recidivism rates are so high, is also not a solution. EKT004
Well I do agree with both of you and nonviolent crimes should not receive the same as a murderer or other serious crimes but a less harsh sentence. I thing there needs work on the corrections to help rehabilitate them and reduce the recidivism in this country.Banshee002
The way Obama left his mark in the justice system is a good way to leave office. He realizes that a lot of people get hard sentences for small crimes. He wanted to try get some people out for small charges but also who have been in prison for too many years. Many of the people in prison are in just for drug charges. Charges that deserve one to two years. Maybe even three, but some people stay in jail past ten years for a small drug possession or distribution charge. It's good that someone noticed that some people shouldn't be in prison for almost half their life because of a small charge. Most prisons consist of people who had something to do with drugs. So by Obama making a small change in the justice system maybe other Presidents will do the same. Clemency is a good way to try to get people their lives back.Get them out the prison system and back to their family. DC004
I agree this was a good way to leave the oval office and make a good impact on the criminal justice system. I agree that people with small drug possession charges should not have to serve 10 year sentences if they don't mean harm. A lot of them have families too and they should put them in rehab programs so they can be clean of drugs and still be an active member of their families. Bike004
I agree with Bill McCullum in this video interview, President Obama has done nothing to help law enforcement do their jobs better, and in most cases has stifled the work they are doing during his eight years in office. With that said, I do agree with the federal government telling police departments how they can improve and where they need to make changes. Our criminal justice system needs some reforms, the minimum sentences being enforced for drug charges are too harsh in my opinion, and I do believe it is part of the reason why we are in a state of "mass incarceration" today. We trust judges to make sentencing decisions, and I believe if we get rid of the high minimum sentences attached to these drug charges, we can greatly reduce our prison population. With that being said, I am unsure whether I agree with President Obama’s use of mass clemency or not. As the expert in the video said, recidivism rates in our country are anywhere between 50 and 75 percent. And it is because of this that I believe that is just too high a number to just release incarcerated men and women back into the community knowing that one in two or three in four of them are going to commit a crime again and end up back in the system. EKT004
I agree with you. I think that in the last few years, Obama has done more harm than good in the law enforcement community. Reform is what the nation needs, and it is what the nation will receive. People are talking, they are finding out what really is causing problems, and are speaking out. I believe mass clemency was the wrong choice by far. agentp001
The Obama administration has made a lot of good changes toward letting people out who should not be in there for that long. I feel people who get caught selling drugs should get a sentencing of about 10 to 15 years. People do make mistakes and just because they may have made that one mistake doesn’t mean they should spend their whole life in a jail cell. Obama administration has done a good job by getting people who have had long sentences or life in prison out of those situations. Since Obama has been president there have been less arrest for criminal offenses. I feel that people who just go to prison for selling drugs should not be placed in the same place as murders. They made a federal mistake but that doesn’t mean their bad people. Overall we need something like this that Obama started because a lot of people in this world make mistakes and losing your whole life over drugs should not be the case. I think it would be a mistake if Trump took away this because a lot of people have good potential in them but, its just wasting away in prison.CRC001
The Obama administration has made a lot of good changes toward letting people out who should not be in there for that long. I feel people who get caught selling drugs should get a sentencing of about 10 to 15 years. People do make mistakes and just because they may have made that one mistake doesn’t mean they should spend their whole life in a jail cell. Obama administration has done a good job by getting people who have had long sentences or life in prison out of those situations. Since Obama has been president there have been less arrest for criminal offenses. I feel that people who just go to prison for selling drugs should not be placed in the same place as murders. They made a federal mistake but that doesn’t mean their bad people. Overall we need something like this that Obama started because a lot of people in this world make mistakes and losing your whole life over drugs should not be the case. I think it would be a mistake if Trump took away this because a lot of people have good potential in them but, its just wasting away in prison.CRC002
I strongly believe that what Obama did was a step forward in the criminal justice system. Norman Brown served twenty-five years for selling cocaine and to me that is crazy and way too much time. He got sentenced to life in prison and for anyone who thinks that fits the consequences of what he did is wrong, in my opinion. Giving people a second chance can show people in this country that if they can make a life better for themselves that others in prison can do the same. People will then believe that people who commit non-violent crimes deserve way less time. The police do a great job in this country, but it is sad that a few bad apples make it harder for all the police officers out there. I do believe that the mass incarceration is a problem in this country and we need to make changes. I also believe that all officers should have a body camera and a mic to keep them safe and people in this country. coutinho004
The war on drugs caused a lot of families to fall apart with its harsh mandatory minimum sentences for drug offenders. They are not necessarily monsters but they are treated as so. The problem with this is that our incarceration rates are higher than they should be because they are holding people in cells for life instead of rehabilitating them. We could greatly reduce our prison populations by helping inmates with rehabilitative programs to help get them back out on the streets and functioning. People who aren't violent criminals and just need some rehabilitation should not be in the same facilities as murderers. This would greatly reduce our prison populations and bring more education to light about the positive effects of rehabilitation of drug offenders. Bike001
I completely agree with you that a lot of these offenders aren't monsters, but there sentences often make them seem that way. I also agree that offering rehabilitative programs for drug offenders could help to greatly reduce the prison population. Offering rehab options for drug offenders could also help to reduce recidivism rates. JAG001 / JAG002
Community policing is key to creating a good relationship between the community and law enforcement. In the past years the police forces of this country have being trying to push forth efforts to get more community based policing programs. The Obama administration has been enacting on a reform for police forces to get out there and be a part of the community. One big thing that I think officers should start doing more is parking the squad car and getting out to walk your beat because in my whole lifetime I don't think I have seen an officer just out walking his beat talking to the public and just being more social with the community he is serving. This would better help them be seen as positive members of the community instead of being demonized by the public because of the misleading media. If we start to force officers to walk their beat more often then I think we will have a better community law enforcement relationship. I know when I become an officer of the law I will focus a lot on this because it will help me be more in tune with the community that I am serving for. Today you see officers that are timid and not in tune with the community which makes them not as well rounded as one who gets out of the car and walks his beat. Bike004
I really enjoyed reading this article, it was interesting looking back and seeing some of the things Obama did as president. President Obama has granted clemency to a large amount of prisoners over his presidency, some shortening sentences, and some full pardons. Personally, I like that President Obama has been shortening so many sentences. The article uses Norman Brown as an example, who had been in a federal prison for 24.5 years before his clemency. Norman was in he middle of serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole, which, in my opinion is a much to harsh of sentence for his offense. Some people argue against this, the article points out our nations high recidivism rates as proof that most of these people will re offend when released. However, a lot of the people who had their sentences shortened were like Norman, who were working on bettering themselves while in prison, and in my opinion, those people deserve a second chance. JAG001 / JAG002
I agree with you, it was nice to see that now former President Obama took action to make some of these reforms start. in Norman Brown's situation one could see how giving prisoners a second chance would be preferred. I agree with this because the amount of prisoners in U.S. prisons today is way too high. Helping out rehabilitated prisoners get back to contributing to society and lowering the cost on society at the same time is a smart move.-Ghost003
This is a hard topic for me to write about because I don't follow politics. But I think Obama has done a good job trying to help the problem that we have going on with the time he had to make such a big change. Everyone has to know that he still had to get approval for everything that he was trying to do. Pie001
It is clear the steps the Obama Administration has taken to lower incarceration rates. Obama has been granting clemency to several inmates and has pushed for a reformation of some of the local and federal law enforcement agencies. Furthermore, many local governments and some federal parts of the government are looking away from mandatory sentencing in favor of other means. This has been argued a bad idea due to the lower level of crime reported lately. Bill Mccollum seems to be convince that due to some of the lengthier sentences, we have incarcerated many of the criminals who would have a higher chance of recidivism. Under the Trump Administration it is also made clear that this reformation might take a different approach all together. -Ghost003
I feel as if Obama did everything he could, especially for the African-Americans. He was all about the Black Lives Matter movement, but in a positive way. As Obama said, "Historically, the African-American community oftentimes was under policed rather than over policed". As he did release a lot of prisoners to hopefully show that everyone deserves another chance. Obama was about the people as well; the Obama care Trump is talking about taking away will hurt a lot of families. Hopefully our new president supports our officers and people more than ever. Kodak003
The video was nice to see to show how Obama was trying to make a change while he was in office. Even though some people shouldn't be in prison for what they did others should be in there because of the crimes that they have done. Not everyone should be able to get out early just because of selling drugs, hard telling what else they were doing that they didn't get caught doing. Pie002
People who are in prison for the crimes that they committed should stay in prison. What have they learned ? I went to school with some kids who during high school got DUI but they never got into trouble and ended up going back out drinking and driving again. These kids still haven't learned anything because they got a "slap on the wrist" Pie004
I kind of agree with you, but what if after they have committed the crime and done the time, they have learned from their mistakes. Should they be given a chance to redeem their previous actions? Is that not the true point of prison and rehabilitation? Ghost004
I found that to be a great thing that Obama has done. This is the first time of me hearing about this. I seen that he had gotten over 35,000 requests for prisoners wanting to get released. I am glad to see that he was accepting people who have nonviolent charges. We have too many people in prison as it is, no reason to have nonviolent people in there with the rest of the people who actually need to be there. It is crazy how high that number of people are who requested it though. As for the future, I personally do not see Trump doing nearly as much as Obama has done for police and criminals. Like they said in the video, Trump is avoiding it. I just do not see him actually caring about the prisons who have gotten harsh punishments and no one but him can do something about it. Hopefully he will make the good decisions here and help work with police too. Because he should be president when I go into that career field, so it will effect me as well. -Ibanez001
There are most certainly harsh flaws when mandatory sentencing is mentioned. Many people are just plain stupid and commit crimes knowing very well what they are doing, but some crimes should not be punished so harshly. Many men and women have been sentenced to life over charges that could have received a much shorter sentence. It is good that state and federal governments are seeing the issues and are raising voices. If we are able to somehow stop the recidivism rate from growing, while also handing out punishments justly, we really will be able to make a difference. There are other options other than incarceration. There are rehabilitative programs for those that do need the help. Depending on the crime committed, it might be much more beneficial to send someone into a rehabilitative program than to send someone to prison. Prison is suppose to be both punitive and rehabilitative, but the fact is, it just isn't. Justice needs to be served, but only to those who truly need it. Many people commit a crime, and many of those people that do commit crimes need to be harshly punished. They need the hammer to be brought down. But sometimes the law can seem to be too much and instead of changing someone for the good, they are only harming the person. agentp001
I thought it was interesting at the end of the article where Bill McCollum talked about returning to the Reagan and Bush administration policies. He mentioned examples like Boston's policing. This policing focused mainly on community policing. He is saying that it would be better to have cops back out on the streets, walking the "beats" and getting to know the community rather than be afraid in their own neighborhoods. He hopes to see that the focus will be on the black, Hispanic and minority communities, where help is needed the most. He believes that the best thing that President Trump can do is to prevent the crime in the first place, deter it, and then weed out those who are really the problem makers. I believe this too. I think that all we can do is hope for the best, hope the President Trump is good on his word and is willing to help the communities and bring the nation back together. He can do this by implementing community policing. Allowing the people the chance to open up to the police forces and for the police forces to do the same. Trust can be built again. Agentp002
It appears under the Obama Administration the prison system has had some possible reforms, and after a big clemency campaign by the former president, we can hope for the incarceration rates to decrease and therefore the prison population to slowly decrease. However, the new Trump Administration may have other plans however. It seems they might be taking a entirely different approach to the prison system. At least for men like Norman Brown, they get the opportunity for a second chance and hopefully more people will get the same respect. Long term sentencing can be effective statistically, but on a personal level it can mean the difference between having your life back or rotting away in prison. Ghost004
Norman Brown served twenty four years in jail for a non violent drug charge. He may not be a bad guy at all. Sentencing for drugs was always too excessive and over funded to the point where things just do not make sense. By giving these criminals long sentencing it does not give them a chance to show that they have turned their life around or that they are trying. We as a nation always doubt that criminals who are incarcerated can change and we say that they won't be anything more than a criminal. BY thinking like this the recidivism rate of inmates will go up. Many people have to realize that prisons do offer programs to help inmates, such as educational programs and rehabilitation programs. By lowering the overcrowding from jails and prisons this provides more safety for correctional officers as they are not majorly out numbered by the inmate population. This will also allow for the government to look into more serious crimes that have a larger impact on our society as a whole. BMW004
I completely and totally agree with your comments. Like my father always said people do what you expect them to do. If you have high expectations for someone they're going to reach them but if you have low expectations of someone they will reach them as well. I believe we as a people like you said should start thinking differently. No one is perfect everyone makes mistakes and people should not have to pay their whole life for one mistake. I believe that just like we can learn lessons living in the outside world they can as well in prison. Drug crime sentences are sometimes over extensive. I couldn't have said it better... It definitely takes the attention off of crimes that affect people more. Crimes that have victims that are not willing. EGM003
I didn't catch the name of the last guy that spoke but he is totally right. By that I mean everything is going to switch back to the way that it was. Just when the people were finally starting to see some change. The title to this article fits so well. Obama's era, even though he served two terms, it seems like it went by too fast. It was peaceful, but, you're always going to have danger somewhere nothing is perfect. Obama was truly a great president he said what he was going to do and he got in the office and he did it. I'm so glad to see how many people he granted clemency to. I think I was aware of like one or two cases but not that many. To me he was great because he did all that he has done and still found the time to think of others. I don't want to speak negatively about our new president because I don't want to hope for the worst but who knows. However so far his first impression hasn't been impressing. All I know is that he has some pretty big shoes to fill and I hope he does a good job at trying to.EGM003
Each president brings a whole new set of things they want done, so the last man speaking was right. Everything will just start over and go back to the way it was before the last president was in office. The fact that someone who sold drugs almost thirty years ago is still locked up isn't right. Everyone deserves another chance to better themselves. I think the common goal for all of the presidents is to stop the violent crimes and change the way the United States sentencing laws are handled. There should be mandatory minimum sentences, but the maximum for drug charges shouldn't be life without parole. Simple things like that could really change the prison system and life for nonviolent offenders.
The Obama administration, made several changes in the way police operate in the field by changing the federal guidelines for the way crake, and cocaine is being panelized by federal law enforcement Obama has also giving a lot of distraction into federal judges for them to decide what the penalties for a crime would be. What was also outstanding their have been less arrests during the Obama administration less arrests for criminal offesnses. I also agree with the PBS report that the cities that are dangerous have been declared as more dangerous. I think its also a benefit that cities with such a massive amounts of people as New York city crime rates have dropped after the new rise crime in other areas. The way The Trump adminstraction I think having less officers that are afired in the face of their duties would make for a more unqie police force compared to the fear officers may face in their day to day responseability Also by having a more community poiceing approach to our current approach which is distant from the community this will cause less tension between police and the community as a whole. Eagle001
ReplyDeleteThere can be no doubt there there are some harsh flaws when it comes to mandatory sentencing, and I like the fact that local governments and the federal government are recognizing the issues. Quickly removing the high recidivism rates from the equation, we can see that prisons are quite literally overflowing with prisoners and jails even more so. Rehabilitative programs that do happen to exist show a high potential for positive human progression for many inmates. Not all, of course, but there can be no mistake that many people are being served an injustice in the system of justice. The Florida Attorney General, Bill, doesn't so much agree that criminal justice isn't in the need of a reform that promotes a more discretionary sentencing system. And while I agree that the Obama Administration should place a good effort on the bolstering of police forces and the support of the morale in light of recent events, I think he couldnt be more wrong in the idea that we shouldn't focus the discretion in a mandatory sentencing system. This will boost the economical state of the people released, as well as the facilities and personnel that run them. Even federal appointed judges, according to this story, will say that they would have chosen a different sentence if the law had allowed it. While I am firm advocate for justice, and certainly not coddling with regards to justice, I'm also an advocate for fairness and second chances if it is within moral standards. JAY002
ReplyDeleteI agree with what you said about still believing in justice being served. I also think that if you do the crime, you pay the time. But in some cases, the law may be too much and be a little "overkill". If someone is thought of to be truly a better and changed person who is not going to go back to their old ways before jail, then they should be considered to be released early. Blackhawks001
DeleteI believe in correcting the gap that we currently have between the federal government and the public that I agree that recognizing that the harsh flaws of mandatory sentencing are ruining lives creating a gap between the public and law enforcement. The Obama Administration has done an extermly good effort in repairing the gaps that policy makers have had in the criminal justice system by placing guidelines for federal offices to follow. Having a way for rehiblitioning for those individuals can also make for a better more positive change in society as this would allow people to correct wrongs. This will also help for the offender to fix holes that would have been in the heart of the victim effected by the crime. Eagle002
DeleteI like how you wrote about justice being served as well, as the comment above mine said. I think that when someone does a crime, a consequence should be given, of course. Even though a crime should be punished, i do also believe that some punishments are a bit overboard as far as sentences go. When individuals show true change and trust while in prison, i believe they should be considered with benefits. Whether that is rehabilitation, probation, or early release. Not everyone is monsters and people do bad things. I believe it is a learning process. behappy001
Deletei completely agree with your opinions on the Obama administration. I like the fact that Obama had pardoned many people out of prison in the last 8 years but sometimes i think he had overdone it to an extent. RM001
DeleteI agree with you when yousaid moral standards. I believe thats what criminal justice is all about. Having morals and going about those morals until it takes you great places. It is not very moral to sentence people who are non violent offenders or only to self harming crimes. The ones who pose a threat to society are the violent and aggressive ones.
DeleteKlick61
Obama has his priorities set straight at least. He realizes that in the past the criminal justice system was wasting it's time trying to get tough on drugs. As the article states, a man was locked up for nearly 25 years due to distributing a controlled substance to the public. That is a huge waste of resources and funding. So he released him along with plenty of other drug offenders who do not need to be incarcerated any longer. Obama was also really big on preventing people from living in poverty. Poverty is one of the biggest reasons as to why people commit crime. Eliminating things such as that will also help decrease crime rates and prison population numbers. In the past couple decades, policing has changed quite a bit from "get tough on crime" to "get tough on drugs" to "community based policing". I am sure a missed a few in there but the point being, with policing being more community oriented and cooperative people will show a decrease in crime. In order to derive people from turning to crime, Obama must figure out a way to make everyone happy with they way their life is. Unfortunately, that is not possible at the moment, but programs and administrations that Obama has created is a great start. Bry001
ReplyDeleteObama has done a very good job in trying to make right the wrongs of the past criminal justice system that incarcerated many people who had committed minor offenses for very long prison sentences. Although this is a small step forward towards making a change, it is the right step towards making a big change in our criminal justice system. Many people have been given life in prison sentences for committing minor drugs crimes that should not have even warranted them double digit year prison sentences. As far as preventing crime goes, being poor and living in poverty does add a lot of stress to one's life, enough stress to make them want to commit crimes. If we could help more people out of poverty, we could essentially help the crime rate and crime itself decrease. Pack001
DeleteI can't say I totally agree with you on the Obama thing. It seems to me, that he has taken a very biased look at our criminal justice system. He offers no support to law enforcement, whether that be funding, or just verbal support. When big cases have come out, or large incidents involving law enforcement, it seems that he is quick to side with the opposition to law enforcement, rather than have their back. Now yes, there have been some cases in which law enforcement clearly handled something wrong, but he has taken that "law enforcement is in the wrong" approach with almost all of these events. I think if he showed a little more support to the law enforcement community, he would be on a better track. -OKC001
DeleteI found many very interesting facts throughout the course of this video. I definitely believe that there are many flaws in some sentencing cases. For example in the video when the Judge stated that they would have given a shorter sentence if the law allowed it but it didn't. In those cases I think that over a substantial amount of time that the inmate should be evaluated and if they are thought to have proved themselves as truly being rehabilitated and capable of being a productive member of society then they should be given the chance to be released. I do believe in being punished for crimes someone has chosen to commit, but I also do think that second chances can do more good rather than extensive punishment and not giving anyone another chance to start over and make things right. For example, the man in the video was released and he is now speaking as a mentor to other released inmates and younger kids who may be at risk or do not weigh the potential outcomes and how they will effect their lives. Another point that I found very interesting was when they spoke about the crime rate in the US. They mentioned how low the crime rate was, but then stand that if you asked some areas where crime has been high, you would get a different answer. In Chicago for example, they would say that crime has been extremely high this past year. The speaker then stated that crime has dropped in most areas, but in the areas where crime has been high, it has gotten higher. I believe that the more programs that we get started to help specific at risk youths to make right decisions, the more progress we will see in the future to lowering the crime rate. Blackhawks001
ReplyDeleteBy tieing judges hands with sentencing guidelines this limits how effective our punishment system should be which can make for a nonviolent offender to serve a harsh sentence because those are the federal guidelines for which the crime should be penalized for. I also agree that by giving a second allowing this person to change can overall create a better society because someone will not be labeled as a criminal but has the opportunity to turn their live around in a positive direction. I agree by having the youth juveniles to make the right choices and good decision I believe they will pass this on to their kids and their families which will help promote positive impact behavior. Eagle001
DeleteThere are many instances within our criminal justice system where the punishments handed down upon those with their "third strike" can be very extreme and often times unnecessarily harsh. In any instance, we must take the proper steps in order to keep our communities and country safe from criminals and repeat offenders. In instances like those explained in the video where a criminal who has had his "third strike" will always be sentenced to life with no parole can sometimes be a little bit of overkill, especially if the crime they committed as their third strike is a minor offense. What president Obama has done by pardoning those from their life-long prison sentences for minor crimes is a step in the right direction towards a fairer and more just criminal justice system. Another issue to note is that of the high crimes in some cities across the nation. Although the crime rate has been steadily dropping over the years, there are many communities where crime is still a major problem. With more programs educate the youth and more people like Norman Brown to volunteer his time to help them understand would be very beneficial not only to the community effected but all communities around our nation. Pack001
ReplyDeleteI agree with this. So many are handed those life sentences even for a minor third strike. This is a step in the right direction because maybe it will show these types of offenders that second or even third chances are given to help you change your life around. Ciaccio001
DeleteI agree with what you said about education and using programs to essentially deter youth before they even start. It's not just drugs it's any crime in the system that needs reform on how we educate and how we sentence. Education can go a long way inside prisons as well. But that also only helps with individuals are allowed to show through release their progress. Hopefully the new administration also continues the efforts towards a more well educated and less tough on crime type of system. Marras002
DeleteI agree with you for the most part; however, a third strike is a third strike, whether it is a major or minor offense. If someone has already had three chances to clean up their act, then they do not deserve a fourth. If someone has shown no effort to stop their criminal acts after three offenses, then it is very obvious that jail time is the only punishment that will suffice. When these offenders are locked up, then there won’t even be a chance of them dealing drugs or what have you. Spending life in prison may be a little excessive, depending on the offense; however, we need to remember how times were back when the men in the video were sentenced. Dealing drugs was a bigger problem in the 80’-90’s than it is now, and we have to understand that those who sentenced the offenders were looking out for the best interest of the safety of our people. Purple003
DeleteI agree that what they did to Norman Brown was a harsh punishment. His time spent in prison he was not able to see his children grow up and the death of his parents. Him having a second chance and being an example to the kids, in the juvenile detention center, that if they keep doing what they do. They might not get a second chance like he did. coutinho004
DeleteThe Obama administration has been non-stop attacking the police force since he got in office. To say they are reforming the criminal justice system is absurd. Am I the only one that sees how biased this article is? “I’m joined now by Wesley Lowery. He’s a reporter for The Washington Post who won a Pulitzer Prize for his work on policing, and he’s the author of the book “They Can’t Kill Us All.””- PBS. “They can’t kill us all.” Since Obama has gotten in office we have seen some of the worst race relations in U.S. history. Police officers don’t want to shoot anybody. Shooting somebody is a heavy burden to take, but if someone is shot by an officer most of the time it was justifiable. It doesn’t help that when someone gets shot by the police some news channels don’t wait for the facts and immediately say it was a cop that shot a black guy. Or sometimes the same news channels will cherry pick the facts they want to report instead of the whole truth. Paddle001
ReplyDeleteI don't necessary agree with how the Obama administration has been attacking the police force, because Obama has helped a bit. I do believe that certain departments needing changes though. During some of the racial riots that have happened, some police officers have shot innocent people, and I feel like they wanted to just to get away with it and say it was self defense, so I don't agree with some officers not wanting to shoot people. Not all officers are bad. I trust police. Just some of them aren't the best, and you'll get a few of those that aren't as serious about it. stlblues001
DeleteI completely agree with Bill McCullum in this video interview. President Obama throughout his eight years in office has done nothing to help law enforcement do their jobs better, and in most cases has stifled the work they are doing. Now that being said, I do agree with the federal government telling departments where they need to make changes. If I were to say that our criminal justice system, including police departments didn't need reform I would be lying. Sentences being handed out for drug charges are too harsh in my opinion, and I do believe it is why we are in a state of mass incarceration today. We trust judges to make sentencing decisions, and I believe if we get rid of the high “minimal” sentences attached to these drug charges, we can make great strides in shrinking our bloated prison population. That being said, I am torn on whether or not I agree with President Obama’s use of mass clemency. As the expert in the video said, recidivism rates are anywhere between 50 and 75 percent. To me, that is just too high a number to just release these men and women back into the community knowing that two or three out of four of them are going to commit a crime again. -OKC001
ReplyDeleteDid you have an idea on how he could help them to be able to do their jobs as best they can? As McCullum also said in the video, the president and federal government don't have that much to do with local police departments, of course on some level they do but for the most part a local police department stands on its own. I'm not sure if I would describe it as mass clemency either, President Obama received upwards of 30,000 requests fro clemency and only granted around 1,500. This sounds like a large number but keep in mind these are most likely petty drug offenses that got sentenced 20+ years ago when we were in the middle of the cocaine rush. And at the rate we incarcerate and the amount it costs to house inmates I don't think granting clemency to 1,500 cases of petty crimes that have already been incarcerated for decades is that bad. Yes, recedivism rates are awful, but who's more likely to go back to their old ways? A guy who's only been off the streets a few months or someone who's been out of the life for 20+ years. The younger sentence still knows the street life, still has connections etc. It would be a lot harder for someone who's been out of the game that long tot jump right back in. Still possible, but harder.
Delete-Hootie002
I agree that President Obama has not done anything to help law enforcement perform better, except for that he is trying to reduce prison population rates which makes it easier for those working in corrections. I also believe Obama should consult the judges who sentenced the criminals he (Obama) is releasing. Times are changing and the system is shifting towards lighter sentences for drug offenders, but I believe judges gave drug offenders that sentence for a reason. It is important that we lower our prison population rate safely. Recidivism rates are too high; it looks like the criminal justice system is starting to focus on rehabilitation. Scuba002
DeleteI strongly agree with you, OKC001. I do not think President Obama made any efforts to back the officers that serve and protect every day on the streets. The criminal justice system is definitely not perfect, but not having the support of the President for the last eight years has definitely not helped out the situation at all. As far as the clemency goes, I am fine with granting clemency to those who have committed drug offenses and are serving extreme sentences for the small crime they have committed.
Deletegh_blackhawks002
I agree OKC001, Obama has not done much to help our criminal justice system. Probably the most help he has done is give clemency to all these prisoners which will make for a lower number of prisoners, but that is about it. I feel like as president a huge goal would be to have the best criminal justice system you can, but that's just me. zmw001
DeleteI do understand that the length of sentencing for some crimes are fairly extensive but what do people think is going to happen if you continue to commit a felony over and over again. For the first guy, Norman Brown, he is almost complaining that he was in prison although he continue to sell drugs after getting caught twice and is upset because the third time was life in prison. I don’t know what the other lengths of times are for his other sentences was but it sounds to me that if he hadn’t got this life imprisonment than he wouldn’t have been this “changed” man. He says they he didn’t think that he would get more than 15 years, so was this man going to continue to sell drugs and get caught until he received his 15 years in prison even so 15 years in prison you would still be unable to watch your children grow and more than likely be unable to see some love ones before they pass away so how can he or anyone else be upset at these kind things if you don’t show any kind of improvement from the first incarceration you can’t be given any kind a benefit of the doubts. And I agree with Bill McCollum when he seems to kinda emphasize that needs to be a minimum mandatory sentence. If someone commits a crime especially a felony of sorts they need to do a mandatory time without any kind of early release. ACE001
ReplyDeleteSometimes the system can be flawed in how they hand down punishments to repeat offenders, however in this you do make a very good point in the fact that he kept selling drugs and doing illegal things. With many instances though, the lifetime sentences can be very unreasonable for the crime they committed as their "third strike". I agree with the fact that there should a minimum mandatory sentence for some crimes because if the person committing the crime goes to jail for the minimum time, this may cause them to realize their mistake and stop them from committing the same crime again. This could help deter repeat offenders and save many people from life long sentences. Pack002
DeleteLess time for investigators will be focused on just on finding not every issue or mistake that may happen with that individual but to be able to investigate on the major crimes that have such a prolong effect on society. The Obama Administration also recognized that the federal guidelines are causing more problems into our society. By lowering the overcrowding from jails and prisons this provides more safety for correctional officers as they are not majorly out numbered by the inmate population. This will also allow for the government to look into more serious crimes that have a larger impact on our society as a whole. I also agree with the view point in the video that changes in the presidency could effect police as a whole This would be a positive change as a possible change was mentioned in the video of law enforcement going from scared to confident in the way they perform their jobs on a day to day basic. Giving more power to judges will also mean once evidence relives the mindset of the person to decide what would be most beneficial for society as a whole. Also with facts the video spoke of when mentioning that New York City's crime rate dropped could be investigated to understand the causes and then apply New York Cities crime control model into other bigger cities inside of the US. Eagle002
ReplyDeleteMandatory Minimums have always been an issuse especially when it comes to those minor drug offenses. It is great that Obama was able to see the flaw in the system and try and correct it. Over-crowding is a huge issuse as well and when prisons become over populated that puts alot more stress not only on the facilty but the staff at that facilty as well. I think that this is a step in the right direction but will it last is my only concern. Being that I am getting into this career field I want to know what changes are going to be made and stuck with to insure not only the safety of correctional personel but inmates as well (imates are people too regardless of crime committed). Ciaccio001
ReplyDeleteI agree with you it is a step in the right direction for the criminal justice system. To finally helping make it easier for everyone. Even for the people running the prisons.People should not stay in prison for that long for a drug offences. If they are charged with a drug offence they should be helped not sent to prison.adelle002
DeleteInvestigators will not have to spend as much time investigating the minor drug cases that they often have to spend lots of time on when they are doing their job. From one point of view one might argue that Obama has pardoned the people that investigators may have spent a lot of time investigating and finding evidence against them for their trial. One might that this time that they spent on those trials of the people who have been pardoned may seem like wasted time that they could have been spending on other investigations. For the most part I believe that is not the case because in this field of work there is no time that can be wasted, nothing that we do is a waste. People in the system continue to work hard and protect their communities and the people within them. As far as pardoning those who were very harsh sentences for very minor crimes goes, I believe that what president Obama has is a step in the right direction for making right the wrongs our federal government has made in the past, and work towards a more understanding criminal justice system. Doing this will help the system gain a more positive image within the people which will always be helpful to those who work within the system. Pack002
ReplyDeleteI believe Obama is doing good by granting more clemency commutation requests, especially when it comes to petty drug crimes. Having taken a previous corrections course with Dr. White I've learned that petty drug crimes makes up the charges for the majority of inmates in the prison system. Back in the 80's and early 90's when the cocaine rush was in full throttle people buying and selling the drug were getting the maximum time that a judge could impose. So now we have men and women sitting in prison looking at 25 years plus like Mr. Brown did. In today's day and age we're looking at heroin instead of cocaine. The difference is that now instead of throwing the heroin dealers and users in prison for maximum time we are sending them to drug courts, giving them less time and giving more probations and mandatory rehabilitation programs than the harsh sentences formerly imposed. According to the U.S. bureau of statistics, in the last 40 years incarceration rates have increased at rates of up to 500% even though crime rates are decreasing nationally. This doesn't make any sense at first until we realize that although crimes are decreasing and less people may be going in, they're going in on top of the many inmates that are stuck there for 25 to life. It makes sense that the first people to be eligible for commutation are the inmates in for petty drug crimes.
ReplyDeleteHootie002
As mentioned in the article, Norman Brown believed he would not get more than 15 years in prison for selling drugs. The punishment for crimes should be made known better; criminals act when they perceive the rewards of committing the crime is greater than the punishment of the crime. Hari Sreenivasan said, “Even the judge who sentenced him to life sent a letter to the president saying he would have imposed a shorter sentence if the law had allowed it.” It is difficult to find the perfect balance between laws and use of discretion. The statistic that the U.S. is 5% of the world’s population but holds 20% of the world’s prisoners reflects our tough on crime laws. It is insane that the Department of Justice argues that police departments are violating the civil rights of its residence due to traffic stops. Traffic stops are part of policing. It’s strange to me that Wesley Lowery stated, “The Obama years are some of the most peaceful years in American history as it relates to crime.” Chicago just had an insanely high homicide rate for the year 2016. Lowery further states that the majority of the country has become safer, but he does not state any facts to prove this is indeed a true statement. Scuba002
ReplyDeleteI think it is great that the federal government is realizing the consequences they are putting on prisoner's life. If course some people deserve their harsh sentences 100%. For murder, rape, and all crimes of the like. I do also believe that drug sentencing can be changed a little though as far as time. As the PBS broadcast states, Norman Brown was in federal prison for for 24.5 years for selling drugs in Washington, D.C., specifically six counts of distributing cocaine. This being his third count, he had life without parole. President Obama made an impact as far as decreasing the inmate population in federal prisons since the 1960s. The interview says that the judge who sentenced Brown to life sent a letter to the president saying he would have imposed a shorter sentence if the law had allowed it. This just goes to show that not everyone is monsters and that when possible, different actions should be able to take place. When someone is charged for drugs, he should be allowed rehabilitation to better him or herself. Most of the time these people are addicted and without the proper help will live in a cycle of letdown and hurt, most likely resulting in prison time or death. It is important to shine a spotlight on these sentencing and for the federal government, prisons, courts and corrections come up with a plan to help these people instead of throwing them behind bars with no chance to better. behappy001
ReplyDeleteYes. I do believe that some sentences for prisoners are longer then they should be sometimes and with that being said granting clemency for some prisoners is a good thing. I am a strong believe that people can change mad make their life better even after being in trouble with the law so many times. You can not continue to punish someone for what they did in the pass. Many prisoners do change while they are incarcerated. As stated in the article Mr.Brown did not know that he would get as many years as he did. By giving these criminals long sentencing it does not give them a chance to show that they have turned their life around or that they are trying. We as a nation always doubt that criminals who are incarcerated can change and we say that they won't be anything more than a criminal. BY thinking like this the recidivism rate of inmates will go up. Many people have to realize that prisons do offer programs to help inmates, such as educational programs and rehabilitation programs. I do agree that if you have committed a felony that you be giving a minimum sentence that you have to serve and should not be able to get out early because of good time or anything else. I believe this because as an adult you know right from wrong. And you shouldn't be able to get release early just because you have been good and "learned your lesson". As an adult you should have to serve the minimum sentience because you committed the crime knowing the consequences so you should at least serve the minimum time. So on some parts I do believe what President Obama did was good and helped many people get the second chance that they deserved, but I also believe that all inmates do not deserve this chance. Hawk001
ReplyDeleteI agree that some prisoners do deserve clemency, but I do not believe that just because someone has been locked up for a long time means they deserve to get out, simply because they served a lot of time already. Cliche, but if you do the crime, you can do the time. It's very simple, and I realize everyone has heard that saying a hundred times, but it remains true.
Deletegh_blackhawks001
Obama in my opinion was the best president I've lived to see so far. He might have brought up the national debt more than any other president but I believe his charisma and public relations has excelled us as a nation. He really loved to pardon people from prison who didn't deserve to be locked up anyways but he seemed to over do it from time to time. I understand that the people who don't deserve prison time shouldn't get it but you can't really just be letting people out at that rate. but besides those facts i can really say Barack Obama has done wonders for this country and I dont think anyone can tell me otherwise. RM001
ReplyDeleteThere is only so much one person can do. Even harder for them when they only have so little time to make sure a big change. He can't help that others wouldn't help and make these changes also. Pie001
DeleteAfter the recent election, I’ve heard so many rude comments about how “Obama never did anything for us.” This article explains what he did for the Criminal Justice System. While some people don’t agree with the things he did while in office, I didn’t mind him. I like how he helped out the system by releasing some people from prison early because they were in there for drugs. He realized being in prison all of your life for a drug charge that happened 26 years ago isn’t necessary. Which I agree, and think it’s just more funding. I do agree with the PBS report that cities are becoming more dangerous. stlblues001
ReplyDeleteIn the article, it explains how Obama has helped the Criminal Justice System by releasing or shortening the sentences of those in prison for drug charges. By doing so, he’s cut funding and leaving some space in the prisons. In the article, Norman Brown thought he wouldn’t get more than 15 years, but yet he got more. Yes, selling drugs is illegal, but maybe some of the people in prison did it only to provide for their families, that they no longer can see because of such long sentences. Not everyone was addicted to drugs. I don’t think everyone caught with drugs should be sentenced in prison for over 20 years. I read another article before on how a man was in jail for 20+ years just for selling a pot brownie. I think it’s ridiculous how some people are sentenced, but I’m glad Obama stepped in to help the criminal justice system. stlblues002
ReplyDeleteI agree with you, that we should not waste our resource jailing small and petty drug charges. I Believe that we should be looking for alternatives to get this people help. Some people want to change their life but do not have the support from the government like they should. so instead of throwing them in jail their should be an alternative to it.
Deleteevo001
I also agree with you that Obama has helped the criminal justice system. Shortening the sentences for a minor drug crime can be a good thing. Wasting funding on one person that made a mistake by having drugs on them should have to spend the rest of their life in jail. Incarceration rates are finally dropping and hopefully they continue to drop while staying at a respectable level. The sentencing needed to be change and we're finally getting that change. Obama has helped a good amount rather rather than hurt it. Mustang003
DeletePresident Obama was remarkable president that we ever had. While he was in office our crime rates have went down tremendously in some areas. From reading this article, it shows how Obama helped fix the criminal justice system and how he fixed the economy as a whole. I personally think crime went down a bit because Obama was in office and he understood people in society to build a relationship with them. As the guy in the video said, recidivism rates are anywhere between 50 and 75 percent. Which is pretty good from where it use to be at the end of 2015 and the beginning of 2016. Since trump is in office now I personally think a lot of things in the criminal justice system is going to change. I don't know if its going to be bad or worse but it most likely won't be good.-NIKE001
ReplyDeleteMr.Obama was able to improve and change many thing that where wrong with our criminal justice system. he was able to stop mandatory jailing and gave the judges the ability to use their discretion. this will allow the judge to get that person the help that they need. This will also help lower the major overflow of inmates in our jails. He is also believed that we shouldn't be wasting all funding on locking small drug charges up. He believed that their should be another way to deal with this people. by doing this Mr.Obama was able to able to start to close the gap between the people and the government. I hope in the future that we can continue to keep improving our criminal justice system. i am also glade that Obama was able to see some mistakes that the system had made and corrected them. He was able to give people their life's back because of it.
ReplyDeleteevo001
No President is perfect, but throughout the last eight years, I think that Obama has hurt the criminal justice system. We have seen a lot of rioting and bashing of the criminal justice system, saying that there is racial and ethnic bias throughout the system. This is true, partially. Of course, there are some bad cops, or judges, or lawyers out there that are biased, whether it is intended or implicit bias. I do not think Obama backed up the men and women that are out there each day protecting our safety, in fact I think that he almost backed the rioters in some of the cases that we have seen over the last five years or so. With a new President about to take office, I am hoping that we will see the opposite in this sense. Trump is not perfect either, but he has expressed a lot of trust in officers and placed importance upon law and order within the communities throughout the United States. I am not pleased with the last eight years, especially when it comes to how our law enforcement officers have been portrayed and represented by the Presidential administration.
ReplyDeletegh_blackhawks001
I do agree with you on no president is perfect, and yes president Obama may have hurt the criminal justice system in a few different ways. However there is something that needs to be taken into consideration and that is the fact that its not just one persons part here. There are many circumstances and people that have to be taken into consideration in this. for instance, the police force itself and the officers as well need to really be conscious about how they are approaching their tactics. it takes a trust betweent the community and the law enforcement officers in order to have effective policing. The president also has a big role behind this too because if the president acts on something that may not seem fair to a community or society then it could blow back into a law enforcement agencies face.
DeleteHSP001
I too would like to see the respect and thankfulness for our boys in blue restored as a entity of protection and service to the communities they serve. I feel these last 8 years have portrayed the extremely negative actions of a few, with the focus on racial biases versus the whole picture of crime, what police officers deal with on a daily bases, and how racial tension affects ALL races. steel001
DeleteThe criminal justice system has stayed a float because of President Obama. Obama has done more than he could ever imagine, than what previous presidents done. President Obama has set his main focus on releasing offenders and shorting sentences for offenders who deserve it. In result of that he received much more respect from people. As for incarceration rates it all depends in how much discretion is used on a offender. -NIKE002
ReplyDeletei totally agree. the respect he has earned over the years is undeniable. he has done great things for inmates around the prison systems. RM002
DeleteI'm with you on this because it's not just his fault if things aren't going just perfect. He can only do so much when the whole country is watching his every move. Pie002
DeleteThis was a very intriguing video involving the Obama administration and what he has done during his presidency. With Obama giving pardons, granting clemency, and reducing criminals sentences it has some what helped in my eyes. By giving these people a second chance and letting them prove their selves can be a very risky tactic yet can very well be rewarding. Like stated in the video a lot of these people have a certain talent that society needs and if left locked up in jail for years on end then they are simply wasting. A lot of these criminals were not given the chance to be shown down the right path. Another subject regarding Obama was how during his presidency some of the lowest crime rates in years have been seen. I agree with this statement to a certain extent. Yes, crime rates may be lower in certain places like they mentioned (New York). However that doesn't mean the same goes for a place like Chicago. and that reason being is the demographics of the city and or place the statistics are being looked at. One thing I would like to see president elect Donald Trump do is get the officers back out on the street and make encourage them to build a trust with the community.
ReplyDeleteHSP001
I agree with you. Obama was able to give people a second chance and many of us do need a second chance in life to prove that they can do something right. Many of these people that are being locked up for a life time, are being locked up at a young age so it is hard to make right decisions when one has a young mind. bball001
DeleteI believe in second chances, especially at life in general. Plus when a man worked so hard to piece his life back together in prison by teaching others and earning degrees in trade school; he showed in my eyes that he is a changed man. i agree that Obama's administration needed to put more effort into the system, but having him trying to piece it together before he leaves offices shows he care somewhat. by helping he did grant clemency, giving pardons, and help reducing sentences that shouldnt be so long and excessive. anpcougs002
DeleteIn this article it does bring up several good points about the time Obama spent in office and his effect on the United States Criminal Justice System. Overall, it shows the ignorance of this administration, in the fact that recidivism rate remains between 50-75%. This means that when prisoners get out in society that there might be a spike in crime ,due to so many being pardon and commuted. In this article they focused most on one person who benefitted from Obama's pardon, so you could also say it could be a little biased. Now that Trump is getting in office things will change, hopefully with lower recidivism rates and a better view of the criminal justice system. Obama often would send in Federal investigations due to public opinion, instead of leaving these matter to the state and local governments. This is somewhat an infringement on our state rights. steel001
ReplyDeleteJust like in the case of Norman Brown, who sold drugs, a life sentence is a little extreme for just a simple crime. A crime is a crime, but I do not think that it is proper that the law requires such an extreme and harsh sentence. I think that calls for reform, and in that case, executive clemency is not unjust, in fact I think that is fair. I think we need to focus more on decreasing the incarceration rates that have been sky high. By changing the sentences on petty crimes, we will see less spending on inmates in prisons, and hopefully a decrease in the amount of prisoners locked up. I am hopeful that the new Presidential administration will make positive steps towards improving the criminal justice system.
ReplyDeletegh_blackhawks002
I agree that the Norman Brown case was extreme, but I think it is important to hold the sentences for petty crimes at where they are because deterrence is important. If there is not much of a punishment for petty crimes, the rate of those crimes will likely increase and get out of hand. Most petty crimes are misdemeanors instead of felonies, so that does not affect the prison population rate. Executive clemency is fair; I believe it should be done by case-to-case. The incarceration rate has been high; it is important to find a balance between being able to control the prison population rate and being able to deter crime. Scuba004
DeleteThis article says that there is a recidivism rate of 50-75%. This is very high and demonstrates the lack of good rehabilitation in our prison systems. I feel Obama should have focused more on this than on pushing his own agenda and pardoning people based on a law he felt was incorrect or in just. As president, he should have worked at getting laws pushed through Congress, that would have changed the laws he felt were unnecessary, instead of only pardoning those who are effected by the law. Our recidivism rates are demonstrating that most criminals are NOT learning from their mistakes their first time around. Banshee002
ReplyDeleteI agree with you on that one Banshee002. Giving people who have committed relatively minor crimes a second chance can be a good thing, but only if it is done right and if the people learn. Rayder004
Deletemandatory sentencing can be an extremely tough thing to deal with but with the obama administration he has done wonders to the criminal justice system. shortening sentences and pardoning the innocent is just a few things barack obama has done in attempt to patch up the broken pieces that is the US criminal justice system. the steps president obama has made over these 2 terms towards the criminal justice system are leaps and bounds ahead of previous presidents and i think the court prison and police systems will be very grateful of him for years to come due to this. RM002
ReplyDeleteI think president Obama is right about giving some people clemency just because some people deserve a second chance at life.I think people who have been in prison for that long of time change for the better. The police have charged some people with drugs excessively and some others not so much who have done the same thing as them. And president Obama has figured that out and is doing right by those people who are not shown as violent. Also with him granting clemency to people it brings down the coast of prisons that the warden have to keep up with.Therefore brings the state out of debut.adelle002
ReplyDeleteObama administration I believe needed to have more control on the Criminal Justice system. The man that was sentenced to life without parole for selling crack in Washington DC made zero sense to me. Even though that man was sentenced in the late 80s when Obama wasn't in office. But back then, selling cocaine was a huge problem. That is why during that time the law was so strict about it. also for a man to just sell drugs is something so simple it doesn't need to be as harsh as it was for life. With Obama giving pardons, granting clemency, and reducing criminals sentences it has some what helped. But to those that are stuck in prison for the same crimes, when will they be released? Time could only tell. I feel like this is one of Obama's last hoorays during his presidency, is to help somewhat fix the criminal justice system. anpcougs002
ReplyDeleteOffering leniency on non-violent crime to help reduce prison population sounds like a decent policy, if done correctly. On one hand, cases like Brown show that former criminals can learn to become contributing members of society, but on the other, many criminals will re-offend. Reducing the minimum mandatory sentences for crimes would reduce the burden on prisons, but criminals would have less motivation to avoid committing the crime in the first place. It's possible that few would try to turn themselves around, without the threat of a life sentence over a relatively minor non-violent crime. Mentioned elsewhere in the article is that the United States contains over 20% of the world's prison population, despite being only 5% of the world population. From this, and the reforms Obama was pushing for, it seems as if he believes that our policies against crime are too harsh. Whether its being too picky about what crimes we punish, or the length of time is not mentioned. While reducing the punishments for certain drug crimes would help with the prison population issue, it wouldn't help free up investigators much, as they would still need to determine how severe the crime is. Overall, the reforms have a good intention, but possibly not the best execution, as of yet. - Green002
ReplyDeleteI agree with your statement. Even though selling drugs is still a crime, i do not think someone should be serving a life time from it. By this video showing that a man made a mistake and has now missed his entire family growing up, not only does it affect him as a father, but it affects the children because they are now growing up without a father. Since this is a non-violent crime, i do believe that the sentence should decrease. bball002
DeleteI couldn't agree with you more. Non violent crimes don't need a super strict sentence. By reducing certain sentences this can help the jail by saving money on funding while letting people live their lives. As long as they can keep this policy working in good shape and not completely mess it up, it should work well. This can give prisoners positive outlook and make a change in their own life. Mustang 004
DeleteI think non violent offenses like drug offenses should get more lenient sentences, that is probably one of the best polices that have been made. Locking someone up for years that was possibly a working member of society for a non violent crime is ludicrous. That person who was possibly a member in society could very easily turn into a true criminal just by serving time in prison with actual criminals. I The statistic that shows that there have been less arrests since Obama took office shocks me. With all the hype about prison population. the fact that the U.S holds the worlds prison population at 20% is outrageous, but when a nation has so many freedoms they are also going to have a great deal of mistakes. Obama's polices could very well do great things, they could also not do so well based on the way they are carried out and enforced.
ReplyDelete#Klick61
You have a very good point. Giving more leniency to the prison sentences put against certain offenses could pay off in promoting a better society and economy as well as reducing the number of people's lives being locked away. However, all good things can go wrong. There is also to be a consideration of those who are perhaps getting let loose due to the new regimes and that leading to said individuals not really deserving it. It's a risky endeavor, but it could pay of super well.
DeleteI am actually really glad to see this video. To see that individuals like the Brown case have a second chance at correcting and doing what is right for themselves and family. I believe people may think of it as if someone incarcerated for a drug crime is only going to go out and do it again if given a second change. Brown proved many wrong and I'm glad to see that he's educating the youth and making his negative actions have a positive impact in the long run. I do agree that Browns sentencing was overly exaggerated and overwhelming for his actions but all that matters now is that he came out a better person and seemed to learn from that one mistake. Kt001
ReplyDeleteBarack Obama said in the video himself the title of President gives him a great deal of ability to change the way we practice criminal justice and his influence. Mandatory guidelines have in the past hurt how we criminalize those for drug offenses, making individuals spend such a long time in prison when it was unnecessary. The video promoted the fact that even a judge said had that not been their practice and law that some of those given a mandatory sentence would have otherwise received a less harsh punishment. The reform of the Criminal Justice System has been on a positive improvement since Obama has taken office. If it isn't our goal to decrease the prison population, and sentence fairly than what are our goals? I think this is exactly what Obama had spent his time doing when it came to the prison population by his pardons and clemency he allowed for a positive change in our prison population, decreasing the amount of time someone has to spend in prison for a sentence given to them when the system was more flawed. In the video this referenced if Obama is taking credit for something he didn't really come up with or finish, I don't personally believe that is the case. I think Obama has taken on the task of continuing to better our system and use his power when he could to influence the rest of the nation. Have we created a significant dent? Probably not. But we are working towards a common goal. If this momentum does not continue then yes it seems like this is possibly the end of the incline we have been on. Crime rates have been increasing especially lately with how much publicity has been showing us the public shootings and terrorist attacks, but it is the new administration who will prove if the improvement ended with Obama rather than got itself going with him. Marras002
ReplyDeleteI agree that Obama has definitely given our country momentum and has led us into a more positive direction. I believe that second chances will always be important. Rehabilitating those who have been granted clemency should be something Americans can be proud of. Obama's Administration has restored hope for these individuals. Instead of knocking the idea of clemency, I think we should embrace and support it. I really hope that the Trump administration can prove a lot of us Americans wrong and continue us onto an even greater path than the one Obama has set us on. Peanut003
DeleteThis video shows how Obama has given many people second chances to do something right and to make up for things they have done in the past. According to Psychologists, one's brain is not fully developed until the age of 25, therefore, this means that there is room for a person to make an un-rational decision at a young age. Most of the people who have committed non-violent crimes have done so while still at a young age and they have to live up to the consequences for a life time. I do think that with non-violent crimes, people should get a second chance. If a second chance is given, then we will really see who has learned their lesson and who hasn't. If there is one that is a multiple offender, then it is more reasonable to give him/her a longer sentence, versus a first time offender. bball001
ReplyDeleteThis article told about how Barack Obama granted clemency to about thirteen hundred prisoners, in turn freeing up a lot of space in the prisons. This could be viewed two different ways. One of the ways being that what he did was good. Some of these people have been sentenced for a very long time just for possessing or selling drugs, which is kind of stupid. This also frees up space in our already over crowded prisons. On the other hand, people can look at it as Obama just released all these criminals back into the streets and we have no real way of knowing if they will go back to their old ways or not.
ReplyDeleteWhatever the solution may be, I am confident that our nation will find the answer. zmw002
I agree that it is unreasonable for someone to be incarcerated for ridiculous amounts of time for non-violent drug offenses. It would be great to see more rehabilitation programs put in our prison systems to reduce the chances of recidivism by the offender and possibly putting the public at risk. CAE004
DeleteI agree with Obama for choosing to give some people a second chance on doing things right and not committing a crime. As shown in the video, a man missed out on his entire child's life because he was locked up and behind bars. Not only is it hard for the father to sit behind bars knowing he has children growing up with out a father, but it is hard for a child to grow up with out that father figure in their life. I do think people deserve a second chance to do things right. It's hard to take back a mistake one made at a young age, but as time goes on, many people begin to mature and understand right from wrong. bball002
ReplyDeleteIf the parents want to be in the children's life, maybe they should have thought about that before committing the crime they did. Once that child was born, the childish games should have went away. People do deserve second chances, but those chances should not happen after the kid come in the picture. hotfox003
DeletePresident Obama promised in the beginning that he would make efforts to shine some light on the problems facing the incarceration system and the criminal justice system. It really is a brilliant idea. I wonder if that is why our classes focus on it as much as they do. Anyways, there are many ways to get the problems in a system to be publisized. Obama's way is very effective. Giving a bunch of people a second chance is amazing, and I am sure that most of them absolutely deserved the break. A second chance at life is a pretty big step towards seeing the bright side of the world again. Obama's efforts seemed to have worked, as our education today is clearly showing us that our system is flawed and we need a fix for it. - AJC001
ReplyDeleteI agree with the idea of granting clemency to nonviolent drug offenders, especially first time offenders. As stated in the video, The United States occupies roughly five percent of the world's population, yet as a country we have over twenty percent of the world's prisoners. I find this statistic to be outlandish and quite ridiculous frankly. Our prisons are flooded with people who, in my opinion, don't deserve to be there for such an extended time period. I commend President Obama and his administration for their determination and not letting Congress deter them from their goals.
ReplyDeleteTo shine light on the later half of the video, I wasn't too fond of Bill, however he did mention one thing that stuck out to me. Within the past two years, police have been have not been recognized in a positive manor. He somewhat knocks how the Obama Administration has taken a "civil rights" approach in implementing change. I'm not sure if I disagree with the statement, but I do support those who have raised their voices against our judicial system and its enforcers. Peanut003
I am all for people having a second chance in life, but the moment people say it is better for the father and kids to know each other. I could not agree more, but maybe the father should have though about that before the committed the crime they did in the first place. I am not for light punishments only because people need to learn and I don't think people learn when they get a slap on the hand. Maybe they will think twice before committing a crime. hotfox003
ReplyDeleteHotfox003 how do you know that this father was left with any other choice. Maybe selling drugs was the only way he could support his family. As far as people needing to be punished to learn a lesson I can agree to that. But the reality is that mandatory life sentences for dealing drugs is insane. Life sentences should be reserved for violent offenders. The fact is there is a huge problem with our system and it is not working properly and way to go to Obama for having the courage to stand up and say so despite the backlash he would face from some of the American citizens. Everyone makes mistakes and should at least be given a second chance before they are locked away for life. mommy004
DeleteI agree with you that people shouldn't be let off easy because of selling drugs. Once they get away with drugs then what else are they going to try and get away with. People who made a mistake once but they are grown adults that still know right from wrong. Pie004
DeleteIt is about time a President has acknowledged that the system is in desperate need of an overhaul. Yes drug dealers deserve to be punished, but mandatory life sentences are a little too much. Police departments where there have been acts of police brutality and racial profiling deserve to be investigated. Everyone makes mistakes at some point in life and deserve a second chance. These harsh sentences are not helping stop criminal activity they are merely filling up our prisons. Leaving children without fathers and mothers leaving them susceptible to becoming criminals themselves. Anyone who thinks locking up non-violent offenders for life can only expect more criminal behaviors within society. Giving drug dealers mandatory sentences hasn't stopped people from selling drugs, so some type of reform is needed. The U.S. incarcerates more people than any other nation and it hasn't stopped crime. The system needs to be giving out punishments that fit the crime. As far as the issue with cocaine sentences and crack sentences they should be the same. It is the same drug one is just in powder form the other is rocked up. I don't see how the the government can justify sentencing a dealer of crack with a stiffer sentence than one dealing in cocaine. Our system is in dire need of an overhaul and way to go President Obama for standing up and saying so despite the criticism he knew he would be faced with. It is past time to stand up and speak out for the rights of the citizens of this nation and stop locking everyone up for non-violent crimes and throwing the book at them. mommy004
ReplyDeleteI’m with you 100%. You bring up a good point about taking mothers and fathers away from their children. With no direction kids are bound to end up in the criminal justice system like their parent. It’s a cycle that can’t be stopped by extensive sentences. Drug offenders need to be rehabilitated and released in order to raise their family and attempt to be productive members of society. RustyPete001
DeleteI believe that everybody makes mistakes and nobody is perfect. I believe everybody deserves a second chance. However if we keep giving them chances, they will continue to do what they're doing. Its a complicated matter. Instead of sending someone straight to jail and it being their first offense, why not start by sending them to rehab? As for the parents missing out on their child's lives, its nobody's faults except their own. Would you want your child around a drug dealer? I wouldn't. Its a bad and nasty cycle that takes time to overcome, and unfortunately we cant break every cycle. Snacks003
DeleteI am pretty conflicted with the idea with clemency. I do think that there are a bunch of people who are in prison that have done some relatively minor crimes such as possession that end up with outlandish prison sentences. Not only that, but when someone ends up with a prison sentence, their life has been turned upside down with almost no way of reaching back at the top. When thrust back into the "real world" people expect them to live an ordinary life and turn their life around, but these prisoners could have been in prison for a lifetime and be pretty old when they get out. It is hard to get a job when you are old, let alone if you are a prisoner. If someone is both however, then the odds have just stacked against them. Therefore, I think that shortening one's prison term or giving them a pardon could be beneficial. When it comes to the amount of prisoners that the United States has compared to the other nations too, I think that there is a minor flaw in the way the US deals with law breakers. I think that President Obama understood that our prisons are getting way too overcrowded and that something needed to be done and so he looked for a simple solution and gave clemency to prisoners he thought were no longer a harm to society, but a benefactor. Rayder004
ReplyDeleteAs the video explains, Bill McCollum believes Obama is wrong in signing law that reduce mandatory minimum sentences and right in trying to reduce the differences between crack and powder cocaine. I agree with McCollum; he also believes in granting clemency on a case-by-case basis. Cases are unique and it’s hard in creating laws that fit every unique case. I also believe in minimum mandatory sentences. One of the parts of sentencing criminals is to deter that criminal and other criminals from committing crimes. When the reward of the crime becomes greater of the punishment, crimes will rise. I agree that we have a lower crime rate today because we locked criminals up for long sentences. I like that the Trump administration is supporting police officers because the media and others are fueling the war on police. I hope the Trump administration can show everyone how important law enforcement is and how good these people are. The Obama administration does not recognize how great of a job law enforcement does. As the video says, places are becoming more and more dangerous. I hope 2017 will be a new time for Chicago where they can crack down on homicide. Trump should definitely address black-on-black crime, Hispanic-upon-Hispanic, and gangs. We have very serious issues that need to be solved to be able to better the community. Scuba004
ReplyDeleteI have no problem whatsoever with President Obama granting clemency to non-violent drug offenders that were given absurd sentences for drug crimes they committed in the 80’s and 90’s. In my opinion it makes no sense to give someone a life sentence for a non-violent offense. Statistics show that that the 3 Strikes/Get Tough on Crime laws on the 90’s did nothing to reduce recidivism rates in America. President Obama should disagree with those laws, because we know that they don’t work! In my opinion, the implementation of drug courts across the country would do more to improve the rate of reoffending rather as opposed locking someone up for 25 years for possessing/trafficking drugs. The only thing Bill McCollum said that I agreed with was that offenders aren’t being rehabilitated. They aren’t being given a chance to redeem themselves, and the man in the video who was granted a pardon was absolutely right when he said that we need some of the skillsets that these people in prison have. If the Trump administration does what they are implying, and brings back the “Tough on Crime” laws, we are taking a step backward from solving our prison overcrowding problem, and continuing to put a Band-Aid on something that has plagued our country for the last couple decades. RustyPete001
ReplyDeleteWhy have laws if nobody wants to follow them? Selling and buying drugs are illegal. Yes, I believe in second chances but not when someone keeps taking advantage of the law and they keep getting 3,4,5,6 chances and so on. The families were talking about how they think their dad, brother, uncle whoever he may be to them have suffered enough and deserves to be released. NO. No he should not. If he was caught selling drugs for the sixth time why would you want him on the street? There are laws for a reason. Some people do get more time than they deserve but if its your first offense, I believe they shouldn't just be sent straight to jail. Try rehab or get them some kind of help. But if its more than a second chance, no they need to be behind bars. Snacks003
ReplyDeleteObama has started doing a good job by reducing some of the sentences for people in jail. Not all criminals deserve to be in there for twenty plus years. Some minor drug crimes are not that bad, especially if the may only be their first offense. Ruining a person's life by keeping them in jail is no help. As a society today we need to help people and if we keep them locked up in jail for a minor crime, were not doing that. Everyone makes mistakes in life and that shouldn't be held against their will for the rest of their life. Incarceration rates have finally started dropping over the past years. Obama has played a big part in this and it's a good thing. Hopefully that number can continue to reduce while still keeping it at a respectable level. Some people deserve to be in jail for a long time, but not every criminal does. Mustang003
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with this. I don't think many non violent crimes should cost someone a huge portion of their life. Obama in my opinion has done a great job of bringing the incarceration rate down and cutting time off of people's outrageous sentences in prison. I think everyone deserves a second chance especially if a drug charge is there first offense. In my opinion parts of the sentencing process should be changed and lengths of time for sentences should be changed as well. gym003
DeleteNorman Brown was not a monster. He served twenty four years in jail for a non violent drug charge. He may not be a bad guy at all. The world is very cruel to some people and at the time maybe he didn't have a choice. He missed out on being with his whole family who are now gone. I like how he speaks to juvenile delinquents. You can clearly tell he has served his fair amount of time and being granted clemency by former president Obama was well done. A lot of people sit in jail for long sentences they do not deserve. You can tell some people don't deserve them by just the amount of clemency petitions Obama has received. It says he's granted one thousand three hundred and twenty four of them. I don't believe that the president at the time would help these people out if they weren't given lengthy sentences that they don't deserve. This has been a step in the right direction and i hope that it stays that way. Mustang004
ReplyDeleteI a hundred percent agree with you. We don't know what was going on with his life at that time and maybe that was the only way he could afford to pay for his family. He should have never got a sentence like that. He did miss out on a lot and this is why what Obama has started needs to keep going so that things like this never happens again. CRC001
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ReplyDeleteIn my opinion it was not wrong of Obama to be giving many people clemencies or commutations for their past crimes. For one they were not violent they were mostly drug related. Some of these people were serving life in prison for drug charges. To me that seems a little overkill, I could see a few years being reasonable but not life without parole. I am sure Obama had thought long and hard over who he wanted to grant clemency to as well. Also I am sure that anyone who was granted clemency would have a lot of pressure on them to steer clear of crime as it had come from the president. I do not agree with the fact that the federal government should intervene with local police and how they operate. I think they do much more good than bad and it is only the bad things that the people of the United States hear about. Now I do believe that some areas with higher crime rate should be watched more carefully by the federal government to see what more can be done to lower the crime rate. Gym003
ReplyDeleteI agree that it was responsible of Obama to give clemencies to people who were the victims of harsh sentences. It helps get more people into rehabilitative programs and helping them get back out on the streets to go on and make a life for themselves outside of prison. Many people are not the monsters that the courts make them seem like and don't deserve to be in prison for life. Bike001
DeleteI agree with Obama granting clemency to people who have been sentenced quite harshly for non-violent drug related crimes. There was a stat thrown out in this article that stood out to me and that was that the United States’ prisons hold about twenty percent of the world’s prisoners. They also went on to talk about how crime has been at an all-time low, but then reasoned that it is due to the fact that there are several non-violent offenders being incarcerated for unreasonable amounts of time, such as life in prison for a non-violent drug offense. I mean is it really fair for someone who got caught selling a little bit of crack or whatever to sit in prison for years and years, not getting to see their children grow up, or even receive rehabilitation? Recidivism rates in this country range anywhere from fifty to seventy-five percent, which can put people and the public at risk. Offering clemency, I believe would reduce the rate of recidivism and allow those to seek rehabilitation treatment that they would not otherwise receive in a prison. Hopefully there will be more continued steps with the new administration to reduce the rates of incarceration in this country for non-violent offenders. CAE004
ReplyDeleteIf one in two or three in four of these incarcerated individuals with end up back in the system is mass clemency really a good idea? I do agree that the high minimum sentences are not a good way to handle non-violent offenders, but mass clemency, when recidivism rates are so high, is also not a solution. EKT004
DeleteWell I do agree with both of you and nonviolent crimes should not receive the same as a murderer or other serious crimes but a less harsh sentence. I thing there needs work on the corrections to help rehabilitate them and reduce the recidivism in this country.Banshee002
DeleteThe way Obama left his mark in the justice system is a good way to leave office. He realizes that a lot of people get hard sentences for small crimes. He wanted to try get some people out for small charges but also who have been in prison for too many years. Many of the people in prison are in just for drug charges. Charges that deserve one to two years. Maybe even three, but some people stay in jail past ten years for a small drug possession or distribution charge. It's good that someone noticed that some people shouldn't be in prison for almost half their life because of a small charge. Most prisons consist of people who had something to do with drugs. So by Obama making a small change in the justice system maybe other Presidents will do the same. Clemency is a good way to try to get people their lives back.Get them out the prison system and back to their family. DC004
ReplyDeleteI agree this was a good way to leave the oval office and make a good impact on the criminal justice system. I agree that people with small drug possession charges should not have to serve 10 year sentences if they don't mean harm. A lot of them have families too and they should put them in rehab programs so they can be clean of drugs and still be an active member of their families. Bike004
DeleteI agree with Bill McCullum in this video interview, President Obama has done nothing to help law enforcement do their jobs better, and in most cases has stifled the work they are doing during his eight years in office. With that said, I do agree with the federal government telling police departments how they can improve and where they need to make changes. Our criminal justice system needs some reforms, the minimum sentences being enforced for drug charges are too harsh in my opinion, and I do believe it is part of the reason why we are in a state of "mass incarceration" today. We trust judges to make sentencing decisions, and I believe if we get rid of the high minimum sentences attached to these drug charges, we can greatly reduce our prison population. With that being said, I am unsure whether I agree with President Obama’s use of mass clemency or not. As the expert in the video said, recidivism rates in our country are anywhere between 50 and 75 percent. And it is because of this that I believe that is just too high a number to just release incarcerated men and women back into the community knowing that one in two or three in four of them are going to commit a crime again and end up back in the system. EKT004
ReplyDeleteI agree with you. I think that in the last few years, Obama has done more harm than good in the law enforcement community. Reform is what the nation needs, and it is what the nation will receive. People are talking, they are finding out what really is causing problems, and are speaking out. I believe mass clemency was the wrong choice by far. agentp001
DeleteThe Obama administration has made a lot of good changes toward letting people out who should not be in there for that long. I feel people who get caught selling drugs should get a sentencing of about 10 to 15 years. People do make mistakes and just because they may have made that one mistake doesn’t mean they should spend their whole life in a jail cell. Obama administration has done a good job by getting people who have had long sentences or life in prison out of those situations. Since Obama has been president there have been less arrest for criminal offenses. I feel that people who just go to prison for selling drugs should not be placed in the same place as murders. They made a federal mistake but that doesn’t mean their bad people. Overall we need something like this that Obama started because a lot of people in this world make mistakes and losing your whole life over drugs should not be the case. I think it would be a mistake if Trump took away this because a lot of people have good potential in them but, its just wasting away in prison.CRC001
ReplyDeleteThe Obama administration has made a lot of good changes toward letting people out who should not be in there for that long. I feel people who get caught selling drugs should get a sentencing of about 10 to 15 years. People do make mistakes and just because they may have made that one mistake doesn’t mean they should spend their whole life in a jail cell. Obama administration has done a good job by getting people who have had long sentences or life in prison out of those situations. Since Obama has been president there have been less arrest for criminal offenses. I feel that people who just go to prison for selling drugs should not be placed in the same place as murders. They made a federal mistake but that doesn’t mean their bad people. Overall we need something like this that Obama started because a lot of people in this world make mistakes and losing your whole life over drugs should not be the case. I think it would be a mistake if Trump took away this because a lot of people have good potential in them but, its just wasting away in prison.CRC002
ReplyDeleteI strongly believe that what Obama did was a step forward in the criminal justice system. Norman Brown served twenty-five years for selling cocaine and to me that is crazy and way too much time. He got sentenced to life in prison and for anyone who thinks that fits the consequences of what he did is wrong, in my opinion. Giving people a second chance can show people in this country that if they can make a life better for themselves that others in prison can do the same. People will then believe that people who commit non-violent crimes deserve way less time. The police do a great job in this country, but it is sad that a few bad apples make it harder for all the police officers out there. I do believe that the mass incarceration is a problem in this country and we need to make changes. I also believe that all officers should have a body camera and a mic to keep them safe and people in this country. coutinho004
ReplyDeleteThe war on drugs caused a lot of families to fall apart with its harsh mandatory minimum sentences for drug offenders. They are not necessarily monsters but they are treated as so. The problem with this is that our incarceration rates are higher than they should be because they are holding people in cells for life instead of rehabilitating them. We could greatly reduce our prison populations by helping inmates with rehabilitative programs to help get them back out on the streets and functioning. People who aren't violent criminals and just need some rehabilitation should not be in the same facilities as murderers. This would greatly reduce our prison populations and bring more education to light about the positive effects of rehabilitation of drug offenders. Bike001
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with you that a lot of these offenders aren't monsters, but there sentences often make them seem that way. I also agree that offering rehabilitative programs for drug offenders could help to greatly reduce the prison population. Offering rehab options for drug offenders could also help to reduce recidivism rates. JAG001 / JAG002
DeleteCommunity policing is key to creating a good relationship between the community and law enforcement. In the past years the police forces of this country have being trying to push forth efforts to get more community based policing programs. The Obama administration has been enacting on a reform for police forces to get out there and be a part of the community. One big thing that I think officers should start doing more is parking the squad car and getting out to walk your beat because in my whole lifetime I don't think I have seen an officer just out walking his beat talking to the public and just being more social with the community he is serving. This would better help them be seen as positive members of the community instead of being demonized by the public because of the misleading media. If we start to force officers to walk their beat more often then I think we will have a better community law enforcement relationship. I know when I become an officer of the law I will focus a lot on this because it will help me be more in tune with the community that I am serving for. Today you see officers that are timid and not in tune with the community which makes them not as well rounded as one who gets out of the car and walks his beat. Bike004
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed reading this article, it was interesting looking back and seeing some of the things Obama did as president. President Obama has granted clemency to a large amount of prisoners over his presidency, some shortening sentences, and some full pardons. Personally, I like that President Obama has been shortening so many sentences. The article uses Norman Brown as an example, who had been in a federal prison for 24.5 years before his clemency. Norman was in he middle of serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole, which, in my opinion is a much to harsh of sentence for his offense. Some people argue against this, the article points out our nations high recidivism rates as proof that most of these people will re offend when released. However, a lot of the people who had their sentences shortened were like Norman, who were working on bettering themselves while in prison, and in my opinion, those people deserve a second chance. JAG001 / JAG002
ReplyDeleteI agree with you, it was nice to see that now former President Obama took action to make some of these reforms start. in Norman Brown's situation one could see how giving prisoners a second chance would be preferred. I agree with this because the amount of prisoners in U.S. prisons today is way too high. Helping out rehabilitated prisoners get back to contributing to society and lowering the cost on society at the same time is a smart move.-Ghost003
DeleteThis is a hard topic for me to write about because I don't follow politics. But I think Obama has done a good job trying to help the problem that we have going on with the time he had to make such a big change. Everyone has to know that he still had to get approval for everything that he was trying to do. Pie001
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ReplyDeleteIt is clear the steps the Obama Administration has taken to lower incarceration rates. Obama has been granting clemency to several inmates and has pushed for a reformation of some of the local and federal law enforcement agencies. Furthermore, many local governments and some federal parts of the government are looking away from mandatory sentencing in favor of other means. This has been argued a bad idea due to the lower level of crime reported lately. Bill Mccollum seems to be convince that due to some of the lengthier sentences, we have incarcerated many of the criminals who would have a higher chance of recidivism. Under the Trump Administration it is also made clear that this reformation might take a different approach all together. -Ghost003
ReplyDeleteI feel as if Obama did everything he could, especially for the African-Americans. He was all about the Black Lives Matter movement, but in a positive way. As Obama said, "Historically, the African-American community oftentimes was under policed rather than over policed". As he did release a lot of prisoners to hopefully show that everyone deserves another chance. Obama was about the people as well; the Obama care Trump is talking about taking away will hurt a lot of families. Hopefully our new president supports our officers and people more than ever.
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The video was nice to see to show how Obama was trying to make a change while he was in office. Even though some people shouldn't be in prison for what they did others should be in there because of the crimes that they have done. Not everyone should be able to get out early just because of selling drugs, hard telling what else they were doing that they didn't get caught doing. Pie002
ReplyDeletePeople who are in prison for the crimes that they committed should stay in prison. What have they learned ? I went to school with some kids who during high school got DUI but they never got into trouble and ended up going back out drinking and driving again. These kids still haven't learned anything because they got a "slap on the wrist" Pie004
ReplyDeleteI kind of agree with you, but what if after they have committed the crime and done the time, they have learned from their mistakes. Should they be given a chance to redeem their previous actions? Is that not the true point of prison and rehabilitation? Ghost004
DeleteI found that to be a great thing that Obama has done. This is the first time of me hearing about this. I seen that he had gotten over 35,000 requests for prisoners wanting to get released. I am glad to see that he was accepting people who have nonviolent charges. We have too many people in prison as it is, no reason to have nonviolent people in there with the rest of the people who actually need to be there. It is crazy how high that number of people are who requested it though. As for the future, I personally do not see Trump doing nearly as much as Obama has done for police and criminals. Like they said in the video, Trump is avoiding it. I just do not see him actually caring about the prisons who have gotten harsh punishments and no one but him can do something about it. Hopefully he will make the good decisions here and help work with police too. Because he should be president when I go into that career field, so it will effect me as well.
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There are most certainly harsh flaws when mandatory sentencing is mentioned. Many people are just plain stupid and commit crimes knowing very well what they are doing, but some crimes should not be punished so harshly. Many men and women have been sentenced to life over charges that could have received a much shorter sentence. It is good that state and federal governments are seeing the issues and are raising voices. If we are able to somehow stop the recidivism rate from growing, while also handing out punishments justly, we really will be able to make a difference. There are other options other than incarceration. There are rehabilitative programs for those that do need the help. Depending on the crime committed, it might be much more beneficial to send someone into a rehabilitative program than to send someone to prison. Prison is suppose to be both punitive and rehabilitative, but the fact is, it just isn't. Justice needs to be served, but only to those who truly need it. Many people commit a crime, and many of those people that do commit crimes need to be harshly punished. They need the hammer to be brought down. But sometimes the law can seem to be too much and instead of changing someone for the good, they are only harming the person. agentp001
ReplyDeleteI thought it was interesting at the end of the article where Bill McCollum talked about returning to the Reagan and Bush administration policies. He mentioned examples like Boston's policing. This policing focused mainly on community policing. He is saying that it would be better to have cops back out on the streets, walking the "beats" and getting to know the community rather than be afraid in their own neighborhoods. He hopes to see that the focus will be on the black, Hispanic and minority communities, where help is needed the most. He believes that the best thing that President Trump can do is to prevent the crime in the first place, deter it, and then weed out those who are really the problem makers. I believe this too. I think that all we can do is hope for the best, hope the President Trump is good on his word and is willing to help the communities and bring the nation back together. He can do this by implementing community policing. Allowing the people the chance to open up to the police forces and for the police forces to do the same. Trust can be built again. Agentp002
ReplyDeleteIt appears under the Obama Administration the prison system has had some possible reforms, and after a big clemency campaign by the former president, we can hope for the incarceration rates to decrease and therefore the prison population to slowly decrease. However, the new Trump Administration may have other plans however. It seems they might be taking a entirely different approach to the prison system. At least for men like Norman Brown, they get the opportunity for a second chance and hopefully more people will get the same respect. Long term sentencing can be effective statistically, but on a personal level it can mean the difference between having your life back or rotting away in prison. Ghost004
ReplyDeleteNorman Brown served twenty four years in jail for a non violent drug charge. He may not be a bad guy at all. Sentencing for drugs was always too excessive and over funded to the point where things just do not make sense. By giving these criminals long sentencing it does not give them a chance to show that they have turned their life around or that they are trying. We as a nation always doubt that criminals who are incarcerated can change and we say that they won't be anything more than a criminal. BY thinking like this the recidivism rate of inmates will go up. Many people have to realize that prisons do offer programs to help inmates, such as educational programs and rehabilitation programs. By lowering the overcrowding from jails and prisons this provides more safety for correctional officers as they are not majorly out numbered by the inmate population. This will also allow for the government to look into more serious crimes that have a larger impact on our society as a whole. BMW004
ReplyDeleteI completely and totally agree with your comments. Like my father always said people do what you expect them to do. If you have high expectations for someone they're going to reach them but if you have low expectations of someone they will reach them as well. I believe we as a people like you said should start thinking differently. No one is perfect everyone makes mistakes and people should not have to pay their whole life for one mistake. I believe that just like we can learn lessons living in the outside world they can as well in prison. Drug crime sentences are sometimes over extensive. I couldn't have said it better... It definitely takes the attention off of crimes that affect people more. Crimes that have victims that are not willing. EGM003
DeleteI didn't catch the name of the last guy that spoke but he is totally right. By that I mean everything is going to switch back to the way that it was. Just when the people were finally starting to see some change. The title to this article fits so well. Obama's era, even though he served two terms, it seems like it went by too fast. It was peaceful, but, you're always going to have danger somewhere nothing is perfect. Obama was truly a great president he said what he was going to do and he got in the office and he did it. I'm so glad to see how many people he granted clemency to. I think I was aware of like one or two cases but not that many. To me he was great because he did all that he has done and still found the time to think of others. I don't want to speak negatively about our new president because I don't want to hope for the worst but who knows. However so far his first impression hasn't been impressing. All I know is that he has some pretty big shoes to fill and I hope he does a good job at trying to.EGM003
ReplyDeleteEach president brings a whole new set of things they want done, so the last man speaking was right. Everything will just start over and go back to the way it was before the last president was in office. The fact that someone who sold drugs almost thirty years ago is still locked up isn't right. Everyone deserves another chance to better themselves. I think the common goal for all of the presidents is to stop the violent crimes and change the way the United States sentencing laws are handled. There should be mandatory minimum sentences, but the maximum for drug charges shouldn't be life without parole. Simple things like that could really change the prison system and life for nonviolent offenders.
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