Public Safety & Justice

Disclaimer:: This is a topic of painful personal interest to me. In 2007, my son was sentenced to 99 years in jail for the murder of his step-mother.

Family tragedies such as ours gives one a unique perspective on the legal system. Not only did we lose a friend in a terrible and senseless crime, we also experienced criminal justice from the front seat. Moreover, we will have a lifetime to watch the penal system in full frontal reality.

2.3 million people are in custody in this country - that's 1 in 100 adults. It costs $55 billion/year. Five states, Vermont, Michigan, Oregon, Connecticut and Delaware, now spend as much or more on corrections as on higher education.

No one is calculating what this really costs our country. We've got a problem. The best part of mandatory sentencing, a populist trend of the 80's, was that the prison population may be a closer reflection of a society withering from a social illness. People don't go to jail for nothing - they go to jail because a crime was committed.

Nevertheless, if you've ever been caught up in a criminal case as defendant or as the victim you'll know that there are gaping holes in what we call the Justice System. At StartChange.net we want help create a safer America that lives up to the promises of our Bill of Rights for all.