Blog Talk:: Justice in conversation and collaboration

Hello Bloggy Buddies,

I was reading through a couple of the blogs I subscribe to and decided to engage them in conversation. Check out my commentary below and feel free to click the links to direct you to other blogs that have some really good content.

I am a devout follower/believer in Ella Baker Center. This entry focused on the new leaders in Alameda county and their devotion to reforming juvenile detention in Oakland/the Bay Area as a whole.


New and passionate leaders are always exciting-As are models such as the Missouri model (when I first began researching juvenile justice I saw Missouri as the “mecca” in the dark cloud of depressing irreversible facts and figures). I am curious as to HOW they would plan on imitating the Missouri model in Oakland. I have come to understand that generic activism on a large scale tends to lose its effectiveness. Big NGOs such as Red Cross have inspiring mission statements, however they also come with a lot of bureaucratic tape. Furthermore, the Missouri model works…in Missouri. In terms of culture, political climate, and financial status California (Oakland specifically) is very different. Can we include experts who have been in the state into this conversation as well? Instead of trying to improve our own systems by imitating others, we should look to these models as inspiration to create our own. 

I just started following a blog called Reclaiming futures. The entry I responded to was about the costs and benefits of youth in adult prisons vs youth prisons.

              

  Excellent point about long term investment- it is undeniable that the youth are the future. However, how do you suggest we eliminate pretrial detention? As much danger as it puts young people in, as detrimental as it is to the rehabilitation process, what are ways to guarantee that it does not happen? I have read thousands of facts and figures pointing out similar trends and how the current justice system is a large part of why juvenile delinquents grow up to be adult criminals as well and I cannot stop wondering about why it is so. If these facts are supported, widely understood within the general population then WHY have these systems been structured that way? I just finished a short essay examining how the juvenile justice system works within the social, political, and economic realms of American life but I would be interested to hear your hypothesis as to why things have stayed so fucked up for so long.

Third, I responded to a post on prison culture's blog. The entry was about police feeding the Prison Industrial Complex along with different tips/what rights you have in different encounters with the police. I want to print this entry out and post it in every urban community- spread the knowledge ya'll! The only way to beat the pigs is to stay together!!!

THIS IS SO HELPFUL! I want to post this is EVERY hood in America. How useful is it to film interactions with the police? Is that allowed? I feel like visual evidence is stronger than written evidence (though in some cases it is still not enough…#shoutout to Oscar Grant, RIP, we will never forget)
One of my peers and I were discussing the possibility of a bill being passed insisting upon police officers policing areas where they have been a resident for 5 years or more only. The ideology behind it is that those who protect and serve their community best are those that are from that community- they have a greater sense of investment in that community. I would be interested in hearing your thoughts around this proposal or any other suggestions to deal with the corrupt police force other than knowing your rights and recording badge numbers (as we know, this does not always work)

Young Murderers -To jail or not to jail?

                In October of 1994, two boys of the ages 11 and 10 dropped a 5-year old child from the 14th floor of a Chicago housing project. The boys did so intentionally because the toddler would not steal candy for them.

                In May of 2008, two boys of the ages 7 and 9 strangled a two year old girl in an empty lot in Buenos Aires. It was determined that the boys were aware that they had done something wrong but did not explain why they killed her.

                In the case of child murderers- how do you balance reform with revenge? It is easy to advocate for reform when speaking of theft, vandalism, and other small-scale crimes. So what should happen in the case of intentional 1^st degree murder? In the case of the Chicago boys, the sentence was prison until 21 years of age. In Buenos Aires, there was no trial held. I would argue that neither of these outcomes are  a sustainable solution to child murder.

                The Chicago natives that will reenter society at the adult age of 21 will be unfamiliar with all aspects of modern day living. It has been established in my earlier posts that American juvenile detention centers lack resources for satisfactory reentry programs. So while they will be serving time for their actions, it is unlikely that they will receive adequate psychological, educational, and/or practical help or advise before entering the “real world”. Is it possible that they can assimilate to the environment that has changed so drastically since they left? Is it possible for them to operate in society as adults when the last time they were apart of non-incarcerated society they were not even teenagers? HECK NO!! C’mon now, I know even the slower readers have enough common sense to realize that this is a trap. It is a guaranteed throw-away of the future of these two children. If not back behind bars, it is likely that they will never get the chance to have a stable independent lifestyle. Now, of course, there is the issue of the crime being murder…and the murder being intentional…but does the intent of a child call for such punishments? As much as the families and friends of the 5-year old want “justice” (otherwise known as revenge), wouldn’t focus on rehabilitating these children be the utilitarian thing to do?

                On the other hand…you have murder with no punishment or much attention at all. If part of the argument for juvenile reform is that children have the time and space to “change their ways” then who will guide them? If they continue on with life in normal society as is, how can they understand that their actions were wrong?

                This is the part of my rant where I offer some sort of “happy medium” solution that is so painfully obvious everyone will wonder, “why the hell haven’t we been doing this all along?”

…I have noticed that my brain is filled with a lot more questions than answers, so I’ll have to get back to you bloggy-buds with the epiphany. Or if you have a solution, please, comment and let me know. Until then I continue the search for truth, voice, and justice (in the most non-cliché way possible)

Judge Juvi