Justice

I understand we all want to bust the local drug dealer but most of the time when you bust one another just fills the void they left behind.  Our jails are overfilled with drug users for simply possessing the substances.  Our police officers are overwhelmed and put in potentially dangerous situations simply because their job description suddenly includes all the above street related problems.  I don't think we should jail people for possessing drugs or abusing them.  We lock them up for the crimes they commit to get the drugs.  If they commit robbery or breaking and entering to get money for drugs then we prosecute the crimes when they commit them.  This will take some of the burden off of our justice system and empty up some of our jails.

I am a strong proponent in favor of a citizens right to own and carry a firearm.  I don't believe the government should have the power to limit this right in any way for any reason.  There is no reason after safety classes and qualifying for a license to carry that everyone should be allowed to own a firearm.  I would like to see liability insurance requirement on firearms to cover damages caused by the firearm.   Gun ownership would resemble driving privileges.  This would allow responsible gun owners to maintain their rights without the threat of them being limited by the actions of irresponsible gun owners.  

Body cameras should be required by all law enforcement agencies.  This footage must be accessible by those determined to be involved by a court of law from the time the incident occurs.  The footage must be protected from being edited of obstructed in any way.

Our right to a defense in the court of law has been completely and seemingly forever compromised by the ill equipped public defender's offices across our nation.  This compromise has placed a price tag on true justice in our court systems.  The difference between guilty and not guilty is whether or not you can afford bail.   The average American citizen can't afford to drop ten percent bond to get out of jail.  When a citizen is locked up and threatened to remain in jail until their job is lost and their homes are in jeopardy that plea agreement has been signed under duress.  Our justice system is kind to rich criminals and harsh on the innocent poor.  We need to offer tuition reimbursement to all lawyers willing to give their services as a public defender.  American citizens should never be locked up until solid discovery has been provided against them.  Bail is a racket that must be eliminated.  What was the big idea behind the process of setting bail?  To me it seems like you lock up the ones that are a danger to our community and let the ones that are not go free pending trial.  Do we really think that money can make that determination for us?  Do we want justice to be decided by the pocketbooks of the accused rather than the damages to the victims?  I'm a victim of the gross neglegance of our justice systems incompetence.  I will not stand for the same treatment to any other fellow citizens and neither should you.

We must switch to more automated and technology based methods to issue minor traffic violations.  I know the funds generated from these violations is needed but no amount of money is worth our officers putting themselves in such dangerous situations.  A traffic stop is the most uncertain situation officers face everyday and for what?  A tail light out?  For a couple hundred dollars to fund the fountain on town square?  Let technology issue the tickets through traffic radars and cameras.   Our officers are crucial to the safety of our citizens.  We need to free up their hands and let them hunt down the real criminals and only walk into situations they can plan out better and work together to neutralize.

Our nation must make mental health treatment free to all Americans. Healthcare protects the individuals but mental health care protects us all.  This will allow kids to seek free help and prevent gun tragedies before they happen.  This will allow adults to get the disability they need to stay off of the streets and out of jail.  These are some of our most vulnerable citizens and we just keep leaving them out in the cold.

Our prisons must remain under the authority of our government and never be privatized as it has been in so many places.  I would recommend that it never be allowed for a private company to imprison American citizens for any reason or under any circumstance.  Our constitution protects us from our own government.  Why would it allow our rights and freedoms to be taken by a corporation.  I would certainly want a supreme court ruling on where the constitution gives the government the power to contract out our freedom.

The government cannot be allow to limit our god given right to grow whatever we want on our lands so frivolously that something as harmless as marijuana can land you in jail.  If all the government has to do to strip away our 2nd amendment rights is call us a felon then why are we allowing them to do it so easily?  If something so insignificant as marijuana is a loophole to the bill of rights then what's next?  To what end?  We cannot allow bought and paid for politicians to sell sections of our constitution like ads in a newspaper giving the full page ads to the wealthiest donors.