The criminal justice system is not only broken, we, as a nation, know it is in desperate need of drastic reform. Within the female, LGBT, black, Hispanic, American Indian and Alaska Native populations, we know it was designed that way due to white supremacy, sex, power and control and this era of entrenched corruption and homophobia.
When the U.S. government established privatized prisons: local, state and federal focus far too much on criminalization, unfounded indictments by corrupt law enforcement, and a government showing a willingness to act dishonestly in return for money or personal gain.
We incarcerate the innocent before they are found guilty in a failing economy, and far too little on real crime, rehabilitation and treatment. What ever happen to innocent until proven guilty? We need meaningful reductions in incarceration, not more laws to protect corporations and the Corrupt Bastards Club who run for office on the conflict of interest platform.
Look at our homeless crisis. They are products of the cash bail system, incarceration and conditions of release when they can’t afford a $10,000 retainer from a private attorney who will do continuance after continuance to make room for more clients. Background checks see indictments as a risk and I can certainly see why, but what about people who don’t have or keep large amounts of cash. They are doubly victimized by cash bail bonds.
Domestic and intimate partner violence have caused the legal system to view women involved in intimate partner violence, sexual violence or both. Fifty-nine percent of adult women in Alaska have experienced, in their lifetime domestic and intimate partner violence. I have seen first-hand how women and girls are traumatized by their former partners, police officers and a legal system who is so burned out on people suffering from Adverse Childhood Trauma, pedophilia, illegal drug use, alcoholism, and prescription medication that they just don’t care.
I see young and older women and men traumatized by public defenders who are overwhelmed by a heavy case load and can be very rude and push for a plea deal without even looking at discovery or Rule 45. Our constitutional rights are nonexistent and we are heading toward martial law. Then I see the real criminals for profit running local, state, and federal government. Is this justice 2019?
Professor Loretto Jones,
Juneau