Alright here me out. A person is convicted of a crime that is considered a misdemeanor and given a six month probation period. How long is it before he is a free man/woman ?
a. 6 months b. 1 year c. 18 months
A person is convicted of a crime that is considered a felony and sentenced to two years in a correctional facility that is paid $80,000 a year to keep him/her. How long is it before he is free man/woman ?
a. 2 years b. 4 years c. 6 years
If you answered a. for both questions you are technically correct.
But what about when these people are set free. Are they really free to live their lives ?
Well yeah if your looking at it from the perspective that they are no longer on probation or incarcerated. One thing people forget is that they now have C.O.R.I.. A piece of information that consist of all their offences, that can be viewed by various different places one would need to go to in order to truly reinvent themselves as a law abiding citizen. Ones C.O.R.I. follow them for ten to fifteen years considering whether or not the crime committed was a misdemeanor or a felony. This for many people this is a huge road block in the already difficult process that is reinventing yourself. Some just feel that they shouldn't even put any effort into it because its not going to happen while others cling to their old ways for the same reason.
To me this is extremely to long for someone to be tied to their past.
Now I'm not saying that someone should just be granted a clean slate. What I am saying is that they should be given a chance to simply make the past the past.
I propose the simple solution that if someone has a criminal past that someone should be able to some what erase their past. I propose that the government start a program that would allow someone with a criminal record to prove to the state over a two year period through a series of evaluations administered by a government official that they are and will continue to be a changed person. I'm not saying that it should be easy but it should be fair with a sufficient turn out of ex-criminals into the world as new individuals with a clear background.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
The are various solutions....
You see, someones C.O.R.I is there private information and is only supposed to be viewed by those who have the authority to view it. Future employers certain school's etc...
I'd like to make one thing clear before I go any further. I myself feel that these people should have the authority to use ones C.O.R.I when making big decisions, such as hiring someone for a job. One thing I don't agree with is schools having this authority. Your probably saying right now that I must have my facts confused, but I don't. You see a school can not deny you admittance as long as you meet all admissions expectations. This is because it is against the law. It is when you are deciding your major or certificate program when you will experience this injustice. I myself have gone through this. I was looking through a course list for a particular community college I had in mind and stumbled upon a 2 certificate programs that interested me. I don t actually remember the exact titles but the first was a program that had allot do with at risk youth and the prevention further criminal offences. The other was in relation to the prevention of substance abuse. Both of these programs required a C.O.R.I evaluation. At first it seemed fair considering that job placement might be a hassle in the future. I was later informed by someone in admissions that this was not for job placement, and that it was standard procedure before entry. How fair is that? Not fair at all if you ask me. I mean wouldn't someone who has fell victim to the very things these programs are trying to prevent know a few angles and methods that are useful. I'd say so.
There are others who feel just as strongly as I do and have come up with their own solutions.
My solution to this particular problem, is that not only should schools allow students who have criminal backgrounds into these programs, but that they should encourage this. You see who would know more about its prevention than someone who once could not prevent it. I think if someone has once made a mistake and learned from it they may be able to teach others how not to.
I'd like to make one thing clear before I go any further. I myself feel that these people should have the authority to use ones C.O.R.I when making big decisions, such as hiring someone for a job. One thing I don't agree with is schools having this authority. Your probably saying right now that I must have my facts confused, but I don't. You see a school can not deny you admittance as long as you meet all admissions expectations. This is because it is against the law. It is when you are deciding your major or certificate program when you will experience this injustice. I myself have gone through this. I was looking through a course list for a particular community college I had in mind and stumbled upon a 2 certificate programs that interested me. I don t actually remember the exact titles but the first was a program that had allot do with at risk youth and the prevention further criminal offences. The other was in relation to the prevention of substance abuse. Both of these programs required a C.O.R.I evaluation. At first it seemed fair considering that job placement might be a hassle in the future. I was later informed by someone in admissions that this was not for job placement, and that it was standard procedure before entry. How fair is that? Not fair at all if you ask me. I mean wouldn't someone who has fell victim to the very things these programs are trying to prevent know a few angles and methods that are useful. I'd say so.
There are others who feel just as strongly as I do and have come up with their own solutions.
My solution to this particular problem, is that not only should schools allow students who have criminal backgrounds into these programs, but that they should encourage this. You see who would know more about its prevention than someone who once could not prevent it. I think if someone has once made a mistake and learned from it they may be able to teach others how not to.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Enough already !!!
So its been almost a year since my release from the south bay correctional facility and in that time lapse I've had two jobs, enrolled in community college, and started I.T. training. Everything I've just mentioned are things that I am extremely thankful and proud of. I must admit it hasn't been easy. Setting out to accomplish these things is a challenge for me daily. How ever this a challenge I welcome with open arms because I know that in the end it will be worth its labor. The only thing that has been able to bring me to a halting standstill has been my c.o.r.i (criminal offender record information). I am not denying the fact that the crimes that are listed on it were committed by me, my main concern is how big of a road block it is for me along and others who share the same want to accomplish more in life. I my opinion, I think I have a very unyielding and persistent mindset in terms of my future, others may not. That in itself is an entire different topic that stems from what we call the c.o.r.i.. I personally feel that it is a fair method, I just feel that there should be more guidelines to its use. You see even if you have gone to jail and completed your time you are still subjected to the ten to fifteen year wait time it takes for the government to clear your criminal record. I feel along with many others who are now trying to correct the mistakes they've made with the law that this an unjust punishment that can prove detrimental to our futures. Its as if you are still serving time, this is an unfair act against the many men/women stand corrected after they're incarceration in correctional facilities. I think that there should be a way that you can prove yourself as reformed member of society through an intense series of evaluations performed by the govt that should not last more than three years, and if accomplished you should receive some sort of removal of offences from your Cori... followers what do you think?
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
"Im goin up yonder"
Id just like to start off by saying that I do believe that there is a god, but that I don't consider myself an extremely religious person. I would like to think of myself as being more spiritual than religious. I know that probably sounds as if I'm sort of undecided, but no I do believe in god through christian faith. Its just that my family says that if you have full faith in god you will worship ritually in an atmosphere closer to him. When saying this they basically why don't you go to church? Honestly I'm at a point in my life where I'm finding myself, and if in this search I find my way back to the church than so be it.
I think that American religion has changed over the years. I think that religion like many other American pillars have been changed due to our diversity as country in whole. Whether it be race, culture, or belief These have all played a major role in the change of religion and the way it is practiced. Our culture plays a big role in religion and how it is practiced . For instance although they share the christian faith, Black, White and Hispanic America practice this faith differently. Through the years culture has been applied making it own faith inside the thought everyone is serving same purpose. For instance the practice of Christan faith in the black church is practiced with much emotion. It is sometimes taught as if it is a struggle and that you have to keep up the good fight. In the Spanish church it is taught and practiced similar with few differences.
There are other things that have also changed religion that are not so appreciated. Such as the molestation of alter in various catholic Church's. I think that has changed the belief of not all but many catholics world wide. I mean just the fact that the priest in the catholic church is so highly thought of provides with enough to come to that conclusion on your own. Ive actually spoken to a man that was once catholic who is now an atheist because of this. His whole argument on his conversion was not based on having been molested because it didn't happen to him, just the thought that the almighty god could allow this was enough for him.
I think that American religion has changed, and that it will continue to do so because like any place that is diverse in its people with equality off all change will forever be inevitable...
I think that American religion has changed over the years. I think that religion like many other American pillars have been changed due to our diversity as country in whole. Whether it be race, culture, or belief These have all played a major role in the change of religion and the way it is practiced. Our culture plays a big role in religion and how it is practiced . For instance although they share the christian faith, Black, White and Hispanic America practice this faith differently. Through the years culture has been applied making it own faith inside the thought everyone is serving same purpose. For instance the practice of Christan faith in the black church is practiced with much emotion. It is sometimes taught as if it is a struggle and that you have to keep up the good fight. In the Spanish church it is taught and practiced similar with few differences.
There are other things that have also changed religion that are not so appreciated. Such as the molestation of alter in various catholic Church's. I think that has changed the belief of not all but many catholics world wide. I mean just the fact that the priest in the catholic church is so highly thought of provides with enough to come to that conclusion on your own. Ive actually spoken to a man that was once catholic who is now an atheist because of this. His whole argument on his conversion was not based on having been molested because it didn't happen to him, just the thought that the almighty god could allow this was enough for him.
I think that American religion has changed, and that it will continue to do so because like any place that is diverse in its people with equality off all change will forever be inevitable...
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Throwing rocks at a mountain
I've just finished reading the pearl harbor speech, by then president Franklin D. Roosevelt Knowing what I've learned about this altercation between the u.s. and japan. I feel that this speech was less than informative and only gave the basic knowledge as to what caused this attack, in some right it be compared to the media's reaction to 9/11. I am not in anyway saying that either of these actions are justified, however what I am saying is that we as Americans can sometimes be naive when thinking of our leaders and what they tell us.
Although very short, this speech is a prime example of how far our government will go when covering their own foul moves. I'm not completely sure that the government failed to inform Americans when we cut off japans petroleum connections (a strategy we used to keep japan out of Chinese war which worked because you need petroleum to run the artillery and machinery needed in war.) but I'm pretty sure it wasn't recanted until later years.
Time and time again we continue to do the rest of the world injustice and then when it treats us the way it should after constant one sided abuse we act as if their has been no wrong doing on our part. Once again I'm not saying what happend in pearl harbor or what happend in new york on 9/11 is justified. All I'm saying is that these two tragedy's were deffinitely provoked.
tell me what you think please
Although very short, this speech is a prime example of how far our government will go when covering their own foul moves. I'm not completely sure that the government failed to inform Americans when we cut off japans petroleum connections (a strategy we used to keep japan out of Chinese war which worked because you need petroleum to run the artillery and machinery needed in war.) but I'm pretty sure it wasn't recanted until later years.
Time and time again we continue to do the rest of the world injustice and then when it treats us the way it should after constant one sided abuse we act as if their has been no wrong doing on our part. Once again I'm not saying what happend in pearl harbor or what happend in new york on 9/11 is justified. All I'm saying is that these two tragedy's were deffinitely provoked.
tell me what you think please
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