Fred got a response regarding his letter that I posted here the other day! It is always great to put your words out there and be a voice and it is validated with a concerned reply. I have posted the response below:
From: Kelley.Troy@leg.wa.gov
Dear Fred,
Thank you for your email regarding the release of offenders. Public safety is a top priority for me, and that is why I joined the House Judiciary Committee this year. I realize that many offenders who have served their time are not yet ready to be released into our community. The Special Commitment Center on McNeil Island is a step in the right direction with regard to keeping sexual predators from entering back into society before they are rehabilitated. I would argue that we need to strengthen regulations within the Center to prevent its residents from making inappropriate calls, and I prime sponsored a bill that would have done that. As I discuss and review other legislation that will keep our families safe from repeat offenders, I will keep your concerns in mind. I appreciate your input.> > > Sincerely,> > > Troy> > > -----TO: Senator Mike Carrell> > CC: Representative Troy Kelley> Representative Tami Green
Fred also got a phone call from State Senator Mike Carrell last night. "We had a long talk about the entire criminal justice system last night. He didn't come out and say it, but reading between the lines I think the GPS tracking devices were some sort of experiment by the Governor's office to see if they could supervise electronically. He says he has a group of ordinary citizens who keep him in contact with public sentiment. He is sending me his cell phone, home phone, personal email, etc. so that I can join that group.
Fred"
It is fantastic that Fred's one email got so far!! One voice of passion can change a law and can make new ones!! Keep in up my friend!
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Sunday, March 29, 2009
"Letting the monster's out!"
I have a dear friend that lives in Washington state . He wrote me to tell me that his niece's best friend was murdered while walking home from a birthday party. She had decided to take a short cut through some near by woods and never made it home. His niece was with her friend but decided not to take the short cut and they separated. Hours later while searching for her, this sweet young girl was found by her own father! What a tragic devastating life drama.
Because this event hit so close to home for my friend he has written a letter to elected Representatives and Public Safety Officials in Washington. With his permission I have decided to put it on my blog ! It is vital that something drastic is done in our country ..We cannot allow sexual predator's and criminals to be released from prison only to hurt and kill again! Our current laws do not work..I grieve for my friend and his pain and pray for the family of this little girl who's life was stolen by a monster that should have NEVER been allowed to get out of his cage!
March 28, 2009
To my elected Representatives and Public Safety Officials,
A child was murdered. She was murdered by a convicted felon deemed extremely likely to re-offend. In accordance with public law, after release from prison, this felon was to be monitored by public safety officials.
I believe we all understand that the idea of sexual predator registries is a failed policy. The law, as it is currently written, fails to protect the public and fails to protect the released offenders. The public has a reasonable expectation of protection from known criminals who will likely re-offend. The offender, after release from prison, has a reasonable expectation of an opportunity to fit into mainstream society. The current laws do nothing to meet either expectation. Putting a felon’s name on a registry amounts to an admission that our current laws are inadequate.
When a consensus of medical experts concludes that a convicted criminal is likely to commit additional crimes, that criminal should not be released from prison. You may believe that prison is for punishment or that prison is for rehabilitation. I am suggesting that the primary function of prison, and indeed the entire public safety system, is to protect the public. Punishment and or rehabilitation are certainly admirable goals, but these goals are secondary to public safety.
If a prisoner is deemed to no longer be a threat to the public, that prisoner should be released and assisted with their entry into mainstream society. Keeping felons names and addresses on public registries assures that these released prisoners will never fit in. With their opportunities limited, many revert to a life of crime.
I would like to see a review of current laws regarding sexual predators. I am suggesting Washington State adopts new sentencing and parole guidelines. I believe we should have sentencing guidelines that are extremely tough, with parole guidelines that permit flexibility. I would suggest sentencing guidelines of 40-60 years for most sexual crimes. I would also suggest that after a very short (5 years) time, prisoners would be eligible for parole if they met certain medical criteria. When a team of medical experts determines the prisoner to no longer threaten public safety, then and only then the prisoner would be permitted to apply for parole. So long as the medical experts determine a prisoner to be a danger, any parole requests would be ineligible for a hearing.
We keep arresting the same people over and over. It is difficult for me to understand why we release them in the first place. I encourage you to deal with this problem in an effective manner and stop putting band-aids on a gaping wound.
Sincerely,
Fred Block
Because this event hit so close to home for my friend he has written a letter to elected Representatives and Public Safety Officials in Washington. With his permission I have decided to put it on my blog ! It is vital that something drastic is done in our country ..We cannot allow sexual predator's and criminals to be released from prison only to hurt and kill again! Our current laws do not work..I grieve for my friend and his pain and pray for the family of this little girl who's life was stolen by a monster that should have NEVER been allowed to get out of his cage!
March 28, 2009
To my elected Representatives and Public Safety Officials,
A child was murdered. She was murdered by a convicted felon deemed extremely likely to re-offend. In accordance with public law, after release from prison, this felon was to be monitored by public safety officials.
I believe we all understand that the idea of sexual predator registries is a failed policy. The law, as it is currently written, fails to protect the public and fails to protect the released offenders. The public has a reasonable expectation of protection from known criminals who will likely re-offend. The offender, after release from prison, has a reasonable expectation of an opportunity to fit into mainstream society. The current laws do nothing to meet either expectation. Putting a felon’s name on a registry amounts to an admission that our current laws are inadequate.
When a consensus of medical experts concludes that a convicted criminal is likely to commit additional crimes, that criminal should not be released from prison. You may believe that prison is for punishment or that prison is for rehabilitation. I am suggesting that the primary function of prison, and indeed the entire public safety system, is to protect the public. Punishment and or rehabilitation are certainly admirable goals, but these goals are secondary to public safety.
If a prisoner is deemed to no longer be a threat to the public, that prisoner should be released and assisted with their entry into mainstream society. Keeping felons names and addresses on public registries assures that these released prisoners will never fit in. With their opportunities limited, many revert to a life of crime.
I would like to see a review of current laws regarding sexual predators. I am suggesting Washington State adopts new sentencing and parole guidelines. I believe we should have sentencing guidelines that are extremely tough, with parole guidelines that permit flexibility. I would suggest sentencing guidelines of 40-60 years for most sexual crimes. I would also suggest that after a very short (5 years) time, prisoners would be eligible for parole if they met certain medical criteria. When a team of medical experts determines the prisoner to no longer threaten public safety, then and only then the prisoner would be permitted to apply for parole. So long as the medical experts determine a prisoner to be a danger, any parole requests would be ineligible for a hearing.
We keep arresting the same people over and over. It is difficult for me to understand why we release them in the first place. I encourage you to deal with this problem in an effective manner and stop putting band-aids on a gaping wound.
Sincerely,
Fred Block
Thank you Fred for writing such a wonderful letter! I applaud you for your guts and devotion to this cause!
Sunday, March 1, 2009
"and the Oscar goes to"
Well I wasn't sure I even wanted to blog about that endless night of ego's, the best and worse dressed, the speeches that turn into platform debates, and all the other drama that goes into producing the ultimate award show that gives away a naked gold man the size of a barbie doll to the best of the best. The best I ask , according to who? who decides? the Hollywood Foreign press? Price Waterhouse? I know its not the audience, that's another award show "the People's Choice", but then again..I don't ever remember being asked about that either..Who are the 'people' that get to choose? they didn't ask me.:(..ha ha, they wouldn't!
Anyway...this year, surprisingly I have to say was a better show. The set itself was beautiful and full of glamour. Hugh Jackman ( People Magazine's Sexiest man alive, Wolverine, Australia) was quite good as a first time host. My personal favorite's will always be Johnny Carson and Billy Crystal. Hugh's talents were showcased in many delightful musical numbers and he seemed generally at ease and comfortable and I must say he is certainly nice to look at!. His opening number was very entertaining until half way through the song the camera decided to show closeups of his face and his mouth was starting to create some white thrush on the corner's of his mouth. That was probably caused by dry mouth in his nervousness etc and I felt grossed out only because thrush seeping out of ones mouth grosses me out period!. Sorry Hugh, it wasn't personal... but thrush isn't pretty even if it is on the sexiest man alive! Camera man: pan away from his face! I'm sure after that he went back stage and drank water, lots of it... OK, where was I? Oh yea back to the golden ken doll. Well bottom line the show was way to long and we all know that right? Yes we do. So what did the producer decide to do? make it longer by adding these insane nomination speeches to each and every nominee by former winner's. Now I heard opinions afterward that some thought that special touch was wonderful but personally I thought "oh my gosh, how much more do these people need to be told how great they are?" what ever happened to " it is just an honor to be nominated?", list the nominee's , then open the envelope and give out the Oscar... But to go on and on to each nominee about how great they are on a personal level was over the top. For the love of god people they were not being given the "Pulitzer" !!
My personal surprises was that Mickey Rourke didn't win and Sean Penn did (and of course it gave him his platform to give his political opinions and that was NO surprise), then he thanked everyone else in his life BUT the woman who has stayed by his side , explaining the next day that he kept his speech non personal...ummmmm..using the world stage for his pro gay marriage view wasn't personal? whatever!
In the end, 3 hours later ,it was basically the same show it always is. Long, longer , longest..The glamorous were still glamorous, the red carpet was still red, the Oscar was still gold, and Hollywood is obese from the over indulgent of fat paychecks and fat ego's . I think they should seriously consider changing the Golden statue to a plus size!
see ya next year!!
Anyway...this year, surprisingly I have to say was a better show. The set itself was beautiful and full of glamour. Hugh Jackman ( People Magazine's Sexiest man alive, Wolverine, Australia) was quite good as a first time host. My personal favorite's will always be Johnny Carson and Billy Crystal. Hugh's talents were showcased in many delightful musical numbers and he seemed generally at ease and comfortable and I must say he is certainly nice to look at!. His opening number was very entertaining until half way through the song the camera decided to show closeups of his face and his mouth was starting to create some white thrush on the corner's of his mouth. That was probably caused by dry mouth in his nervousness etc and I felt grossed out only because thrush seeping out of ones mouth grosses me out period!. Sorry Hugh, it wasn't personal... but thrush isn't pretty even if it is on the sexiest man alive! Camera man: pan away from his face! I'm sure after that he went back stage and drank water, lots of it... OK, where was I? Oh yea back to the golden ken doll. Well bottom line the show was way to long and we all know that right? Yes we do. So what did the producer decide to do? make it longer by adding these insane nomination speeches to each and every nominee by former winner's. Now I heard opinions afterward that some thought that special touch was wonderful but personally I thought "oh my gosh, how much more do these people need to be told how great they are?" what ever happened to " it is just an honor to be nominated?", list the nominee's , then open the envelope and give out the Oscar... But to go on and on to each nominee about how great they are on a personal level was over the top. For the love of god people they were not being given the "Pulitzer" !!
My personal surprises was that Mickey Rourke didn't win and Sean Penn did (and of course it gave him his platform to give his political opinions and that was NO surprise), then he thanked everyone else in his life BUT the woman who has stayed by his side , explaining the next day that he kept his speech non personal...ummmmm..using the world stage for his pro gay marriage view wasn't personal? whatever!
In the end, 3 hours later ,it was basically the same show it always is. Long, longer , longest..The glamorous were still glamorous, the red carpet was still red, the Oscar was still gold, and Hollywood is obese from the over indulgent of fat paychecks and fat ego's . I think they should seriously consider changing the Golden statue to a plus size!
see ya next year!!
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