Dear Daniel: Thank you for this thoughtful and well researched article. I cried when I read it, especially your definition of a "restorative justice system". I am the mother of a victim of a crime and I have struggled to come to terms with whether I will ever feel like justice has been served for the perpetrator of this crime. You have helped me realize that more than punishment for him, I just want to be absolutely certain that nobody else will be hurt in this same way by him or anyone else. I want desperately to save other mothers and daughters from this pain. What I really want to believe in is what you described, a system that can truly rehabilitate. The difficulty is that most people believe that adult offenders can't be truly rehabilitated. I looked up the programs you wrote about and I think you might be onto something. Thank you for giving me hope that most people might be wrong.
In my experience, it's so hard to tell about medical care in prisons. They often do offer adequate (and sometimes even good) care.
But, when they don't, there is no way to tell. There is no accountability in the system because it is so closed.
You'd be surprised how common/how easy it is for the system to lie and justify their behavior.
It's just so hard to tell.
I've also seen cases where the inmates knew just what happened to one of their peers and were justified in their complaints. Other times, they thought that they had all the information - but were missing an important piece of information (HIPPA regulations and all).
IME, Inmates need 'their people' watching out for them - from the outside - in order to ensure that they get what they need.
i'm writing you finally a letter these days. I met yesteray a great painter, an Argentinian- you know that I lived in argentina, eh-. Well, actually she is of Columnbian parents.
Argentina is her name. :-)
We saw the wonderful film 'The Way we were' With Robert Redford and Barbara Sreisand. I didn't know she just was such a very good actrice!! :-o
Anyway, the two of us are painters. We both paint very colorful!
She is more advanced as a painter than me too. But she kept always on the go... while I stopped painting for a few years. But I know I have it in me. ;-))
Kelly, you are a good person and may you too be blessed! I'll send some pictures from two art exhibitions I had in Argentina, ok?
One thing positive in the posts from the author in question is his obvious knowledge of the law garnered during his incarceration. He is obviously intelligent and it's a shame to see him waste the few positive outlets he has by these hate and venom filled posts. My wish is that he would continue his quest for legal knowledge and be all that he can be within the confines of the system. His rantings detract from the possible benefits his intellect allows him.
What a thoroughly unpleasant person you are! You will use the deaths of 2 men to feed your hate for the system and the total inadequacy that is your life past and present.
And the Beat(down) Goes On: Ken Seguin
You do recognise that post don't you. He is every bit(and more)the activist you claim to be but he sees the deaths as suicide because they didn't want to go to medical. He claims that his friends wanted to take him to medical but you claim no-one cared.
The hate within you is eating you alive. All can see it. You have nothing good to say about any employee of the DOC but demand respect from those same people. If they hated you half as much as you so vocally hate them your sorry ass wouldn't see daylight for the next 15 years and we may be spared your repetitive inane garbage on BTW.
There is a reason that I am about the only one wasting their precious time commenting........they probably quickly change the page when they see your name attached to a post.
Thank you so much for writing! The article was very nuanced with its conditional treatment of the free will vs. determinism debate. What's very interesting is that I am currrently debating the free will-determinism problem with my friends! In fact, I may share this article with them, if that should be alright with you (I will wait for a response). Keep up the good work and learned philosophical writings! Can't wait to read the next one! --Calhoun25 (P.S. I really liked the comparison to Calvinism; I never thought of that before)
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Thank you for this thoughtful and well researched article. I cried when I read it, especially your definition of a "restorative justice system". I am the mother of a victim of a crime and I have struggled to come to terms with whether I will ever feel like justice has been served for the perpetrator of this crime. You have helped me realize that more than punishment for him, I just want to be absolutely certain that nobody else will be hurt in this same way by him or anyone else. I want desperately to save other mothers and daughters from this pain. What I really want to believe in is what you described, a system that can truly rehabilitate. The difficulty is that most people believe that adult offenders can't be truly rehabilitated. I looked up the programs you wrote about and I think you might be onto something. Thank you for giving me hope that most people might be wrong.
But, when they don't, there is no way to tell. There is no accountability in the system because it is so closed.
You'd be surprised how common/how easy it is for the system to lie and justify their behavior.
It's just so hard to tell.
I've also seen cases where the inmates knew just what happened to one of their peers and were justified in their complaints. Other times, they thought that they had all the information - but were missing an important piece of information (HIPPA regulations and all).
IME, Inmates need 'their people' watching out for them - from the outside - in order to ensure that they get what they need.
i'm writing you finally a letter these days.
I met yesteray a great painter, an Argentinian- you know that I lived in argentina, eh-.
Well, actually she is of Columnbian parents.
Argentina is her name. :-)
We saw the wonderful film 'The Way we were' With Robert Redford and Barbara Sreisand. I didn't know she just was such a very good actrice!! :-o
Anyway, the two of us are painters. We both paint very colorful!
She is more advanced as a painter than me too. But she kept always on the go... while I stopped painting for a few years. But I know I have it in me. ;-))
Kelly, you are a good person and may you too be blessed! I'll send some pictures from two art exhibitions I had in Argentina, ok?
Take care my friend!
rita
And the Beat(down) Goes On: Ken Seguin
You do recognise that post don't you. He is every bit(and more)the activist you claim to be but he sees the deaths as suicide because they didn't want to go to medical. He claims that his friends wanted to take him to medical but you claim no-one cared.
The hate within you is eating you alive. All can see it. You have nothing good to say about any employee of the DOC but demand respect from those same people. If they hated you half as much as you so vocally hate them your sorry ass wouldn't see daylight for the next 15 years and we may be spared your repetitive inane garbage on BTW.
There is a reason that I am about the only one wasting their precious time commenting........they probably quickly change the page when they see your name attached to a post.
--Calhoun25
(P.S. I really liked the comparison to Calvinism; I never thought of that before)