Highlights: California and the entire USA face persistent challenges in managing individuals with outstanding warrants, often leading to cycles of crime, costly apprehension efforts, and overburdened correctional facilities. But what if there was a different approach? Here is a proactive strategy that could reduce crime, save taxpayer dollars, and offer a pathway for individuals to become contributing members of society?
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California and the entire USA face persistent challenges in managing individuals with outstanding warrants, often leading to cycles of crime, costly apprehension efforts, and overburdened correctional facilities. But what if there was a different approach? Here is a proactive strategy that could reduce crime, save taxpayer dollars, and offer a pathway for individuals to become contributing members of society.
This article explores a groundbreaking proposal: a policy shift that could allow individuals with warrants to voluntarily turn themselves in for a “Self-Imposed Parole”(TM) period. This innovative framework, developed through discussions with Gemini AI, offers a compelling vision for a more effective and humane justice system.
The Core Proposal:
Imagine a system where individuals with outstanding warrants are incentivized to surrender voluntarily. Upon doing so, they would enter a parole-like program tailored to their needs and risk level. This program could include:
* Individualized Financial Support: A judge would determine the level and duration of financial assistance necessary to help the individual stabilize and focus on rehabilitation, preventing crime driven by desperation.
* Comprehensive Counseling: Access to existing mental health and addiction counseling to address underlying issues contributing to criminal behavior.
* Career Training and Skill Development: Leveraging California’s existing network of low-cost training programs to equip individuals with marketable skills, paving the way for gainful employment and societal contribution.
For individuals who have committed violent offenses, a carefully managed “Restricted Parole”(TM) option could be implemented. This would involve a period of rehabilitation in a secure setting away from the general public, with the potential for gradual reintegration based on demonstrable progress and rigorous risk assessments.
Some individuals will be on “Long-Term Restricted Parole”(TM) with limited possibility of reintegration. This will still be better for the individual and the public than having a fugitive at large and desperate!
Change to long-term restricted probation with limited possibility of reintegration.
The Multifaceted Benefits:
* Reduced Crimes by Fugitives: Individuals actively evading law enforcement are more prone to commit crimes to survive or avoid capture. By encouraging “Self-Surrender”(TM), this policy directly addresses this source of criminal activity, making communities safer. The concept of “Self-Imposed Parole”(TM) fosters a sense of ownership and a strong disincentive to re-offend and return to fugitive status.
* Significant Cost Savings: The billions of dollars currently spent on apprehending fugitives, prosecuting new crimes committed while on the run, and incarcerating individuals represent a substantial burden on California taxpayers. In fiscal year 2024, the state of California alone allocated approximately $17.8 billion to judicial and criminal justice programs. When considering additional spending at the city and county levels, the total expenditure for the criminal justice system across all of California’s agencies is estimated to be well over $30 billion annually. This proposal offers a pathway to significantly reduce these expenditures. Proactive support for needy individuals could also prevent future costly involvement in the criminal justice system. Retraining existing justice personnel could also be a more cost-effective approach than hiring entirely new staff. Resources could be redirected towards prevention, rehabilitation, and other crucial public services.
NOTE: the total amount spent in the United States by Federal, State, and Local governments in 2023 fighting crime, encompassing pursuit (law enforcement), conviction (judicial and legal services), and incarceration (corrections), is estimated to be in the range of $395 billion to $435 billion.
* Empowering Rehabilitation: By focusing on counseling, skill development, and providing a pathway to financial stability, the policy prioritizes genuine rehabilitation over mere punishment. This offers individuals a chance to break the cycle of crime and become productive members of society. These newly productive citizens will greatly reduce recidivism rates
* Increased Safety and Relief for Victims and the Entire Public: Knowing that the individual who harmed them is no longer at large and is participating in a structured program can provide significant peace of mind and a greater sense of safety for victims and us all. Individuals who have voluntarily surrendered to participate in this “Self-Imposed Parole”(TM) system are highly unlikely to violate its terms and risk facing the full extent of the law for any new offenses or parole violations. Ankle monitors can be used to constantly track location, curfew violations, and even alcohol consumption.
* Efficient Resource Allocation: Empowering judges to determine individualized security levels and leveraging existing training and probation programs ensures that resources are used effectively, focusing intensive supervision where it’s most needed. The potential for reduced security levels based on good behavior further optimizes resource allocation.
Investing in Our Existing Workforce:
Crucially, the implementation of this new approach doesn’t necessitate a complete overhaul of the system. Many current justice personnel possess valuable skills in de-escalation, communication, and understanding the complexities of the criminal justice system. These dedicated individuals could be retrained and redeployed to provide crucial support services within this new framework, including supervision, guidance, and connecting individuals with necessary resources. This would ensure a smoother transition and leverage the experience of existing professionals. The excellent existing agency, the California Prison Industry Authority (CALPIA) within the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR), will be able to increase its operations with funds and justice personnel from other departments that will downsize.
Proactive Prevention:
Furthermore, to address the root causes of crime and remove any perverse incentive to commit crimes to access support, this proposal also envisions providing financial assistance, comprehensive counseling, and valuable skill training to any needy individual within the community. Importantly, many valuable support groups, counseling services, and low-cost skill training programs are already actively provided by various community organizations, non-profits, and government agencies across California. This proposal seeks to build upon and expand access to these existing resources, ensuring that individuals have avenues for support and skill development before resorting to criminal activity out of desperation, fostering a more supportive and equitable society.
Grants and Tax Breaks can be provided to encourage and support these existing and future resources.
Parole Duration for Skill Development:
To facilitate effective rehabilitation and reintegration, the duration of the “Self-Imposed Parole”(TM) period could be tailored to individual needs and the time required to acquire a marketable skill. In many cases, this period might be as short as six months to one year, during which the parolee would be actively engaged in training and development aimed at securing sustainable employment. Such a cost, potentially a few thousand dollars a month for support and training, is a far lower cost than the expense of apprehension, a full trial, and an average of six years of incarceration, which could easily amount to at least $1 million. This focused time frame allows for efficient use of resources and provides a clear pathway towards independence.
Again, some individuals will be on “Long-Term Restricted Parole”(TM) with limited possibility of reintegration. This will still be better for the individual and the public than having a fugitive at large and desperate!
Strengthening Implementation and Ensuring Accountability:
Public safety remains the paramount concern in this proposal. The structured and supervised nature of the “Self-Imposed Parole”(TM), coupled with individualized risk assessments and potential security measures, is designed to protect the community while offering a path towards rehabilitation. Again, individuals who have voluntarily surrendered to participate in this “Self-Imposed Parole”(TM) parole system are highly unlikely to violate its terms and risk facing the full extent of the law for any new offenses or parole violations.
Successful implementation will rely heavily on strong partnerships with existing community-based organizations and nonprofits that have a proven track record in providing counseling, job training, and reintegration services.
The success of this initiative would be continuously evaluated through the collection and analysis of key data points, including recidivism rates, cost savings, and community safety indicators, ensuring its effectiveness and allowing for necessary adjustments.
To ensure a smooth and effective transition, a phased implementation of this policy could be considered, starting with a pilot program in select jurisdictions to allow for thorough evaluation and refinement before statewide adoption.
Probation and Parole are both forms of community supervision, but they occur at different stages of the criminal justice process.
Probation is a sentence imposed by a judge instead of or before incarceration, allowing an individual to remain in the community under specific conditions.
Parole, on the other hand, is the conditional release of an individual from prison after serving a portion of their sentence. While the “Self-Surrender Parole”(TM) concept involves individuals entering supervision without prior incarceration for the specific warrants, it’s framed under the understanding that parole carries stricter regulatory conditions and harsher consequences for violations, typically including a return to prison. This framework aims to leverage the public perception of parole’s seriousness to ensure compliance and enhance the program’s effectiveness in reducing crime.
A Path Forward:
In the face of persistent challenges within our criminal justice system and the significant financial burden it places on the state, this proposal offers a timely and innovative approach to improve public safety, reduce costs, and foster positive change in individuals’ lives.
This proposal is not without its complexities and would require careful planning and implementation. However, the potential benefits for public safety, fiscal responsibility, and individual transformation are too significant to ignore. By embracing innovative solutions and prioritizing both proactive prevention and rehabilitation alongside accountability, California has the opportunity to forge a new path towards a more just and safer future.
Don Design Jr’s Philosophy for this proposal is based on the book The Crime of Punishment by Karl Menninger, M.D., that Don read decades ago.
In The Crime of Punishment (1966), psychiatrist Dr. Karl Menninger argues that the prevailing system of criminal justice in America, with its focus on retribution and punishment, is fundamentally flawed and ineffective. He contends that our society’s approach to crime is often driven by vengeful emotions rather than a genuine desire to understand and address the root causes of criminal behavior. Dr. Menninger advocates for a more therapeutic and rehabilitative approach, emphasizing the need to treat offenders as individuals with underlying psychological and social issues that contribute to their actions. He calls for a shift in focus from simply punishing criminals to understanding and ultimately preventing crime through diagnosis, treatment, and societal reform. The book challenges readers to reconsider their assumptions about crime and punishment and to embrace a more humane and scientifically informed perspective.
The title “The Crime of Punishment” refers to the author’s assertion that the way society punishes criminals is itself a crime. In the book, Dr. Menninger argues that the traditional, retributive approach to punishment is ineffective, harmful, and ultimately does more social damage than the original crimes committed by offenders. He suggests that the focus should shift from vengeance and inflicting pain to understanding the root causes of criminal behavior and implementing rehabilitative measures. Therefore, the “crime” in the title is not the actions of the criminals themselves, but rather the counterproductive and damaging nature of the punishment systems that society has created. Menninger believed that these systems perpetuate a cycle of crime and fail to address the underlying issues.
Karl Menninger, M.D. (1893-1990) was a highly influential American psychiatrist who made significant contributions to the field of mental health. Some of his major accomplishments include:
* Co-founding the Menninger Clinic: Along with his father, Charles, and brother, William, he established the Menninger Clinic in Topeka, Kansas, which became a world-renowned center for psychiatric treatment, research, and education.
* Developing a holistic approach to psychiatry: Dr. Menninger emphasized the importance of understanding the whole person – their social, psychological, and biological factors – in the diagnosis and treatment of mental illness.
* Advocating for deinstitutionalization: He was a vocal critic of large, impersonal mental institutions and championed community-based treatment and care for individuals with mental illness.
* Promoting public awareness of mental health: Through his writing and public speaking, Dr. Menninger worked tirelessly to reduce stigma associated with mental illness and to educate the public about the importance of mental well-being.
* Authoring influential books: Besides The Crime of Punishment, he wrote several other impactful books, including The Human Mind and Man Against Himself, which helped to popularize psychiatric concepts and promote a more compassionate understanding of human behavior.
This article was developed based on discussions with Gemini, an AI.
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START OF CHANGES: hhh List of changes containing the complete changes so a re-reader will not have to re-read the entire article: ccc
yymmdd=date.
250712: NOTE: the total amount spent in the United States by Federal, State, and Local governments in 2023 fighting crime, encompassing pursuit (law enforcement), conviction (judicial and legal services), and incarceration (corrections), is estimated to be in the range of $395 billion to $435 billion.
250519: Changed “restricted parole for life” to: “Long-Term Restricted Parole”(TM) with limited possibility of reintegration. (Recommended by Gemini, an AI)
Added: Ankle monitors can be used to constantly track location, curfew violations, and even alcohol consumption. (From John E. Master’s Degree in City Planning)
Added: The excellent existing agency, the California Prison Industry Authority (CALPIA) within the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR), will be able to increase its operations with funds and justice personnel from other departments that will downsize. (From John E. Master’s Degree in City Planning)
250518: Added section: Grants and Tax Breaks can be provided to encourage and support these existing and future resources. (From John E. Master’s Degree in City Planning)
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Published: 250517 (yymmdd). Posted: 250517.
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