Obama visits prison to call for a fairer justice system

[webfact]

Obama visits prison to call for a fairer justice system
By DARLENE SUPERVILLE

EL RENO, Okla. (AP) — Peering from the back seat of his armored black limousine, President Barack Obama rode into a razor wire-surrounded federal prison Thursday and said he met young inmates "who made mistakes that aren't that different than the mistakes I made."

Obama came to the medium-security El Reno Federal Correctional Institution near Oklahoma City to press his case that the nation needs to reconsider the way crime is controlled and prisoners are rehabilitated. The president met with inmates and walked past rows of empty cells secured by large grey doors. Prison officials opened cell no. 123 for Obama and he gazed at its sparse trappings: a double bunk bed and third bed along the wall, a toilet and sink, along with a small bookcase and three lockers.

"Three full-grown men in a 9-by-10 cell," he said.

The White House said Obama was the first sitting president to visit a federal prison.

The president said there must be a distinction between young people "doing stupid things" and violent criminals. Young people who make mistakes, he said, could be thriving if they had access to resources and support structures "that would allow them to survive those mistakes."

"When they describe their youth and their childhood, these are young people who made mistakes that aren't that different than the mistakes I made," Obama said.

Among the changes Obama is seeking is the reduction or outright elimination of severe mandatory minimum sentences for non-violent offenders. Earlier this week, he used his presidential powers to shorten the prison sentences of 46 people convicted on charges involving drugs.

The president has also called for restoring voting rights to felons who have served their sentences, and said employers should "ban the box" that asks job applicants about their criminal histories.

Obama has expressed hope that Congress will send him legislation to address the issue before he leaves office in 18 months, given the level of interest in the issue among Republican lawmakers and presidential candidates.

Presidential security was no small part of Obama's visit to the all-male institution. White House press secretary Josh Earnest said "unique steps" were taken to protect Obama during the visit. He did not elaborate.

Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., a 2016 presidential contender, is pushing to restore voting rights to nonviolent felons who have served their sentences. Another GOP candidate, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, was giving a speech Thursday calling for changes that in part would give nonviolent drug offenders a better chance at rebuilding their lives.

From shortening the prison sentences of nearly four-dozen non-violent drug offenders to advocating the reduction, or outright elimination, of severe mandatory minimum sentences to visiting a federal prison, Obama this week has argued forcefully for an alternative to the continued lengthy incarceration of people convicted of crimes he said did not fit the punishment.

Harsh prison sentences, particularly for nonviolent drug crimes, are to blame for doubling the prison population in the past two decades, Obama said earlier this week. Half a million people were behind bars in 1980, a figure that has since quadrupled to its current total of more than 2.2 million inmates.

Obama has expressed hope that Congress will send him legislation to address the issue before he leaves office in 18 months, given the level of interest in the issue among Republican lawmakers and presidential candidates.


-- (c) Associated Press 2015-07-17

[jcisco]

wow....... seriously don't threaten the justice mill...

[spidermike007]

If this nim witted "leader" was serious, the first thing he would do is to make sure the DEA downgrades Ganga from a class one substance to class two. Grass is classified the same as heroin in the US, due to that silly government being unwilling to admit there is medicinal use for it. Hence you have hundreds of thousands serving time to Ganga related crimes. Many of them Black men. In this day and age when the states are showing their extreme distaste of these silly and demeaning prosecutions, the feds remain adamant and out of touch. Obama too. Shame on the whole lot of them. He is beyond disingenuous when he speaks these words.

He could also work on the bail system, which favors those with cash, and leaves poor people locked up for extended periods before a trial.

Actions speak so much louder than words. Sometimes this guy reminds me so much of little P.

Edited July 17, 2015 by spidermike007

[Publicus]

Barack's Johnny Cash moment.

Take yer pick for which one....

https://youtu.be/7MSkQlZy5e0

https://youtu.be/365q2CAGyTI

https://youtu.be/365q2CAGyTI

https://youtu.be/VEW6HIa9T8c

Johnny Cash - Folsom Prison Blues (Live at Tennessee State Prison Edited July 17, 2015 by Publicus

[chuckd]

Maybe he was checking out his retirement digs.

[Publicus]

Maybe he was checking out his retirement digs.

Johnny Cash never spent a day in prison under incarceration. And I know the reference is not to POTUS.

GW Bush btw owes Barack a big one for not prosecuting Bush under US laws for the Words of Mass Deception, mushroom cloud and all the rest of it.

The more Bush's Dick Cheney talks, the deeper in the hole the far out right get with Cheney doing a relentless backbreaking digging.

The right passed its point of no return several months ago and now that the lunar orbiter is out of fuel youse guyz are in a decided descent and on course to start a new crater.

Bon voyage.

[little mary sunshine]

Missed opportunity to keep him behind bars!!

[Nowisee]

He should force the issue of making weed a NON controlled substance, kicking it down to a schedule II is pointless.

He is right on about prison population and mandatory minimums... the increase since 1980 has cost us all a lot of money and not made our lives any safer.
Prison should only be for violent felons... I am in favor of restitution and heavy duty fines to those that can pay... the cost of incarceration is about 30k and for older people with health issues it can approach 50k in federal prisons. This is just retarded.
I am also in favor of restoring a non-violent felons rights and job apps should not ask about convictions. Give people a new start after they have served out their sentence.

If this nim witted "leader" was serious, the first thing he would do is to make sure the DEA downgrades Ganga from a class one substance to class two. Grass is classified the same as heroin in the US, due to that silly government being unwilling to admit there is medicinal use for it. Hence you have hundreds of thousands serving time to Ganga related crimes. Many of them Black men. In this day and age when the states are showing their extreme distaste of these silly and demeaning prosecutions, the feds remain adamant and out of touch. Obama too. Shame on the whole lot of them. He is beyond disingenuous when he speaks these words.

He could also work on the bail system, which favors those with cash, and leaves poor people locked up for extended periods before a trial.

Actions speak so much louder than words. Sometimes this guy reminds me so much of little P.

[hawker9000]

"who made mistakes that aren't that different than the mistakes I made."

Wow, finally something he says that I can actually believe ...

[Credo]

A great move on the part of the President. All the suggestions, but it requires the congress to pass laws -- unless he uses the dreaded executive decree and that could cause some Thaivisa members to stroke out.

Incarceration and war are expensive. A move in the positive direction.

It would be great if he dared to take on big Pharma, but even this President probably doesn't dare touch them.

[Thakkar]

Within his powers, he is doing what he can. Highlighting the issue is just a start though. If people want him to succeed in this, they have to elect the right congressmen and senators, both State and Federal, who will pass/amend the relevant laws to make the necessary changes. Even a well-meaning president can only do so much when he has to work with a Congress whose only goal is to impeach him from day one.

T

[Publicus]

Within his powers, he is doing what he can. Highlighting the issue is just a start though. If people want him to succeed in this, they have to elect the right congressmen and senators, both State and Federal, who will pass/amend the relevant laws to make the necessary changes. Even a well-meaning president can only do so much when he has to work with a Congress whose only goal is to impeach him from day one.

T

The voter constituency that turns out to vote in presidential elections years tends strongly to give the prez they elect a Congress s/he can work with.

The Senate in the 2016 election is highly vulnerable to the Democratic party retaking the majority it lost when, last November, a paltry 38% of the electorate showed up and the Republicans narrowly swept through the Senate to take a majority control. The reverse happens in presidential election years but decidedly so.

The House is gerrymandered for Republicans to the 2022 election year, however, historically speaking each party has convinced itself it had gerrymandered itself into eternity only to suddenly be swept out on one single election day.

The R party for instance needs 47% of the Hispanic vote that will go to the polls in November 2016 when R's will be lucky to get Romney's 2012 vote of 27% of Hispanics --really lucky-- which means oblivion up and down the Republican ticket, from pres to local dog immigrant catcher.

The money btw on a woman being elected prez in November 2016 is presently even for the first time in history. It had been only slightly down up to HRC's recent policy addresses, and the odds will soon go positive for the first time ever. The odds on HRC herself have been 1/1 for several months now.

Go Donald go and light that R hair on fire.

[KonaRain]

Small amounts of weed is legal in DC!

They're having a buds contest for appearance, etc.

Not about potency..

I think I remember hearing this on da radio yesterday..i think..

Alohz

[hawker9000]

Small amounts of weed is legal in DC!

They're having a buds contest for appearance, etc.

Not about potency..

I think I remember hearing this on da radio yesterday..i think..

Alohz

Federal law pre-empts all state laws (including the District), and Federal law prohibits the recreational use of marijuana. 'Not saying it's being enforced; but it IS illegal, and so COULD be at any time and in any place. Everywhere in the U.S. 'Not actually sure what Federal law is on medical use, but I think that particuar prohibition was effectively lifted as part of the 2014 spending bill (typically, Obama wasn't enforcing it as a matter of policy anyway).