1. 

   BuffaloHawk
   

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   I have been reading a lot of links and stories on here about repeat offenders. I can't get over the size of some of the criminals rap sheets still on the streets. I always thought there was a three strikes and your out policy. I came across this story and found it pretty damn scary he had a loaded weapon and wondered if they will finally put him away for good.

   http://www.ballardnewstribune.com/2013/02/15/police-blotter/police-blotter-convicted-felon-arrested

   Officers walking along Aurora arrested a convicted felon during patrol. They contacted the man inside a 7-11, and while they were talking to him, they noticed the outline of a gun in his waistband. The officers grabbed the man’s hands and extracted a loaded large-caliber revolver. The suspect was arrested for firearms violations. Further investigation revealed that the gun was stolen and that the suspect was carrying almost $5000 in cash.

   Posted 3 months ago #
2. 

   seattletree
   

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   yeah I saw that last night, wow just wow. I pull in there at all hours for a Slurpy fix. I thought it was cool... silly me.

   Posted 3 months ago #
3. 

   Norge
   

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   It's three felonies that are counted with the three strikes you're out law. Misdemeanors are not counted. What constitutes a felony versus a misdemeanor I don't know. Car thefts are misdemeanors that's why you can have someone that steals hundreds of cars and get caught and serve a relatively minimal sentence. I have also heard that they are now reconsidering the three strikes out law, especially on the third strike because they feel there are too many people in prison because of a third strike that technically wasn't so bad (and who determines this I don't know but it's obviously not the victim of the crime).

   Posted 3 months ago #
4. 

   onederfullone
   

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   Prosecutors are simply lazy, and want to maintain a 100% conviction ratio.

   If you get a real bad guy, danger to the public, to plead to jaywalking or littering you are golden. Why sweat for a decent and righteous conviction if you may lose? Only an idiot would do such a thing.

   It makes me wonder why cops are inclined to slap the snot out of dirt-bags. /sarcasm

   It's the closest thing to justice we'll ever see in Seattle, fwiw.

   Posted 3 months ago #
5. 

   Mondoman
   

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   With all the current focus on new gun-control laws, it's interesting to note that in a few cities some decades ago (Philadelphia in the 90s was one IIRC), they actually tried to very rigorously enforce existing gun laws. Thus, not just using a gun in a crime, but having one illegally, even if not then committing a crime with it, as in this story. They were able to drastically reduce the amount of gun violence, since criminals stopped habitually carrying guns. I'm not sure why they stopped the effort after some months or years.

   Posted 3 months ago #
6. 

   Pokerguy
   

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   The problem is the jails are full and there is no money to build more. Most of the people who complain about the criminal justice system will be the first ones to complain about their taxes going up.

   I personally think we need to stop pretending prisons are about rehabilitation and make them about punishment. Set up more work camps, no TV's, no weight rooms, etc...Most of these guys have a better life on the inside than the outside, so prison is no threat.

   Make it a place they really want to avoid. Ship them to Alaska or some other remote location, harsher death penalties, etc...

   Posted 3 months ago #
7. 

   InterbayGirl
   

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   Not at all relating to to the OP but when my car was stolen a almost a decade ago, it was fortunately recovered WITH people in it. Several of them had criminal charges filed against them.

   One of them plead not-guilty and sat in jail, used various stall tactics to postpone trial including a psych evaluation...until the the 'AH HA' moment happened when they discovered they could change their plea to 'Guilty', time already served counted, and they were released the following day. For the next few years I would run his name through King County's Jail Inmate Lookup Service (its public record!). This guy bounced in and out every couple of months for gun possession, narcotics, and car theft (AGAIN!)

   GRRRRRRRR....the justice system is sooooo frustrating with things like the above.

   Posted 3 months ago #
8. 

   InterbayGirl
   

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   OMG! I just looked up the frustrating individual and he just recent bounced in and out of jail AGAIN for vehicle prowling and illegal entry! *sigh*

   Posted 3 months ago #
9. 

   gracie
   

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   Three strikes - as I recall it was certain crimes that apply to the three strikes and you are out.

   Posted 3 months ago #
10. 

    onederfullone
    

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    We all know about it, criminals and prosecutors alike.

    "hey, scumbag, this is your third strike, life in prison...now, if you just polish my 100% perfect knob and plead to simple assault, you'll do ten days of swabbing porta-potties, and my record is spotless."

    Meanwhile, we get life in idiot-ville.

    Maybe I'm just not getting the beauty of your utopia yet...

    Posted 2 months ago #
11. 

    BuffaloHawk
    

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    It looks like the 36 weeks in juvenile detention had a positive impact on rehabilitating them.

    http://www.nbcnews.com/id/51057830/ns/local_news-seattle_wa/#.UTaBizeaLEE

    All three men have had run-ins with the law since 2008. In March 2012, Kelly was arrested for allegedly possessing a gun. Jones has been charged in the 2012 Christmas Eve shooting death of a man at Bellevue’s Munchbar. Chambers has been arrested multiple times as well, including for robbery and disturbance on a Metro bus.

    Posted 2 months ago #

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