2008-03-18T16:10:36Z opencongress.org tag:opencongress.org,2007:/bill/comments/42157 2008-03-18T16:10:36Z tag:opencongress.org,2008-03-18:/comment/3421 Anonymous Has anyone noticed how much it costs the family of the person locked up to call home, buy food that is considered commissary. The federal Government is doing something else with tax money, and robbing the familys of more money that they lock up. Let these people out now!!!!!Please sign this right away President Bush!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 2008-03-13T20:53:01Z tag:opencongress.org,2008-03-13:/comment/3096 SandraD This is great news. Does anyone know what exactly this bill means for a person who committed a white collar crime? It was a first offense and was non violent. Does this bill help first time offenders to get to a halfway house earlier? 2008-02-24T02:36:22Z tag:opencongress.org,2008-02-24:/comment/1104 Anonymous I BELEIVE THAT EVERYONE DESERVES A SECOND CHANCE DEPENDING ON THE SEVERITY OF THEIR CRIMES. NOW MURDERS, PEDIFIERS AND RAPIST,I CAN'T SEE PUTTING THEM BACK IN THE COMMUNITY. 2008-03-09T22:18:26Z tag:opencongress.org,2008-03-09:/comment/2638 Anonymous I TOTALLY AGREE WE NEED TO TAKE CONSIDERATION IN THE CRIME AND IF IT IS A NONVIOLENT FIRST OFFENCE, THAT SHOULD BE GIVEN A SECOND CHANCE. YOU TAKE SOMEONE WHO HAS HAD A GOOD BACKGROUD, WORKED A GOOD JOB, HELPED THE CHURCH AND COMMUNITY AND MET SOMEONE AFTER A DIVORCE THAT GOT HIM INVOLVED IN A DRUG CONSPIRACY THAT SEEMED LIKE IT WOULD BRING IN SOME MUCH NEEDED MONEY TO END UP WITH NO MONEY TO SHOW FOR, BUT A 5 YEAR SENTENCE FOR A CRIME THAT HE WAS ONLY INVOLVED IN FOR 6 MONTHS. THERE ARE CHILDREN AND A WIFE AT HOME THAT WE AS TAX PAYERS ARE HAVING TO SUPPORT NOT TO MENTION WHAT IT IS COSTING US TO KEEP THESE PEOPLE IN PRISON. THERE ARE OTHER MEANS OF PUNISHMENT THAT WON'T COST THE TAX PAYER SO MUCH AND WILL MONITOR THE SAME AS IN A FEDERAL PRISON CAMP. THIS WAY THEY CAN WORK AND GET PAID ENOUGH TO TAKE CARE OF THEIR OWN FAMILY. I SUGGEST YOU LOOK AT SOME OF THE BACKGROUNDS OF THESE FEDERAL PRISONERS. IF THEY HAVE KEPT A STEADY JOB, WORKED IN THE COMMUNITY AND ONLY MADE A MISTAKE CHANCES ARE THEY WILL NEVER DO IT AGAIN AND IF THEY DO THEY WON'T BE A FIRST OFFENDER. I READ AN ARTICLE IN THE LOCAL PAPER WHERE A KILLER WAS RELEASED FROM PRISON AND THE NEXT WEEK HE KILLED 6 PEOPLE. WE NEED TO SAVE ROOM IN OUR PRISONS FOR THIS TYPE PERSON AND THE CHILD MOLESTERS, RAPIST, PEOPLE WHO HURT OUR ELDERLY. GIVE SECOND CHANCES WHERE THEY ARE DUE. THESE MEN ARE WASTING AWAY THEIR LIFE IN PRISON WHILE THE REAL CRIMINAL IS ON THE STREETS. 2008-03-19T22:58:39Z tag:opencongress.org,2008-03-19:/comment/3511 Anonymous MY SON HAD NO RECORD OR BEEN IN ANY TROUBLE.DEVOICED 3MONTHS ,NEW GIRL FRIEND 3 WEEKS.MET SOME OF HER FRIENDS AND THEY WERE BEING WATCHED,DEA TASK FORCE,2 HAD LONG HISTORY OF METH,AND ETC. THE GIRL WAS TOLD THAT HE HAD GONE BACK TO HIS EX.SHE WAS MAD AND SAID SOME BAD THINGS TO GET A LESSER SENTENCE.1 GOT 18 MONTHS,1 GOT 42 MONTHS THE GIRL GOT 48AND DID NOT SERVE NEARLY ALL OF IT.SHE GAVE BIRTH TO MY GRANDCHILD WHILE THERE.THEN RELEASED TO A HALHWAY HOUSE FOR 3MONTHS,THEN SHE WAS ALLOWED TO GO HOME FOR 3 MONTHS.MY SON RECIEVED 90 MONTHS.HE WASN'T EVEN THERE WHEN THE BUST HAPPENED. HE WAS AT WORK.IT WAS HER FRIENDS THAT WAS RAIDED. HE WAS FOUND GUILTY BY ASSOSIATION.THE CRIME DID NOT FIT THE TIME.WE NEED MORE JUSTICE,AND CAPS ON THE AMOUNT OF TIME AND THE POWER THAT JUDGES HAVE TO ENHANCE A SENTENCE. TIME AND CRIME SHOULD BE THE SAME FOR ALL. MY SON AND YOUR SONS NEED TO HAVE THIS 2ND CHANCE,NOT JUST FOR US,BUT FOR THE KIDS THAT HAVE BEEN LEFT BEHIND NOT TO FOLLOW IN THE STEPS OF THEIR PARENTS.HOEQE 2008-04-07T18:39:26Z tag:opencongress.org,2008-04-07:/comment/4364 Anonymous everyone deserves a second chance not just crack dealers. 2008-03-15T21:06:24Z tag:opencongress.org,2008-03-15:/comment/3238 Anonymous Consider a man who never committed a crime in his life, but became addicted to internet porn which degerated into child porn. He never created, bought or sold these sleezy pictures. He only LOOKED at them and he is wasting SIX YEARS in a federal prison. He is only guilty of addiction. What a travesty and waste of federal monies. 2008-03-19T09:26:55Z tag:opencongress.org,2008-03-19:/comment/3460 Anonymous Please pass this because there are so many single parents in need of their spouse. If you sell drugs you will get 10 - 20 years but if you kill someone you can get out in 5 with the help of parole!! Everyone deserves a second chance. I don't think it is any different than white collar crimes. 2008-04-09T13:33:27Z tag:opencongress.org,2008-04-09:/comment/4680 Anonymous yes -the president signed this !!! 2008-03-06T12:47:00Z tag:opencongress.org,2008-03-06:/comment/2373 Anonymous People need to wake up non-violent first time offenders should be given a second chance, maybe a little education and a chance is all it takes. Most people do the same thing at least once and never get caught...who are we to judge. 13 years for a 1st time drugs offense with no drugs, no money just hear say is a little much wouldn't you think...what if it was your family? 2008-07-09T22:08:25Z tag:opencongress.org,2008-07-09:/comment/33095 SandraD I have been hearing lately about a new parole system that is going to be or already has been introduced into the federal system. Has anyone heard anything about this? 2008-03-15T22:50:50Z tag:opencongress.org,2008-03-15:/comment/3243 Anonymous why federal sentences help better than state ,a book called famm have all the data plus numbers talk a bout being framed anonymous . 2008-06-08T21:30:27Z tag:opencongress.org,2008-06-08:/comment/21477 Anonymous Now that the bill is past, here is how its being used. My father - who is 67, a first-time offender, and convicted of fraud for $1500 - was told that he does not meet the criteria for early release. When he asked what the criteria is, he was told "there is no criteria." He was later told that anyone with family support and money coming into their prison account will not get released early, that this is for those who have no support. What?????? 2008-06-12T19:20:56Z tag:opencongress.org,2008-06-12:/comment/24435 SandraD I am running into the same thing. It is unbelievable. My boyfriend, first time offender serving a 15 month sentece for a white collar crime that he did not even know he committed, was told the same thing. That he did not meet the criteria. I believe the criteria is do you have money being sent in, do you have a job lined up, do you have a place to stay, and do you get visits. Since he gets all of those, he is not elligible for early release. And on top of that, since he did not have a drug problem and since he was not sentenced for at least 2 years, he was unable to get into the drug program. Which, I hear they only have to do 6 months in the drug program now and then they will get released to the halfway house 3 months early. My boyfriend has gotten the raw end of every deal from this messed up system. We have 5 months left. I can deal with that. I feel bad for the people I hear about, who have 2 or 3 or more years left and are going to get screwed too. This system is unbelievable. 2008-04-15T19:05:27Z tag:opencongress.org,2008-04-15:/comment/5935 SandraD I heard that it was supposed to be implemented by July 15th. I am not positive on this. Anyone else hear anything? 2008-04-15T18:24:10Z tag:opencongress.org,2008-04-15:/comment/5926 Anonymous well the bill got signed but when will congress and senate and President get the ball rolling and i hope soon and not like some of the other bills that were signed into law and took a month of sundays to do any good to the people that are waiting. Any time frame on this bill anyone know? 2008-04-14T20:10:26Z tag:opencongress.org,2008-04-14:/comment/5774 Anonymous HELL KNOW......KEEP HIS DUMB ASS LOCKED UP..........!! 2008-04-13T21:08:11Z tag:opencongress.org,2008-04-13:/comment/5585 ralphbaker49 America is becoming a land of second chance, we are not there yet, the work needs to continue. More is needed; jobs, education, housing, and healthcare for this at-risk population. The urban communities of Cleveland Ohio need the full attention of all stakeholders to maximize a colaboration. 2008-04-13T21:25:27Z tag:opencongress.org,2008-04-13:/comment/5590 ralphbaker49 I am very pleased to see America is on the road to becoming a land of second chance. Housing, education, vocational training, healthcare,counseling, and employment are issues which must be addressed in workable reentry programs for the ex-offenders. America has the largest ex-offenders population on the face of the earth. We have the opportunity to change our direction, to become a better place, a better people. 2008-04-13T21:10:59Z tag:opencongress.org,2008-04-13:/comment/5586 ralphbaker49 America is becoming a land of second chance, we are not there yet, the work needs to continue. More is needed; jobs, education, housing, and healthcare for this at-risk population, ex-offenders. The urban communities of Cleveland Ohio need the full attention of all stakeholders to maximize a colaboration on reentry programs.