District Attorney Todd Williams is trying to reduce “processing time” so violent criminals may enjoy their right to a speedy trial. His strategy involves allowing misdemeanants, like folks charged for walking around with pot or hooch in their pockets, to pay a fee and donate a certain number of hours of community service, in lieu going through the hoops to get a proper sentence. The program is faulted for being a public-private partnership. Just look at the horrible things the private sector does, per the article in the local daily:
The effort in Buncombe has found support, though similar programs elsewhere have raised red flags, in part because they are privately run and could have unintended effects.
“Privatization in the criminal justice system generally is not a great idea because it keeps people from having to think about the real costs of the decisions they’re making in the system,” said Barbara Fedders, a clinical associate professor of law of UNC Chapel Hill who co-directs the Youth Justice Clinic.
“The question for me is just always is the state putting appropriate limits into its agreement with the private provider,” [Ron Wright, a professor of criminal law at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem] said.
“There is a profit motive that you have to keep an eye on in these settings,” he said.
I couldn’t agree more. The state is high and holy, forging synergies, awareness, and community strategies for the 21st century. The masses are carnal, sensual, and devilish. On days like these, I want the state to wrap its nurturing arms around me and process me with the same metaphysical prowess going into the processing of my (USPS) mail, with visions of accruing late fees and penalties dancing in my wee, mortal head.
