DanoT wrote: ↑Mon Jan 29, 2024 4:03 am
Bazzie should have retired from football and moved to California where retail theft under $900USD is legal....Some States aren't so bright either.
Sad to see that this occurred as he had a job coaching so this makes this even stranger.
Not all athletes are great citizens but I thought this guy was okay in that regard.
It's not going to be a simple shoplifting charge for Alex Bazzie either.
There are aspects of what California did with that law change appealing to those who believe in restorative justice.
While they lowered shoplifting under $950 to a misdemeanour not a felony, victims can seek to recover costs up to a certain amount by getting lawyers issuing some sort of demand letter. They can still go to jail for this crime.
The key is that there are far too many people in US jails - it's one of the worst in the world.
Norway's prisons are like college dorms only cleaner and their recidivism rates have been low since the reforms.
I look at our justice system and plugged courts for minor offences in Canada and we need more diverson, more restorative avenues and less people housed in expensive prisons for non-violent crimes.
Although I was in policing in the mid 70s focused on diversion, it seems we've done little since then to do things differently resulting in a justice system that's too costly and few avenues for the courts to do more than fine or imprison offenders. Affording a lawyer these days is leading to marginal case convictions as people fear trials.
The most profound benefit: Norway has one of the lowest recidivism rates in the world. Only 20% of Norway's formerly incarcerated population commit another crime within two years of release. Even after five years, the recidivism rate is only 25%.
https://www.firststepalliance.org/post/ ... ly%2025%25.