In 1991 I wrote a book titled “I hold These Truths.” It contained 90 chapters of my opinions on 90 subjects. It went through four printings and has long been out of circulation. I re-read it last weekend, and was surprised at how good a 21 year old book can be. For the next few columns, I am going to print some of these chapters. Maybe I should re-print it. This is chapter 62.
Like the so-called ’insanity’ plea, parole should go the way of the Dodo bird, and fast. Everyone knows that it you threaten a child with punishment for some transgression, you should follow through with it. Telling a child something, and not meaning it is an invitation to disaster if you want your kids to grow up to be decent, productive citizens. What then, is the point in telling criminals that they will get five years in the slammer, if it doesn’t mean that at all, but much less? Where is the sense in releasing a criminal before his sentence is up? If you want to put him away so he won’t be a danger to society, and punish him for the damage he has inflicted on innocents, let’s say what we mean, and mean what we say. If the law says ten years, it should be ten years, with parole in five.
It’s a game played brilliantly by judges and lawyers. A game telling the players a word doesn’t really mean what it says. Yes means no, and long means short. Almost as if we don’t speak the same language. The principle of parole, is supposed to be ’time off for good behavior.’ Criminals should have thought of good behavior before they committed the crime, not in jail. If a crime has been committed, it must be paid for by whatever means the law provides, but time off for ’good behavior,’ when it means releasing thugs back to the streets to begin again where they left off, is a very bad idea. Very few experts believe in rehabilitation any longer.
If a first offender is punished, perhaps he won’t become a second offender, and if he does, throw the book at him, but mean what you say. The result of the parole system, is not only an ever escalating crime rate, but the political creation of parole boards, mountains of paper work, huge administrative costs, and there has to be enough parole officers to keep track of every parolee. It’s far easier to keep track of someone who is incarcerated, and not on the streets. If a reward for good behavior is desired, there are lots of possible perks in prison. A better cell, more interesting jobs, educational opportunities, extended visiting hours, or even an increase in pay, which will make the prisoner better equipped to rejoin society upon release. Billions of dollars would be saved each year, if the parole system were abolished. Let judges sentence convicted criminals as they see fit, and as the law requires, without taking into consideration an absurd parole system. The parole system has many flaws, irregularities, and expenses, not counting the yearly hundreds of outrages committed by criminals ’on parole.’ Parole us grossly unfair to society.
Perhaps the most unfair of all crimes committed upon society, is the existence of the ’insanity’ plea. According to current legal practice, if a criminal was ’insane’ at the time he committed the crime, he can’t be punished as he would be if he were sane. Who cares whether he was insane or sane? Did the victim suffer less? Aren’t criminals actually ’insane’ by accepted standards, when they violated societal rules? Who is to judge ’insanity’ anyway? Psychiatrists? I have never know a normal psychiatrist. Why should such a pleas exist in the first place? It has nothing to do with a Constitutional guarantee of no unjust punishment. It is a total fraud that is continually exploited by clever lawyers. Should a murderer be any less reprehensible and pay a lower price if he is a mental midget or supposedly has a screw loose? Even if is is ’insane,’ or was when he did it; so what? If a heinous crime is committed under less than desirable mental conditions, what difference can it make to society? A fair trial is to prove what was done, not whether the criminal intended it or not.
Who cares? Other than allowing vicious criminals to go free or be under-punished, what is served by an ’insanity’ plea or parole? How about huge lawyer fees, letting scum out earlier, or incurring monstrous mental treatment costs? It is an absurdity which should be instantly erased from every state and federal statute book. Charles Manson, I am sure, is crazy, but why does he still live? Because he is ’insane.’ Because of pitiful, weeping, bleeding heart, liberal do gooders, who I would like to lock up because of their own ’insanity.’ Society steps on cockroaches, ants and beetles. It kills mice, rats, and poisonous snakes. What is wrong with electrocuting a babbling murderer? Absolutely nothing!