I personally would rather see them decriminalize drug and traffic stuff before this.
http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/lookout/suspected-domestic-abusers-free-topeka-city-county-officials-161404729.html (http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/lookout/suspected-domestic-abusers-free-topeka-city-county-officials-161404729.html)
QuoteThe dispute started last month, when Shawnee County District Attorney Chad Taylor announced that a 10 percent budget cut to his office in 2012 meant he would no longer be prosecuting any of the city's misdemeanors, effective immediately. Topeka city council members say they can't afford the estimated $800,000 yearly cost of prosecuting those misdemeanors and jailing offenders--and that they want the county to continue carrying out misdemeanor prosecutions as it has for the past 25 years. The county continues to insist that the jurisdiction for these prosecutions should shift to city prosecutors, but the Topeka City Council says that none of the city's five attorneys has any recent experience prosecuting domestic violence cases.
Next week, the council will vote on a measure that will strip domestic battery from a list of crimes that are illegal in the city. The vote is a tactical bid to force the county to take those cases on again.
Wow... I can see their strategy, but it's a risky tactic.
Quote from: Nigel on October 07, 2011, 07:57:53 PM
Wow... I can see their strategy, but it's a risky tactic.
It's the setting a precedent thing for me. Once it's done one place.... and so on and so on... you know how it can happen.
A lot of time domestic violence charges only become felony offenses based on the number of prior misdemeanors for the same thing. If battery is no longer a criminal offense..... You can see where this can lead.
It seems to me the council is fully aware of how outrageous this is, and is only suggesting doing this to force the county into taking the cases back.
If it comes to a vote, I really don't see it passing.
Quote from: LMNO, PhD (life continues) on October 07, 2011, 08:11:12 PM
It seems to me the council is fully aware of how outrageous this is, and is only suggesting doing this to force the county into taking the cases back.
If it comes to a vote, I really don't see it passing.
I would normally agree if they had not stopped prosecuting these cases over a month ago.
It's enough of a concern that I've gotten an inbox full of emails from various groups I belong too.
Quote from: LMNO, PhD (life continues) on October 07, 2011, 08:11:12 PM
It seems to me the council is fully aware of how outrageous this is, and is only suggesting doing this to force the county into taking the cases back.
If it comes to a vote, I really don't see it passing.
Optimist.
If all of those groups and other citizens pressure the fuck out of those who would be voting for this then I think you will definitely see it failing unanimously or being pulled altogether. This is the kind of shit that grassroots movements are made for. But if they don't hear from anyone, then it will be easier for them to pass this while no one is paying attention.
I know that I will be going over on the day they take the vote with a group from here in St. Louis. There is also a series of interviews set up with caseworkers and DV victims that is being put into motion here. If enough noise is made, one can hope someone will listen.
That's good but they really need to catch some hell leading up to the vote as well. When Gov. Shit-Face LePage proposed to cut all of the substance abuse funding here in his budget proposal, the State Legislators (especially Republicans) were subject to an un-ending barrage of calls, letter, e-mails, etc., up until the budget vote in appropriations.
Every penny was put back.
Quote from: The R-tist Sometimes Known as WHN on October 07, 2011, 08:24:07 PM
That's good but they really need to catch some hell leading up to the vote as well. When Gov. Shit-Face LePage proposed to cut all of the substance abuse funding here in his budget proposal, the State Legislators (especially Republicans) were subject to an un-ending barrage of calls, letter, e-mails, etc., up until the budget vote in appropriations.
Every penny was put back.
I'm hoping the local groups will rally. The organization I work with may have people going over more often, I can't because of work. I'll personally know a lot more after I go to the meeting they are scheduling next week.
If I get a list of emails and or addresses for those voting, I will post them here.
Well apparently I am the bad guy because this sounds... awesome.
Instead of getting a grassroots voting group together. Get a grassroots vigilante group together. Instead of prosecuting misdemeanor abuse react with misdemeanor assault.
Also I want to get some spray paint and go to that town.
Quote from: Penumbral on October 07, 2011, 09:17:03 PM
Well apparently I am the bad guy because this sounds... awesome.
Instead of getting a grassroots voting group together. Get a grassroots vigilante group together. Instead of prosecuting misdemeanor abuse react with misdemeanor assault.
Also I want to get some spray paint and go to that town.
Do Topeka as well, SSDD.
Yeah pen... Cuz vigilantism always works out for a town.