On Judicial Systems

In 1969 there were 502 convictions for tax fraud
a white collar crime, usually crimes of people with good deals of monies...
of those convicted 20% ended up in jail
the fraud averaged $190,000 per case
sentences averaged 7months
That same year for burglary and auto theft, crimes of the poor
60% ended up in prison
the auto thefts averaged $992 the setences ...18months
for burglary...the crimes averaged $321 and the sentences averaged ...33months

In 2006, there were 1,092 Convictions of tax fraud

The IRS has a posted list of "examples of General Tax Fraud Investigations"
The sentences have been lengthened, but again, only
35% actually served jail time (despite the IRS page displaying a much higher
percentage in their "examples" ....scare factor?
Meanwhile

66% of defendants in cases concluded in US district courts were
imprisoned for their crimes.......


It isn't the plain percentage that bothers me...its the inconsistency.
Its the idea that
corporations who hide away Billions of $$ get away with
a little bit of nothing. An argument COULD be made that
this isn't about the money, its the idea that burglary and theft
impact and victimize more.........
Tell that to someone who is two years away from retirement
who has to start over because they lost their pension
once the multi billion dollar corporation was found out.
Or the Thousands of people who die because of work related
accidents....and by related, I mean work Caused accidents
because companies are too cheap to abide by regulations set in place.


What brought this topic to hand
was the whole celebrity 'turning-self-in' scheme
that seems to be happening.
"Lohan's stay was only 45 minutes long. She posted a $30,000 bond and was released, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department Web site.

The actress is scheduled to be back in the Beverly Hills Courthouse on August 24 to face charges stemming from the May 25 incident in which she lost control of her 2005 Mercedes Benz convertible and struck a curb. She received treatment for minor injuries at Century City Doctors hospital, where police cited and arrested her. She was later released with only misdemeanor charges."

As an excuse:
......"Lohan's attorney, Blair Berk, issued the following statement Tuesday: "Addiction is a terrible and vicious disease.'"

You're right.
Absolutely right. It is.
And it is TOTALLY irrelevant.
Everyone else seems to have to do the time.


Dear Brittney, whats-her-nuts, Lindsey Blowhan, and others...
take a lesson from Lil Kim

Remember Lil Kim???

"On March 17, 2005, Kim was found guilty of conspiracy and perjury for lying to a grand jury about her friends' involvement in a 2001 shooting outside the Hot 97 studios in Manhattan.
....Throughout her entire jail sentence, Kim's representatives declared that she was busy working; she wrote over 200 songs while in prison."

A: if you're going to commit a crime
do something worth-while.... cocaine??? PLEASE

B: do your time and do it well.



I won't even get into the racial issues that I believe this also presents....
because i have homework to do.


Later.

"[Bicycling] has done more to emancipate women than any one thing in the world. It gives her a feeling of self-reliance and independence the moment she takes her seat; and away she goes, the picture of untrammelled womanhood."