Nov 26, 2007 15:38
Like Hurricane Katrina did with poverty, the case of Genarlow Wilson - much like that of the Jena 6 - exposed the glaring inequities in our justice system. They reminded us of the fact that we still have a system that locks away too many young, first-time, non-violent offenders for the better part of their lives. It reminds us that we have certain sentences that are based less on the kind of crime you commit than on what you look like and where you come from.
In America, nearly a third of African-American men will enter state or federal prison during their lives. Too many will be lost in the criminal justice system and end up in prison, poverty, and unemployment. In many cases, they will fail to become fully rehabilitated, and go on to commit more crimes.
There is no question that breaking the law should have consequences. And it's true that we have to do more as parents to teach our children that violence is always wrong. But justice must be fair, and punishment must fit the crime.
And if convicted offenders are not given the tools they need to become constructive members of our communities after they serve their time, we will all suffer the consequences.
...
Thurgood Marshall said: "None of us got where we are solely by pulling ourselves up by our bootstraps. We got here because somebody -- a parent, a teacher, an Ivy League crony or a few nuns -- bent down and helped up pick up our boots." As we fulfill Marshall's legacy and strive to right the injustices suffered by Genarlow Wilson and the Jena 6, let's bend down and help every kid pick up his or her boots for a second chance.
justice,
op-ed,
race