Around
the nation inmates are being released from jails because they are too crowded.
Topeka, Kansas is taking it to a new level.
The
city is considering no more prosecutions for domestic abuse because it is
broke.
The
county, Shawnee, had been handling them but it stopped because it can’t afford
the cost either. It has already released 16 accused spouse beaters.
This
leaves abused women in a real perilous situation. Kansas law requires that a
spouse accused of abuse be arrested.
But if
the abuser is not going to be punished then upon release the victim may face
more assaults.
"Women are in increased danger after they have called
police and after there is an arrest, because often times the abuser will blame
the victim for his arrest," said Becky Dickinson, of the YWCA Center for
Safety and Empowerment.
"When an abusive partner is arrested, the victim's
danger level increases," Dickinson told The International Business Times. "The abuser will often become more violent in an
attempt to regain control. Letting abusive partners out of jail with no
consequences puts victims in incredibly dangerous positions.
Meanwhile, the feds have launched a big operation in California, which no doubt will cost many millions, to shut down marijuana operations. A small fraction of that likely would pay for all the domestic abuse cases in the entire Sunflower state.
How outrageous. I'd loved to have been in the planning meeting where they made the decision that domestic abuse isn't so bad..."Let's see, there's not enough room in prison. We could let those convicted of victimless crimes out early, but, what the hell?, let's release violent criminals with axes to grind. What harm could it do?"
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