Two Strikes and You’re in Prison Forever: Life Without Parole Sentences Are on the Rise
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- čas přidán 19. 06. 2024
- Death penalty sentences may be on the decline, but many will spend their final days behind bars with another sentence - life without parole. We speak with The Wire’s Gbenga Akkinagbe, and hear how Ali Siddiq’s time in prison helped him become a comedian.
01:06 Life Without Parole Sentences
09:53 Interview with Gbenga Akkinagbe
15:12 Comedian Ali Siddiq
Inside Story is a first-of-its-kind new series created to engage with and bring information to one of America’s largest news deserts - its prisons and jails. A collaboration with The Marshall Project and developed by formerly incarcerated people, including host Lawrence Bartley, Inside Story brings critical accountability and investigative journalism on the criminal justice system to incarcerated people across the country.
Check out The Marshall Project here: www.themarshallproject.org/
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I did 2 years at Hardee. So many people had life and I was only there for a few years. It changed my perspective. They were so humble and respectful as long as you show respect and don’t get in any mess. So many of them were so happy to see me leave. I’ll never forget.
I was at ACI east unit p2 145 single i just got off PRR
@@cw5962apalachee?
I’ll never forget my senior year in high school we went on a field trip to a prison and they served us the exact same garbage that we had been eating in public school all those years for lunch. Lol I applied for college the same day.
Are you serious a field trip to prison is crazy 😂😂😂
The definition of insanity
@@Nicki9235 ALL CHILDREN SHOULD SEE IT AND EVEN SPEND A NIGHT
@@Nicki9235sad thing is I went to private school my last 2 years of high school to play football. The school I went to in the hood never did this.
Gotta be the south
coming from someone who went to the penitentiary i'm not going to lie (some) people need to be lock-up cuz they are straight up phycopaths
Joe Biden and Donald Trump
Well, there's some important subtleties to that. Firstly, the best way to become a psychopath is to spend too much time in a penitentiary. Secondly, not even remotely the number of people put into prison are that bad. Whether people are too far gone to be rehabilitated should be a decision made by a psychiatric professional, not a lawyer.
Reducing harm to the public and punishment are very different things. The first is necessary, the second isn't.
@@firstlast8258 🙄 You're way off on the first one but spot-on with the second... Biden hasn't done _anything_ to go to jail for, whereas Trump has done _everything_ possible to be imprisoned. He should've been in jail long before he ran for any office!
It's a joke to even compare the two... same goes for their administrations.
I agree... but that's a pretty small percentage of people in there. The reason we have so many prisoners in America, and so many people in some phase of the system, is because it's a _for-profit_ prison industrial complex - just like our health care system. And Reagan destroyed the mental health infrastructure, so there's no where to treat people with severe mental health issues - they're either on the streets, in rehab or in jail.
As crime has gone way down over the last several decades, incarceration rates have more-or-less doubled every decade. It's crazy...
We can't incarcerate our way to a utopia - if we could, we'd be the safest nation in human history. We're far from it. Reaganism is the worst thing to happen to this country in its modern history. Extreme right-wing and "neoliberal" policies have gutted our communities around the nation, taking away almost all investment in the future.
You mean like the guy at the beginning of this video who, after serving time, couldn’t cherish his freedom? Then he assaulted someone. That guy is an idiot. Don’t care about his tears.
Life in prison for stealing a woman's necklace? For Christ sake, is this really justice?
When a society says if you rob you'll never see the sun again, then don't rob. A moral standard has been set.
Is not about justice is about cheap labor
I lived in FL for about 15 years, moved back up north in 2009 and I can’t express in words just how thankful I am that I did… I won’t lie, I was in a motorcycle accident in 1998 and was prescribed ridiculous amounts of pain medication for years until the government decided to crack down on prescribing regardless of wether the patient had legitimate need of medication or not. My doctor literally retired from practice because, in his own words, he was “too afraid of the DEA”. This was a legitimate doctor mind you, a man who spent 4 decades in medicine and didn’t have an enormous facility or run anything that could even remotely resemble a “pill mill” (insurance only, no on-site pharmacy, etc.). I was forced to transition to buying my medicine on the street which became more and more costly as time went on. Obviously, I eventually landed on heroin and as one can imagine, it caused extensive turmoil throughout all aspects of my life. Again, in the spirit of transparency, I won’t lie. After losing an excellent job, destroying my credit, leeching off family and friends, etc., the well had run dry so to speak so I used my experience within the financial sector to begin committing bank fraud. I was eventually caught and served time for my crimes. I have had in the neighborhood of 40 surgeries since my accident, yet finding consistent treatment is nearly impossible. I have been clean for almost 5 years now, haven’t even had a drink during that time, but I can barely function. If it weren’t for my wife, my parents, friends and others, I wouldn’t be able to live. I spend everyday in constant pain and relief is something I know exists, but because of legislation and the stigma surrounding “drugs”, regular people don’t stand a chance. The reason I shared all of this is because it isn’t often that people look past the crime of an individual to consider why they did what they did. When someone is faced with surviving, they will often make choices that they wouldn’t under other conditions. How many people do you think are in prison with a story similar to mine? I believe it’s exponentially larger than the one in your mind right now. I didn’t grow up a criminal. My mother is an attorney and my father was a professor at Penn University, they’re still married and happy, 48 years in November. I went to a solid school, got my degree from USF, am a card carrying Mensa member, etc. I never hurt anyone in the commission of my crimes, I made sure the fraudulent deposits were covered via FDIC and other oversight mechanisms would ensure that nobody (outside the multi-billion dollar bank) would be liable for anything. I got the harshest sentence possible for my offenses and now live with the moniker “felon” forever. Try getting a job in America as a former heroin addict, felon and borderline disabled person. This man and what I can only imagine amounts to tens of thousands of others deserve better! Some of the most intelligent, loyal, caring people I’ve ever met, I met in prison. The population doesn’t see it that way though. The content of one’s character is irrelevant in America, it’s the size of one’s bank book and sphere of political influence. This entire situation is a fiasco. I apologize for the lengthy comment. This topic is one that hits close to home. I hope the sharing of my story doesn’t come across as making it about me, I wanted to illustrate what I said about WHY someone may have done what they did and how that doesn’t completely encompass their humanity. The best way I could think of was to use my story, as there’s no speculation needed.
I am very sorry to hear what you went through. I have had a lot of surgeries and medical issues that required pain medicine (that included dental work). I went to a dentist for a root canal recently and they didn't want to even write one pain medicine prescription (this is not in Florida), the dental receptionist had an attitude just for asking. I eventually found a dentist who wrote a prescription for a small amount of Tylenol with codeine (which is nowhere near as strong as other pain medicine I have had in the past). I get upset when I think of others in acute chronic pain suffereing because of the new regulations and fear it has created with doctors and pharmacies. I know for a fact it has led to a lot of people going through what you have (buying hard street drugs and getting addicted, and having to deal with other the other negatives that comes with buying street drugs. l know if I am ever in that much pain I would turn to whatever drug I needed regardless of the fears/concerns (I am old, if the tax payers want to pay $100,000 a year to care for me in prison, which it would cost for older people who have medical issues, then that is on them, not me (I am not living in pain anymore).
You didn’t deserve to go through all of that. You and I have very different stories, but I’ve seen and felt the effects of the DEA crackdown. I’ve often said that when a person is in chronic pain, but doctors are too afraid to actually do their job and help, one of three things will happen. Either they’ll live their lives in misery, bedbound with no quality of life… they’ll find a less legal way to get their meds… or they’ll end it because they can’t stand the pain. The war on drugs has killed far more people than the actual drugs themselve. What you did was wrong, but I understand why you had to do it. Two things can be true at the same time. IDK what your parole looks like, or if you’re even still dealing with that ridiculous system (I’m a prison reform advocate because of people like you), but I hope you’re able to find a doctor that can actually help you. You don’t deserve to be in pain every day. And if you’re not allowed to take meds because of parole (although there are usually loopholes when medication is doctor prescribed), hopefully you can find a doctor that will offer other kinds of pain relief. I know they’re doing amazing things with epidurals these days, but I obviously don’t know the extent of your injuries. You don’t deserve to be in constant pain and I truly believe that when people serve their time that should be it. I understand that cops and the courts need to have access to that information, but it should NEVER affect your ability to get a job. Unfortunately, America’s for profit prison system relies on repeat offenders so they force you to wear a scarlet F practically tattooed on your forehead, because if you can’t find work people tend to fall into less legal ways of making money and end up back in prison. It’s sick. The system literally does everything in it’s power to make you fail, because for profit prisons “donate” so much money to the people who make the laws that keep people on the hamster wheel.
I’m sorry to go on and on, but stories like this make me so mad! If you had the help that you needed you never would have become a felon. More than one system failed you, and my heart breaks knowing everything you went through. The fact that you went out of your way not to hurt individual people shows how much you actually care and felt you had no choice.
Side note: my husband is in Mensa as well, and I’ve never met anyone else that is before! Prison reform isn’t something he’s super passionate about, but he helps me with outreach when I need a hand because he loves me and knows how broken the system is.
I truly hope you find treatment, peace, and happiness. I’m grateful you have an amazing family that stuck by you through all of this. I’ll say a prayer for you guys. God Bless.
Im so angry and sorry to hear your story .You live in a kind of extreme authoritarian democratic fascist society whose contradictions must drive you crazy .... Im Scottish , living in Scotland a small nation thats trying to break from Brit rule and we and all the nations on these two islands we share have access to free health care . It wasnt a gift from a conservative brit gov but something previous generations fought hard for and since to maintain . I wish this for you in US .
bruuh that wall of text tho
"due to my experience in the financial sector I started committing bank fraud"
Translation: "I started passing bad checks"
Anybody who had anything to do with this man receiving the same sentence as the Parkland shooter with all jokes aside being totally realistic they should be incarcerated themselves, and I mean that very literally anybody involved in such an injustice should be held accountable(killed 17 people is serving the same exact prison sentence as a man who stole a necklace, and nobody was injured. That makes us look really bad.
why would you want a habitual thief out of jail? would you want him living next door to you?
If you are stupid enough to risk jail for a necklace then you deserve life imprisonment.
@@peterstoops5683 Always with the absolutes and failing to be aware of nuances of it all. What's it like to be so profoundly fucking dumb?
@@peterstoops5683 honestly, don't care. he didn't murder anyone. robberies can quickly escalate to murder. Dude has enough humanity to not stoop to murder. Stealing should not be judged the same as taking a life. Do you thinik it's equal?
IDK if you've stolen 15 times to live the rest of your life in prison... stupid. after 40 most people just wanna settle down. State took the option for rehabilitation from the guy.
@@peterstoops5683 What a disturbing comment you make here. This is a vicious and cruel verdict. Not worthy of a modern civil society to give such a harsh judgement. Your country is fucked. I live in Denmark, northern Europe. Our sentences are way looser then yours and we have a much safer society for various reasons. Our average income is also higher then the US. You guys have a lot to learn from how a civil society could look like from us.
My first reaction is to say don't break the law. The reality of the situation is that life is complicated, people are flawed, and we often make mistakes. There needs to be a reform to the prison and justice system. We know now that many innocent people are convicted, and many more, who may be guilty, are overly sentenced. With the privatization of the prison system the ability to make money off of someone's incarceration takes the blind trust of the justice system into doubt. This man featured clearly made some bad judgments but it's clear to me that he could 100% still be an asset to society.
I was blessed to see Mr. Saddiqq perform his stand-up comedy show. As a Pardons and Parole Officer , I love to see people transform their lives. Being formerly incarcerated does not define who these people are. They made mistakes but life is not over.
Some crime’s DEFINITELY define who a person is. I agree though most do not.
Whatup PO
Life without parole for robbery or any drug charge is nuts.
dont do the crime then
Robbery needs discouraged or they are going to end up in a box anyway ... especially in a state like Florida.
You gonna use that arm eventually if you keep doing Armed robberies. Might as well nip it in the bud.
Armed robbery is pretty bad. 5 years isnt enough time in prison for that
@@808Markno it's not! Especially if
he's a repeat offender!
While this shows the pendulum swung too far one way, punishment not matching crime, in other areas-like California and Washington- there are no consequences for crime. Yes, robbery should be punished, and robbing twice (or any crime twice) should be punished severely, but life without parole for theft is ridiculous and exists only for profit prisons.
California has the exact same three strikes law
@@DrPeculiar312 having a law doesn't mean enforcing a law. If you are homeless in any of those states, the bar is a lot higher for punishment than assault. And it's much more than three strikes in practice. Sure, I'll bet there were incidents of incarceration that were totally uncalled for, but that doesn't negate that crime shouldnt be punished at all.
@LadyKate And where did OP say the crime is victimless? OP simply stated that the punishment does not fit the crime, which is true for the interviewee in the video. We’re supposed to have constitutional protection from cruel and unusual punishment. Life in prison is not a fitting punishment for stealing twice, but no one said it should go unpunished. It benefits for-profit prison at the expense of the taxpayer while violating the constitutional right of a fellow citizen. It’s sad that the rest of the comments on this video couldn’t care less about unraveling these hard truths about our broken justice system and instead resort to racist dog whistles.
You know what they say, follow the money. I'd love to know how many of the prosecutors and judges have ties to the prison industrial complex. Because for every person sentenced to life means it's a lifetime of profite/income for those sentencing and convicting.
They've been caught doing kickback schemes for prisons before. Slavery was never abolished in the US, it was just rebranded.
It would be nice to have a honest conservation about the subject of incarceration. Just a simple Google search provided the glossed over details of Dorian Mackeroy. He was in a group who robbed a man, who all beat him, and another individual stabbed with a screwdriver. In the second incident, he wrapped a wrench in a bandanna and pressed it against the woman's head, telling her he would shoot her if she didn't give up her rings and necklace. And this woman is living a life sentence as well because of his actions, still terrified by what occurred. And as predicted, this wasn't even his second rodeo, from the "Tampa Bay Times": "In his early teens, he racked up a string of arrests. Things like running out of the store without paying. Or breaking into cars. Or carrying a concealed weapon."
On the numbers of incarcerated people, it would be nice to quit throwing the race card into the discussion. One can easily confirm that over half of all violent crime is being committed by roughly 6% of the population (black males). That is why the two strike law or similar laws are applied, not because of some racist agenda. This is a hard pill to swallow, one that needs to be recognized so that we as a society can work toward reducing those numbers, instead of blaming a phony racist boogie monster. Creating families where the father is present in a young man's life for guidance, and education would go a long way in reducing these numbers, and quit filling kids' head with phony dreams of becoming a sports star or entertainer.
I agree with everything you said, the only thing is we’re starting to see that even when black boys have fathers in the home it doesn’t yield positive results or even the same results as it does with other group of males..PBS published a study detailing how a black boy with both parents in the home compares over a lifetime with a similarly situated white boy with both parents in the home and both families making the same amount,the black boy ends up worse every time but the same senario with black girls and white girls they end up about the same which leads to the second thing about fathers, which is that black male culture is violence, destructive, abusive, defiant behaviors… the boys are being taught that thug life is what manhood is for black men & it’s older black men who are teaching this to the boys…look at the basketball player Ja Morant, had both parents, went to college has resources and wants to throw it away to play thug & he won’t be happy until he gets locked up to get his street cred… having family units is very important but black male culture needs to change because the fathers who choose to raise their kids aren’t doing anything but passing down degeneracy..
@@ThePriam3 Good point, I should have qualified good fathers/role models in the home. And there's plenty of good black men, doing the right things, but there needs to be many more to turn this cycle of destruction. I believe it can be turned, it will take awhile to turn it around, just as it did to destroy the black family, who at one time had higher percentages of intact families than even whites. But we all need to quit kidding ourselves, and trying to create false narratives.
I mean they're basically keeping the prison business rolling.
i mean dont commit crime? at what point does self accountability come into play? are the prsions the bad guys or are the bad guys who do bad things and then get locked up are the bad guys?
In Cali, the gov , along with a couple propositions have reduced the prison population by 1/3. Crime is now everywhere , stores don't bother to report theft anymore. Can't leave anything on your porch at night it will be gone in the morning. In san francisco they leave their cars unlocked so thieves don't break the windows
@@isaac95395 naive and ignorant questions that aren’t based on statistical reality.
Yes don’t commit crimes and be accountable. But this goes for our society and for profit prisons as well. If you want less crimes then you have to recognize that relative poverty, low wages and poor education all contribute to more crimes. But we aren’t doing anything to help the root issues because it has no profit and the elite would have to give up control.
If you want less crimes you also need a proper rehabilitation system for nonviolent crimes instead of locking everyone up like animals. But that can’t happen because again for profit prisons want more slaves. Slavery has never been abolished. It is still legal as long as you’re in prison and for this reason slavery is no longer about race but about the poor.
Maybe you’re also wondering what I meant by statistical reality. It means just because it’s possible for some to never commit crimes and do well even in adverse situations doesn’t mean it is a possible reality for everyone. It’s just like how only 1% of the population can be super rich. The cause and effect of everything from society to the individual will result in a general trend of the issue. Not everything is up to the individual and nobody is always in control even of themselves and for this reason some are bound to just be an statistic.
@@saosaqii5807this right here. That comment you replied to straw man fallacy at its finest. Thank you for actually thinking about the issue.
@@saosaqii5807 "But we aren’t doing anything to help the root issues because it has no profit and the elite would have to give up control. "
Do you have proof to substantiate your conclusion?
30 seconds in and you can tell how genuine that one man’s guilt is. Prisoners are regular people. The majority are in for non-violent offenses and/or drug offenses. And every single person in America is one bad day or one MISTAKE away from jail/prison. It doesn’t matter how “good” of a person you are. We badly need reform in our justice system.
I wonder if his victim has seen this and how she feels about it, and also how she feels about his sentence of life without parole. Not that it would make a difference in the eyes of the law, but very curious nonetheless.
People who have millions or billions are allowed many mistakes. They can steal millions or billions, they can make irresponsible investments with other people's money and threaten the entire US economy ruining many people's lives, and there are zero consequences.
The "deterrent" argument is a lie and an excuse. If the people in charge of the justice system really cared about deterrence, they would have severe punishments for crimes that result in millions of billions in damages. Any many of the horrible things that rich people do are not crimes because they are protected by Congress and state governments who refuse to make equitable laws.
Yeah, say that to the people who are raped and murdered after they were released. The more lenient you get, the more innocent people have to suffer.
Look at Vice, "this guy stole a necklace within 3 years of being released from prison". It's not racial. If 50% are black despite being on 16% in the state, then that's the number of black people hurting others. Maybe instead of looking after these good for nothing repeat offenders, look after the people losing lives, businesses, life savings?
He may have been a different man when he committed the crimes. Of course a narcissist psychopath will do anything to get what they want.
Genuine guilt 😂😂😂 he didn't give a damn about prioson til he got caught. That ain't guilt. That's emotions because he's locked up for life. Something he knew could happen and he robbed them people anyway. He ain't got nothing to say. He should've thought about this before robbing them folks. Maybe he wouldn't be here. But that's the fallacy. Criminals like him never think they'll be caught so the sentence is never a consideration. That's why life in prison never stops anyone from committing crime. They think they won't be caught, just like him. And when they are, they get all this fake guilt and crap. Smh. It's all a show. That ain't guilt. It's sadness that his life is over
How about doing a story on they're victims who have been harmed by the actions.
The two/three-strike rule is horrible, I'll never live in a state like this; even though I wouldn't commit crimes, what counts as a felony nowadays is pathetic and being falsely accused can be deadly.
No crime no sentence
@@Tony-723 If you believe that to be a universal reality then you're really not paying attention. #learnmore
@@Cavario.Online exactly! He has no clue how many ppl were wrongly accused
How many people in prison are actually guilty of a crime? Your chance of being exonerated with a public defender no matter how not guilty you are is pretty low. Typically they have minutes to prepare for your case whereas the prosecution has work weeks worth of time. It's like trying to win a game of monopoly when your opponent has a 30 turn head start. Not very likely.
@@carpevinum9537 you do realize they have to prove you did the crime or plea in order to be convicted right? Locking up criminals lowers the crime rate
Dont let any of this fool you. There are real criminals doing repeat offenses and they need to be beyond bars. With that said provide better services for helping these people get help to rejoin society.
Not everyone is the same brother
More people need to watch this.
Yet another person gets 10-20 s for the same crime with the same record . Give them both 10-20 or both life but not pick and choose who you throw the book at.
... How about neither get a life sentence lol? A wildly unjust punishment isn't made just because you hit more people with it
no two crimes are identical. If you treat them as identical vice news will do a show about how unfare it is.
@@xAlexZifko How about both get it because a criminal made the choice to be one, it wasn't forced on anyone. When they chose to remove themselves from the rules of society, they chose to be removed from society.
@@nobodyspecial4702 Agreed. They didn't care about the consequences of their actions until they were sentenced. Now that they're behind bars, they're crying about unfairness and how they're the victim of injustice. But they're the ones who willingly placed themselves in that situation in the first place.
can somebody plz explain why i always see so many non-white prison inmates and the US population is 70 percent white?
Get them in young and they're trapped in the prison system forever. If they get out the first time, don't worry, they won't find jobs and will likely re-offend. Meaning they will end back in prison. This makes the prison elites happy. They have free labour.
They should change the name of life without parole to “Death by incarceration” because that’s exactly what it is.
Why should we care that criminals are upset that they are being punished for choosing to be repeat criminals.
@nobody special Because it's not always that simple and if you somehow can't see that then you're wildly, laughably unqualified to be chiming in.
@@alexhennigh5242 It is that simple and if you can't understand that, do yourself a favor and stfu.
Why does the wording matter?
@@alexhennigh5242 So it's not simple not to commit crimes?
That dialogue with the guy from the wire. That was amazing
We can thank drug prohibition for a large part of this....when are we going to be able to act like adults and have an HONEST discussion about drug policy and how prohibition IS NOT WORKING.
I think it would have happened regardless, they would have just found another thing to inprison minorities for. But I agree, the war on drugs i pathetic. Especially the part where they punish the users...
@@TheEsseboy I mean, the new thing is "resisting law enforcement"
Oh, you didn't react quick enough to the cop screaming at you? Resisting arrest. Back into legal slavery in a private prison!
Works well in Singapore
No one is locked up in CA for drugs anymore. And we are going down the toilet
@@jazztheglass6139 Singapore is literally just a city, ofc it is easier to do it there.
Us prison justice system is f ing broken
I'm doing just fine in the US not committing crimes!
@@Rust_Rust_Rust Well there are lots of people getting jailed only to find 10 years later they where innocent.
As a former Florida doc inmate prayers to this brother I always felt like the system was harsh but thought it was just my opinion
Ur system is created to oppress black people .......
Thank God the world knows it a lot better than some years ago .!!!!!!
"The right completion for protection" Paul Mooney.....
Not harsh enough. Criminals still think they are above the law.
@@skillfuldabest1 arm robbery you get 1 life 2 arm robbery 2 life kill 17 and hurt more and get the same thing is what you saying .
@@stephengraham7889 Don't rob people!!!!!
One prison habit I took home & still continue to do this day is spitting into the toilet instead of the sink after brushing your teeth. It just makes sense cuz u don’t get any toothpaste residue left behind in your sink. That also reminds me of one prisoner ritual which was the oddest & toughest to get used to. Any prison I’ve been to where u spend the majority of the day in the cell prisoners are really buggy about keeping the sink absolutely spotless. Every time water hits that sink u wipe it clean afterwards. At first I had a really hard time getting used to this cuz most people will use the same towel designated as the sink towel. The first cellmate I ended up with who did this I absolutely refused to go along with it. I wasn’t gonna wash my hands & then immediately after touch this rag that’s previously been used to wipe out soap scum cuz now your hands are no longer clean. To compromise with that cellmate I told him I would fully bleach the whole sink twice a day but I wasn’t gonna wipe after each individual use. When I ended up in another cell & that guy did the same thing I finally thought of a way I could do it without getting my hands dirty. I just used a longer towel & would always fold it in a way that the dirty side was down & the portion I grabbed was always clean. I understand why people do it tho. That little tiny cell is like your house & the sink is usually right near the door so it’s the first thing people see if they come to your cell. Plus the sinks are typically stainless steel so water spots & soap scum shows easily.
I remember, I remember. Some habits are worth taking home though. Just saying.
Jesus, what is these wall of text comments? Are you guys still using?
@@itheuserfirst3186 grow up
@@brachlandmusic Answer the question.
Just give 'em 50 years and leave the death sentences for murderers. These young thugs need locking up until they're old. Wish we had these types of sentences in the UK..
I feel for this man, and i hope he gets out one day, he looks like someone with a good heart and good intentions that just hung with the wrong crowd.
He wasn't in a crowd when he pointed that gun at a woman's face and robbed her. He acted alone.
@@joshitheyoshi2533so what
First, prosecutors do not hand down sentences. They recommend and argue for them but only a judge can sentence a person. Second, Vice spends a lot of time pleading the case for convict but they never interview or show the side of the victim.
what ali talked about how he started standup thats so awesome, reenacting whole episodes of martin for a whole prison block XD
Young people deserve to informed and educated about this laws and the consequences that come along breaking the law. Criminals should know that public safety is number priority for any government no matter what ! Just as criminals are not reasonable when committing crimes they should NOT expect the government to be reasonable when punishing crime. When you read the comments section no one is talking about the victims of crime.
"The Walling Dead", is what we "lifers" are in here (CDCR) because even thought we are moving from box to box we are not living. I have been down 18 YEARS and have not seen statistics about how many ppl return, about how Mass Shooters are rarely ex convcts, ect... Anyways, THANK YOU FOR bringing AWARENESS, and providing a VOICE for US in here.
No one's shedding a tear for you 🎉
@@Rust_Rust_Rust Pitty? Nah. I am aware that we are all incapable on valuing something to the extent of loosing it first; however, even General Robert E. Lee was given a fair second chance. Some in here come as teenagers and dill die here decades later. I do respect your view.
@@albertorivera5762 You did the crime now do the time.
No matter what I would do whatever I could to stay out of jail since I’m afraid of getting raped I know people would fight over me.
They'll turn you gay!
😳😳😳😳
Non violent burglaries should not be on the three strikes list. I’m supportive of narrow three strikes laws. I also think judges should have the power to overturn the sentences when it would lead to disproportionate sentencing.
Life in prison for armed robbery! That's insane!!!!!!!! 54% are African American whilst African Americans only make up 16% on Florida's population. If minorities don't start understanding how systematic racism is prominent, unfortunately they will continue being the subjects of these institutions. My oldest brother is in Prison in Florida right now, serving time for his second offense, same charge. I told him "you have 1 more time and you'll be sentenced to life in prison". He's originally from N.J, moved to Florida with a women. She's the reason he's in his predicament, I'm Not making excuses for him because overall he's responsible for the choices he's made. However, she's abusive towards him, degrades him, spits on him, calls him the lowest names you can call anyone, he was constantly accused of cheating (when he wasn't), taking his money, getting drunk and sleeping with other men with no recollection of doing so. One day he reacted to her physically attacking and in his own defence he grabbed her up in an attempt to stop the assault, and he then left the home. Well, she called the police and falsified what actually happened. Immediately, the police took her side and locked him up. He's been locked up for a year and a half now. I really wish he'd leave Florida once he gets out because I know if he doesn't he's going to find himself in the worse situation ever, especially if he continues a relationship with the female. Florida's laws are no joke. I'd never want to live there.
Idk why but I really like the way Lawrence talks lol
Hands down - what a breath of fresh air-y’all bringing sense to nonsense …
I been in America for 20 years came from Kenya Africa did not speak english worked my ass off now I make 6 figures in the Tech indudtry. Make education a priority stay away from gangs and gang culture I'm sure you can stay out of prison.
This law is cruel and ridiculous, how does anyone know for sure that the prosecutor's are really acting for the best interests of the public and not acting on personal grudges or racist views they have ????.
I don’t think he should have gotten life without parole but we need to remember, this is a result of his actions. No one forced him to reoffend, he robbed that woman knowing that there could be consequences. That being said, definitely deserves a much lesser sentence.
Yes, he knew the consequences but he didn't care, that is until he was sentenced. Now he's crying like one of the victims of his crimes.
@@theotheleo6830 Wouldnt anybody cry if they got life in prison for a crime that does not match the sentence though?
@@Pleebian94 Sure, but his sentence matches. After all, he was warned what would happen if he committed another crime within the timeframe, but he did it anyway. Committing a crime, then crying about being given a harsh sentence when he knew full well the penalty is just plain stupidity.
He robbed a WOMAN!! I got a mother, sisters, and a daughter… his sentence absolutely matches his crime. I don’t want scum like this walking amongst society
@@theotheleo6830 Yeah but life without parole?! Imagine giving that to someone for jaywalking!
Breaks your heart to see this. Life behind bars for stealing is really messed up
Armed robbery is not the same as just stealing. It's engageming someone's life and traumatizing them
@@digitalzomb absolutely, you are correct. But it doesn’t warrant a life sentence without the possibility of parole. Very few things do
3rd strike for stealing we could just go Saudi style or Iranian style and whoop goes the finger/hand
@@chickendinner9255 honestly, even that is more humane than life without parole. Yeah it is pretty savage and you’ll be missing a finger or hand but at least you’ll be a free man again
@@digitalzomb Life is traumatizing at least he made it to see the end of the day🤷♂️
What ever awards, recognition, or exposure this show is eligible for it deserves. 100%. Has not once failed to strike a chord with me in every segment.
They are bleatenly lying. This guy committed multiple armed robberies and threatened to kill multiple people. The system gave him a decade to change before they handed down his sentence.
If his crimes weren't so bad why did vice need to lie about them?
Spoken like a true criminal.
I've done almost 10 years behind those walls in the state of Tennessee and that's been with 3 different separate sentences and I think God Tennessee isn't one of those 3 strikes state's or i would be singing those blues still to this day. I understand some of those sentences fit the crimes but when a life sentence without parole for drug charges especially marijuana is beyond ridiculous and WRONG!!!
A life sentence for stealing THINGS is insane, especially since stealing is usually an act of desperation. A good job would end a lot of robbing careers
DEATH penalty is a joke when they keep em alive for ,30 years.
There’s more profit for the privately owned prisons that way.
@@NutellaCrepe private prisons should be illegal
Its more expensive to the tax payers to excute a person then to house and feed for like a really long time. Im all for the death penalty but they should just bring back the firing squad. So much cheaper and easier
Going out on a limb and argue some bastards are in need of cheap labour....Follow the money and you'll figure out who benefits from prison labour soon enough.
@@notsure2688 No, but it can be a fascist dog whistle, but if you actually argue that it is just rich people, and not a specific group, then it is a valid argument
@@TheEsseboy pure cohencidence
@@jinglemyberries866 What is?
I'm currently serving a life sentence with two bogus strike charges, and a prior DV. Wonder who my warden is...
The justice system is all messed up my boy in high school got 3 years for selling drugs but the while one of our other classmates actually got caught with more received community service and probation many believe because he came from an affluent family
Nowadays there’s absolutely no reason to rob someone, it’s way to many ways to make a dollar ..It’s hard to feel sorry for someone that commits a crime and are sent to prison .. even tho the punishment might not fit the crime…
Could have all been avoided if they didn’t commit the crime in the first place..
Nowadays is all the more reason to rob someone. We're in a recession, rising costs of housing, food and lack of concern within general society is no excuse but its more than enough reason for a lot of folks.
Tell that to the vulnerable people who can't afford to put food on the table. The US deliberately forces criminality to exist by not having adequate social safeguards. The US prison population is massive compared to other western nations; this is entirely by design. If the US were a civilised nation with proper social programs, people wouldn't need to resort to crime, crime levels would be lower, prison populations would be lower. But then private prisons wouldnt be so profitable now would they? Private prisons aren't a thing in civilised countries either... Its amazing how stupid americans can't see the obvious causes and effects that everyone else can see. But then again they're deliberately kept stupid too. Where is their national education curriculum? Oh wait...
This is one of those docs you watch and say well….
It blows my mind what humans are capable of adapting to.
The victim would say they didn’t get enough time
Prison is a business. They don’t really care about rehabilitating these people. Half, if not, most of the people sitting in there are in there for non-violent crimes or crimes they didn’t even do
Don’t know what state you live in, but obviously not mine. CA
@@notsure2688 It’s cute that you think they care about people in general criminal or not, news flash your amazing country especially the government doesn’t give 2 💩 about you or anyone else. Also prisons main goal is supposed to be rehabilitation but we know that’s the opposite of what happens.
@LadyKate Agreed, but the issue here is that people who commit murderers like the Parkland Murderer get life sentence vs Robbery without loss of life. The sentences should not be the same.
@LadyKate the biggest criminals are running the jails
I'll do you one better - more than half have at least one serious head injury. No joke. Look it up.
Lawrence Lawrence you continue to amaze me great job
“To those who have fought for us freedom has a taste the protected will never know, to those who have lost it freedom has a taste that the protected will never appreciate.” - Edwin L. Craft
What’s crazy is how these guys take these strikes. Da is quick to offer short time with a strike in exchange for years in prison. These folks take these deals because they don’t wanna do the time. The odds are against people like this. Either way , The prosecutors get what they want at the end
Don't do the crime if you can't do the time.
Yo im from NYC and I've seen it with my own eyes how Rikers Island not can but does turn a 17-18 year old kid with some problems into a 21-22 year old emotionless savage with severe PTSD. Its gotta be one of the most evil places in America with all the violence and stabbings and slashings and feces and urine throwing and self-harm. I see at least one young man a day while walking around with a giant scar from their mouth to their ear. Its insane.
I’ll never forget the field trip to the prison. I went to a very rough school. Today I have a idea how to end the cycle of reoffending by opening a Tiny Home Village for Men and Women being released from prison. A place where people being released can come and live while they get their life on track, my plan is to offer job training, provide collage opportunities in a place where Parolees can come and not fall back into crime.
Already exists dude. They called halfway houses.
Lol
@@Brandon-yg7mw ya halfway houses exist but not quite in the concept I’m talking about.
"Street pharmaceutical rep" my man made it look so plush and posh 😂😂😂
The fun part is if you DARE to take your case to trial and LOSE, they’ll use the statute VINDICTIVELY for making them go through a trial. A Fair, speedy trial… you know, that silly wording about rights- doesn’t matter.
This series is excellent Vice!
I love how the video started off so serious and then the vibes become relaxed
Some prisons are private and get paid by the state to house prisoners, I can only imagine some people got paid to enact stuff like this.
There's a difference between life in a level 5 maximum security prison, versus a low level prison. That is one way these sentences can differ.
Life is life. Anywhere.
This is the most upside down story I’ve seen from vice in while. “Public safety is paramount” he said it best. It’s not a race thing.
I can't say I feel sorry for criminals not getting 2nd chances when I see so many murders on news committed by criminals that received a 2nd chance
The news only reports murder... "if it bleeds it leads". They're not going to show you the good stuff... the ones who changed their lives around.. the ones who never went back. They just show you more things make you afraid.
I've lived in Jacksonville FL my whole life and never witnessed a violent crime. But the news says it's one of the most dangerous cities in America
Think for yourself... live is better that way
im all for harsh punishments heck i get up and dance when people get what they deserve. But sitting in a prison cell forever for robbery is insane even aggravated robbery they are literally saying stealing is just as bad as killing 17 kids its not fair. Time has to fit the crime.
California: we have a 3 strikes law we are the toughest in the country!
Florida: hold my beer.
The victim of your robbery was someone you knew, you literally study with her.... To this day she still have trauma after what you did to her. She also said recently that the memory of the crime still gives her anxiety and panic attacks.
“It doesn’t go away,” she said. She told a reporter not to call her again.
is her ptsd more sad than him being locked away? i don’t think it is. he could be better than 90% of americans. he made mistakes as a kid. you be sounding like floridaman
@@mycatrita if u did something like that before and start crime again then it might spiral out of controll again more easely. He looks friendly, now. After all he did coldly murder someone as i understand it but correct me if i am wrong.
also the mandalorian didn’t reference where he’s getting his info about the woman but i’m only halfway through i had to take a break cause this was crazy sad.
@@mycatrita she didn't ask for that PTSD he traumatized her by choice.... Why would you even say that is SAD for him to be locked 🔐 ............
@@mycatrita the information comes from the marshall project ....
Harsh punishment, but he did do it. You have to be held accountable for your actions. This is what I teach my kids. Any action you take can come with consequences, and you have to be prepared for that regardless of what they may be.
You’re missing the point and you lack empathy…..
@@gayfield56 empathy?!?! Come on man. At the end of the day it’s all fine when it’s not your relative who is the victim. It’s easy to not commit a crime, just follow the law….. simple. I’ve done stuff and had to pay the price for my actions.
@Montanez Gayfield bet you would think different if his victim was your mother or sister, one error and he could've ended their life over material things.
the punishment needs to fit the crime..
@@stevensam7800 karma got his ass for all the crimes he committed and never got caught for. 😂
Don’t let this guy fool you he is not a little angel. He is right where he belongs behind bars.
Thank you for awesome piece.
16:00 - This guy sounds like he's making the argument to keep prisoners behind bars. lol
Offenses committed of any kind when you're a minor shouldn't count under the 2 strikes law imo.
Kids can be hardened criminals just as much as adults can.
@@nobodyspecial4702 those are children 😂😂😂
@@nobodyspecial4702 And is throwing them into prison supposed to make them softer?
@@adamjarrett5490 As long as they stay in prison and die there, who cares.
Imagine the amount of lives that were saved from the tragedies these criminals bring to society due to these life sentences.
What's crazy if you don't break the law especially like armed robberies then you usually don't go to prison
“Deterrent value”… Anyone that’s taken a college course dealing with law psychology knows that deterrent value is not an actual value or asset.
Why does a man/woman have to pay for something when they’re 41 for a crime they did at 17!!? You’re two different people at the time! Once you’re released from prison you’re still in prison because you’re still limited to what you can do. The JS needs to be rectified immediately!
There's a lot of people that have really ugly ego's and a deep lack of empathy for others. That mixed with a for profit prison system creates this kind of problem. Huge parts of out society are broken and corrupt.
So you'd rather have the criminals set loose instead of being punished for the crimes they've chosen to commit.
@@theotheleo6830 that's not what they're saying at all, you're looking for an argument
@@aimeedequoy2786 The OP thinks everyone should have empathy for criminals, but the fact is that most people just want to live their lives in peace without being stolen from, robbed, assaulted, killed, etc., and I'm one of them. After all, It's easy to not be a criminal, hundreds of millions of Americans have managed to do just that their entire lives without even trying, me included. These criminals chose this life despite the risks, so they can rot in prison for the rest of their lives, as far as I'm concerned.
Prison sucks. Straight up. Unfortunately that's all we have here. You go from local jail to the max security prison to wait for court. Murderers, rapists, etc...and I'm there for possession of Marijuana. Smfh.
The next time, they tried to give me 6.5 yrs for cocaine residue on a baggie. Not even enough to test twice. When I told em go f- themselves, they came back with "charges dropped" credit for time served for weed possession.
EXCELLENT REPORTING! Featuring stories like THIS and hosted by someone that’s been through it makes this one of the best series Vice has done. Glad y’all have a voice to the most disenfranchised people in this country. The work done here makes a difference.
TRUTH 👇🏻
I spend my day repping America overseas
Pensions for the workers? N**** please
Embezzlement etiquette private settlement
I'm better with confederate rhetoric from my mansion in Connecticut
Foreclose and evict homes at the tenement
I twist words like a speech impediment
I hope you got good credit b****
If not better get a new job with benefits
While I play golf with n****s I get cheddar with
New money buys brand new karats
My old money bought your great grandparents
You got grills in ya mouth I ain't mad at ya
I own every gold mine in South Africa
Thanks baby you made me a billion
Plus I own a building for each one of my children's children
That's the s***
Snort c*ke in the whip miss USA s*cking my d***
Yea what
F**k the law 'cause real jail is for suckers
I go to country club prison you dumb mother f*****s
(I am the 1% f***ing b****)
You know my CEO corporate steeze please
Overthrow governments overseas in a breeze
Politicians in my pockets for a few hundred Gs
So if I'm ever in court my assets'll never freeze
I got a job and house and a bank account
When I'm out I doubt that's something you could say
And if not then I fake death like Kenneth Lay
Make money every day the world burns on its axis
While y'all struggling to pay taxes
I'm getting my money the fastest
Memos and faxes shredded-up documents
Slush funds through the corrupt continents
But they don't want me indicted
'Cause they don't want my dirty laundry aired when I fight it
Don't get my lawyers excited
'Cause what good is a law if you can't rewrite it
I got CIA traders, dictators
So f*** y'all whistle blowers and haters
(It's a rich man's world)
S***
I'll invest money from Al Qaeda
In the bank 911 widows go to later
Capitalism's who I pray to
F*** the state of the world
Money talks so what the f*** I need to say to ya girl
(I don't pay em to f***, I pay em to leave)
You know my CEO corporate steeze greed
I'll treat countries like the IMF down on your knees
Real gangsters run the world f*** what you believe
I'll cut down the forest while y'all n****s burning some trees
I'll get your family murdered for a couple of Gs
'Cause your working-class money ain't f***ing with me
You think rappers are rich 'cause of songs you heard?
My labels make the money and haven't rapped a f***ing word
Yacht in the ocean coastin' with the sails out
Hey America thanks for the bailouts
I made off at the Banco Ambrosiano
Got away scott free like el Vaticano
Activists act a b**** get mad at me
'Cause I'm a tax free charity
80% to the staff and company
And 20% to the homeless and hungry
The country gotta pay the fed reserve
Kick back to the banksters haven't you learned
You protest cops who patrols on the street
But I bought city hall so I own the police
Email, Facebook and the s*** you tweet
Own the phone companies so I heard you speaking
My suggestion is no correction no elections, s*x with no affection
No invention would benefit the world of man
Will exist 'til I got the money in my hand
World bank, interest rate d*mn r*pe on the spot
But I'm a gangster you gon' take my money like it or not, n****
(I got your country in my pocket, motherf***er!)
You know my CEO masonic steeze cheese
Only little people pay all these taxes and fees
Since you were born we controlled what you watch and you read
And pretty soon we're gonna own the f***ing air that you breathe
I take what I want f***er I don't have to say please
I'll convince you that it's good for you, take it and leave
You think presidents are the face of a nation
I put em all where they are, end of the conversation
Immortal Technique - Rich Man’s World
Disenfranchised criminals. Sure.
@@itheuserfirst3186 Poor people do crime. Rich people make mistakes. Steal from the poor and you get rich. Steal from the rich and you go to prison.
@Jonathan Walker No. I’m saying poor people’s actions are seen as crime where as wealthy people avoid the consequences for their actions.
my favorite serie of vice
Still don't compare to the pain a loved one suffers
Until a criminal understands that should they commit a crime, are found guilty, and the judicial system removes time reductions/parole, that they will complete full time of sentence, what else does a society do to deter criminal activity???!!!
Easy. Eliminate poverty. Create a society that actually takes care of each other. Violence and abuse will fall exponentially. We can also eliminate laws which criminalizes non violent activities. That would fix a good 80%. A step further. Eliminate nation states, borders, and money while using technology to create fully egalitarian societies where the word freedom truly has meaning on this planet. Seriously, there are so many things we could do if we actually cared.
@@MeMe-bg8ci ?
So you mean anything non violent should not be a crime?
More people in society live and behave within the current laws…without breaking them.
I personally think if sentence is served in full, this would deter, at minimum, nonviolent crime offenders.
But that’s MHO
✌️
There's nothing you can do. Even in the countries with the harshest laws crime still occurs. Did you know that some years ago in Iran a crown prince was publicly executed for having an affair? There will always be a segment of every society that chooses a criminal lifestyle.
@@migi9311 Because the criminal justice "system" is the single largest employer in the country, even removing the "for profit" prisons won't stop what they are doing.
Florida’s finest once again, I will never give this Repukican state one dime of my money ever, actually any Repukican state!! That’s the best message I can give them and more people should follow!!
My cousin in the feds rn he don’t even wanna come out. He’s soon gonna be out. 1 more strike and he gets life
A COMMERCIAL AT A MINUTE IN?!?! LOL GFTO!!!
Coming from an addict in recovery, among other struggles I've been threw including being incarcerated. This is a prime example of F around and find out!. Like bro you all ready F" ed around and found out the first time!.. then you proceed to F around again? Naaaa chiefy you on yall own😅
As the drug addict that you were, you should have compassion, understanding and awareness that crimes of thef are often done out of necessity and not just because
@@TheLadyrose01 Yeah, he needed that necklace to go with his outfit. smdh 🙄
@@TheLadyrose01 Tell that to his victim.
@Rosa M Diaz what??
And he would have continued to do armed robbery had he not been locked up.
im glad there is still good people who want the better for people
80 percent of all jail sentences are shockingly over the top. I’ve been saying that over 10 years ago, it’s nice to see someone else finally notices.
I'd like to see it for DUI. I swear every time I look around it's just 6 months and probation.
2 million people in prison in the United States is wild af
Idk I grew up with 2 brothers constantly breaking the law and going in and out of prisons. One died from an overdose and the other is currently back in prison. At what point does it stop being "the systems" fault and criminals start taking responsibility for their own choices and themselves! Its annoying to hear people cry about the time but happy to do the crime! Also we do need a 3 strikes cause if I could rob a store or others and know that I will only get a small slap on the wrist then whats to stop me but a bigger sentence? I already watched a video where the prisoners were crying about being in a toxic prison on toxic land....like ok so you want to be allowed to violate others and also live off the fat of the land? Take self responsibility and people stop coddling criminals who make these choices!
I have mixed feelings on this one, Vice. I live in Milwaukee, but grew up in Waukesha. Darrell Brooks was out on some early release parole stuff and bond, and he mowed down the Waukesha Christmas Parade with his SUV in November of 2021, killing several and sending over 50 people to the hospital.. Since then, I have been paying closer attention and irl lives experience tells me that we have yet to figure out a good system on who should be eligible for early release/parole, etc.
Using one anecdote as the basis of your opinion on anything is not a good idea. By that standard, EVERY system is flawed because exceptions exist everywhere.
@@friendlybane this!!!
Maybe some kind of extensive psychological evaluation is required. As other said there are flaws, but the example you gave can be used as learning experience.
@@friendlybane I am not writing a thesis to argue here. I used the one case that I am extremely familiar with, as I followed the entire trial from start to finish and have friends whose children were in the marching band that he deliberately mowed down, as Waukesha is my home town. I watched the trial initially convinced that they had arrested the wrong man and boy was I wrong on that.
Since the Darrell Brooks trial, I have started to follow other cases where early parole/release/free bail were implemented and the results so far are not an acceptable risk to the general population at this time
I also have family that has served time and is a felon due to the fact that WI does not have Romeo laws (which imo is false imprisonment, but my opinion doesn't matter).
My state, WI, also farms inmates to out-of-state prisons that contribute to the inmate gerry meandering that makes Census populations look favorable to GOP states, ignoring the fact that felons by default are deprived of their right to vote.
I am also living in a state where all women are forced to live under restrictive archaic laws from 1849 that have criminalized abortion, and the GOP legislature has successfully deprived us the right to vote on such controversial subjects and we are an intensely purple state.
While I respect your word salad reply for it's point of not using one experience to justify a generalization, I have already stated initially that the Darrell Brooks case was what got me to start questioning my position on this subject, and it was the subsequent cases that formed the basis of my current stance which is that we do not have an effective system currently in place that can realistically determine who is and who is not a risk of causing repeat violent crimes.
@@jannamwatson there's no "word salad" in my comment. It's clear and direct. A 5 year old can understand it. I guess you just had to get your "clever comeback" out of the way.
The US justice system as a whole has a capacity of over 5 million individuals (prison, jail, pretrial, parole, house arrest, felons). You need to use data to analyze the effectiveness of your arguments for and against a system. Using one example, and relying on your emotions, is a terrible way to go about it. That's why research studies, surveys, polls, censuses etc exist.
Police torture and Prison are the most important thing to be aware of and afraid of in the United States. School to Prison pipelines are open wide and cops have a full immunity to any responsibility for their actions legal or not.
Take off the tin foil
get the bad one's out of circulation early. why let them commit crimes for years?
@@spmax82 Wow, you've told me you're white without telling me you're white!
@@monsieurdorgat6864 and?
@@spmax82 🤣 it's okay, you'll never get it.
Good job Vice give this journalist a raise
Life sentence for armed robbery is literally insane. Max you get in Switzerland FOR MURDER is 20 years for the majority of cases...
Should have learned the first few times. I got in trouble 1 time and haven’t been in trouble for 18 years since.
wow look at you!! gold star for you!! what a good boy for the state!! keep on working wageslave💪
My friend got his three strikes in tdcj every charge was 30 yrs he got total 90 yrs . One day changed his whole life
Let it be a lesson to anyone else considering a life of crime
@@OldManMuskrat I look at your mom and wife and enjoy monk life.
Thats how it happens bebe
Your friend is not a threat anymore
Sad but great reporting as always
“Yo! Mexicans got on boots”😂 if you haven’t seen it look it up. Ali is hilarious.!