Excess Incarceration Rate Leads to More Troubled Children and More Welfare

The huge incarceration rate in Illinois, where we send non-violent drug abusers and thieves to prison at a rate 40 times greater than any civilized country means that we are breaking our economy. The children of the prisoners are a great social burden when parents don't earn an income or care for them. Tax dollars are also lost when prisoners do not work.

It is a much better solution to sentence non-violent offenders to curfews when not at work and community service to pay back what they took from society. Restorative justice is more appropriate. In prison less than 15% of addicts get treatment and there are five times more mentally ill in prison, without appropriate treatment than in all the mental health facilities in the country combined.

It is a much better solution to pay for daily drug addiction treatment, home monitoring, and mental health treatment than to pay $30,000 per year to incarcerate a prisoner, not treat them, and then send them back to a life of crime or untreated mental illness.

We are FOOLS in Illinois and the rest of the country! What a waste of dollars and human potential! Talk to your legislators. Elect only those that pledge to change this disaster. Our phony war of being "tough on crime" is a joke and has not worked. These prisoners, are usually released. If we don't rehabilitate them, we deserve what we get.

For discussion and solutions to the problems see:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/05/us/05prison.html?_r=1

http://drlindashelton.wordpress.com/2009/03/12/help-save-economy-by-saving-billions-with-judicialprison-reform-stop-torture/

http://drlindashelton.wordpress.com/2008/12/21/re-integrating-600000-ex-cons-per-year-and-growing-give-your-suggestions/

http://drlindashelton.wordpress.com/2008/11/30/punishment-and-fairness-comparative-nature-of-punishment/

Chicago Police Ofc Gets Off Lightly - Corrupt Judge Fleming

Circuit Court of Cook County Judge John Fleming continued the tradition of letting the police get away with anything and sentenced Chicago Police Officer Anthony Abbate, a 250 lb man, who brutally beat a 125 lb female bartender and was convicted of aggravated battery to only two years probation and NO prison time. The woman now suffers post-traumatic-stress, nightmares, and great fear.

This is another example of the outrageous favoratism towards cops and official misconduct of Cook County judges. They let officers lie through their teeth and even when they are caught red-handed on tape in criminal activity, they get away with it. Abbate even is still claiming he is innocent and the woman started the fight!! He shows no remorse! – And the judge didn’t take this into consideration?

The man was clearly seen on surveillance video from the bar in this aggravated battery against a defenseless and tiny woman. What more do you need to convince the judge that giving him a slap on the wrist condones this conduct?

Failure to jail this dirtbag gives the message that drunkenness excuses behavior, police can get away with anything, there is a double standard regarding police v. average citizens, and that Chicago remains as corrupt as ever. It depricates the seriousness of the offense and gives the green light to other officers to abuse citizens.

For another opinion see: http://radiochicagoland.blogspot.com/2009/06/fire-judge-john-j-fleming-and-jail.html

Until the public votes out those in office that condone this outrageous behavior of not just police, but more so of the courts such as Stroger, Daleys, Madigans, Dart, Beavers, Jones, Steele, and all their cronies, Chicago, C[r]ook County, and Illinois will remain lawless where the officials use citizens as their slaves and puppets in total disregard for humanity, for their own profit and fame. Deals will still be made behind closed doors and transparency will be hypothetical only.
I was beaten and choked by Sheriff Sgt. Anthony Salemi, he falsified his records, accused me of attacking him, committed perjury and I was wrongfully convicted. I received a two year prison sentence, served the sentence and parole before I was allowed to appeal in violation of the constitution. Fed. Judge Coar has even ruled that the IL Appellate Court is impeding my appeal! I am disabled and was abused and medically neglected in prison. Torture is the appropriate word. I am a non-violent pacifist. I have no prior record! I am a whistle blower against corrupt officials and police in Cook County, IL. This attack on me was retaliation for my complaints of corruption. I’m sure, if there is justice, the conviction will be overturned shortly, and then I will bring the mother of all civil rights suits against this creep, the creeps that support him such as Sheriff Inv. Sofus, and Sheriff Dart.

There is no equal treatment here! The Circuit Court of Cook County is a criminal enterprise. The U.S. Attorney should make indictments against these corrupt officials and police for felony violation of civil rights under color of law.

I hope the woman wins a huge award in her civil suit against him! I applaud CPD Supt. Jody Weiss in seeking his dismissal from the CPD. I just want to ask Supt. Weiss – Why won’t you have a meeting with me? The CPD beat me several times illegally, while I was in a wheelchair! I have pictures and your dept. of professional responsibity (internal affairs) did nothing!! I’ve requested meetings and you haven’t even had the courtesy to respond to me.

For details of my case see: http://cookcountysheriffdeputies.wordpress.com/2009/06/10/dr-shelton-appeals-wrongful-conviction-sgt-salemi-attacked-her/

Legislature Ignores Call for Reform in Illinois

Gov. Quinn appointed a reform commission and they made modest suggestions. Illinois' legislature under the iron hand of Speaker of the House for the past 20 yrs Mike Madigan and a handfull of other Lords of the system made sure this won't happen on his watch.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/16/us/16reform.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&src=twt&twt=nytimes

Cook County Sheriff Illegally Shackles Women During Childbirth

As usual, the Cook County Sheriff feels he is above the law and above morality. Therefore a class action suit has been filed on behalf of women shackled during childbirth.

Personally I think it is obscene and cruel and unusual punishment to separate women form their children during the first crucial two years of their lives. Most civilized countries allow women to keep their babies with them for two years in jail or prison so that bonding is not interrupted.

Apparently America is still uncivilized.

http://kurthlampe.wordpress.com/2009/06/15/woman-in-childbirth-shackled-by-cook-county-sheriff/

Murder of Inmate at IDOC from Medical Neglect by Wexford Physicians

Wexford has a contract too provide medical care to inmates in the Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC). I presume they paid the 10% kickback (bribe) to get the multimillion dollar contract. I also presume they get bonuses for failing to refer inmates to outside consultants and for skimping on medical care and using generic medications and denying expensive cancer care, care for HIV, and care for severe chronic illnesses.

Mr. Burhmester died recently in prison due to extreme medical neglect. He had suffered excruciating pain from ulcerative colitis and died due to lack of proper medical care.

We need a federal investigation and indictments for felony violation of civil rights. See: http://www.wicd15.com/newsroom/top_stories/videos/wicd_vid_895.shtml

Shelton Files Appeal of Wrongful Conviction - Officer Attacked Her and Falsified Records

I have now filed my Illinois Appellate Court appeal of my wrongful conviction for aggravated battery of a correctional officer. Sgt. Anthony Salemi had attacked me, falsified his records, committed perjury, and with the help of Nifong-like prosecutorial misconduct and extreme judicial misconduct I was convicted and sentenced to two years in the Illinois Dept. of Corrections plus one year of mandatory supervised release.

I served the minimum 6 months and the full supervised release and was not able to appeal due to illegal conduct of staff at the Cook County Dept. of Corrections and Illinois Dept. of Corrections where I was held and due to damage to my health requiring several hospitalizations within the last year since my release on March 27, 2008 from prison. The damage to my health was a result of torture at the CCDOC and IDOC by ignorant, sociopathic, poorly trained officers and incompetent medical staff (with the exception of Dr. Baker). The social workers even told me they purposely were told not to allow me to use the law library. My medications were withheld in illegal acts of willful indifference to medical needs.

I have informed the FBI and asked them to prosecute for felony conspiracy to violate rights under color of law, etc.

You can read my appeal at: http://www.scribd.com/doc/16301520/Appeal-of-Wrongful-Conviction-Battery-Shelton-Illinois-2009

Sherrif Deputies Commit Perjury

Cook County Sheriff Deputies Rebecca Doran and Maureen Caliendo, with the full encouragement of Assistant Chief Lyons and the Cook County State's Attorney falsely arrested Dr. Shelton, maliciously prosecuted Dr. Shelton, for aggravated battery, but Dr. Shelton was found not guilty by a responsible and honest, intelligent judge, Honorable Judge James L. Rhodes, who found the deputies' testimony "not credible".

http://cookcountysheriffdeputies.wordpress.com/2009/06/06/deputy-rebecca-doran-deputy-maureen-caliendo-sergeant-patricia-mccollum-assistant-chief-kevin-lyons/