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| Prison System https://mail.chicagofanatics.com/viewtopic.php?f=75&t=87405 |
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| Author: | Nas [ Sat Jun 14, 2014 8:27 am ] |
| Post subject: | Prison System |
There’s no doubt that Ferris Bueller’s Day Off is one of the most iconic films from the 1980s. Ferrisskips school, goes to a Cubs game, drives a Ferrari, gets the gorgeous girl, and outwits Principal Rooney. But would we have been laughing if Ferris’ mother had been thrown in jail because of her son’s truancy and ended up dying there? That’s exactly what happened to 55-year-old Pennsylvania mom Eileen DiNino. The unemployed mother of seven didn’t have the wealth of the fictional Bueller family, so she was unable to pony up $2,000 for truancy fines that her kids racked up for missing school. Although the federal government outlawed debtor’s prisons in the 1830s, last Friday DiNino, who lived in Berks County, an hour northwest of Philadelphia, was tossed in a jail cell to serve out a two-day sentence. A cause of death is still to be determined, but law enforcement officials didn’t give DiNino the high blood pressure medication she needed. She was found dead in her cell on Saturday, reported The Associated Press. While the trend of jailing impoverished people is chilling enough, what’s also concerning is that being locked up for truancy fines is more common than most Americans realize. In Berks County alone, over 1,600 parents and guardians have been locked up since 2000 due to nonpayment of truancy fines, and two-thirds of those incarcerated are women. Like DiNino, the majority come from low income backgrounds and have no Bueller-style cash, savings, or credit card to offer up as payment. It’s easy to say that the solution is for the parents to ensure their child goes to school—don’t do the crime, don’t do the time. But if a child’s not showing up, or is chronically late to school, chances are that something in the family’s circumstance is keeping that from happening. Maybe it’s a lack of transportation. Maybe it’s that the parent works nontraditional hours and isn’t home in the morning to get the kids ready. In DiNino’s case, due to her poverty, the overwhelmed single mom avoided homelessness by staying at a relative’s house. Organizations like Communities in Schools, which consults with families and connects them with social services to solve whatever issues are keeping a child from showing up, are more effective than financial punishment at getting kids to school and ensuring they graduate. But there’s an insidious reason districts and local municipalities have taken to handing out truancy fines: Cold hard cash. School funding that trickles down from state coffers is based on kids being in seats—it’s called the Average Daily Attendance. So while it’s true that a kid can’t learn math or science if he’s not in class, with education budgets decimated since the start of the Great Recession, every day a student is absent reduces the amount of money a school has at its disposal. And, similar to the racial bias in drug sentencing laws that has filled the nation’s prisons, the way truancy fines are meted out has also been seen as discriminatory. In 2013, the school district of the town of Lebanon, about 40 minutes from Berks County, settled a class action lawsuit that had been filed two years earlier by Philadelphia’s Public Interest Law Center on behalf of 170 families and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. The suit declared that Lebanon’s truancy fines were “excessive and illegal” and were being unfairly applied to minority families. In the settlement, the district didn’t have to admit any wrongdoing, and an investigation by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights was unable to find evidence of explicit racial discrimination. Still, the district had to refund monies it collected between 2004 and 2009. On the other side of the country in Los Angeles, which instituted harsh daytime truancy laws in 1995, numerous complaints from civil rights and community organizations said that the LAPD was using truancy ticketing to explicitly target students of color and put them on the school to prison pipeline. A student in South Los Angeles could be around the corner from school, rushing to beat the tardy bell, but if he didn’t get through the door in time, the LAPD would be waiting to give tickets. With court fees added to them, the fines were costing low-income families $400 a pop. On the wealthier and whiter Westside of the city, that ticketing wasn’t happening. In 2011, Los Angeles’ law enforcement and school district officials announced an official end to the practice, but that kind of ticketing scenario happens in countless American cities. Depending on the location, a local school district might receive a portion of any additional fees a court decides to tack on. In DiNino’s case, the court “file shows a laundry list of court fees for one case alone: $8 for a ‘judicial computer project’; $60 for Berks County constables; $10 for postage,” reported the AP. As for DiNino’s kids, whether they’ll be split up and placed into foster care or if relatives will take them in is still unknown. Sadly, unlike truant Ferris Bueller, for her children, there is no happy Hollywood ending. |
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| Author: | Chus [ Sat Jun 14, 2014 8:36 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Prison System |
Scorehead wrote: She should stop spreading her legs. Steve in Elmhurst wrote: She is probably black. Chaspoopcup wrote: She shoold bee impalnted with a chip that staralizies herr.
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| Author: | pittmike [ Sat Jun 14, 2014 8:46 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Prison System |
I do not know about her specific story really but this is common in PA minus the death. And it isn't only the most poor people. If your kid decides to be a truancy problem how much control do you have and so on. My daughter had a bad year and was in this trouble. I was having to appear before the magistrate at some point and yes $500 fine. Luckily, I explained to that judge to punish the kid. She delayed her getting a driver's license by a year and the kid shaped up. Sad about this lady though. |
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| Author: | jimmypasta [ Sat Jun 14, 2014 10:37 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Prison System |
7 kids? yikes. There is no way they should have tossed the mom in jail. The lady needs help not punishment. |
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| Author: | Psycory [ Sat Jun 14, 2014 11:25 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Prison System |
As this is my neck of the woods, I heard about this earlier in the week and this practice seems so idiotic. You owe the state money, so come to jail for two days where we will pay to feed and take care of you and the debt is forgiven?!?!?! What? Berks county - and Reading in particular - has become a hotbed of crime and gang activity. We go to Wyomissing (north suburb of Reading, hometown of Kate plus 8 and Taylor Swift) to shop...and that's it. In fact, there has been a migration of people from central Berks to the northern part of Berks/southern part of Schuylkill county-where I live. In fact, all my neighbors work in Berks county. This is the new version of White (and Black) flight, but instead of it being from African-Americans (who have been there forever), they are getting away from the Hispanics who have been moving in. |
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| Author: | Scorehead [ Sat Jun 14, 2014 11:42 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Prison System |
Chus wrote: Scorehead wrote: She should stop spreading her legs. Steve in Elmhurst wrote: She is probably black. Chaspoopcup wrote: She shoold bee impalnted with a chip that staralizies herr. Woomp...There it is! There are waaay too many irresponsible and unqualified parents. It isn't fair to the Children. . |
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| Author: | Nas [ Sat Jun 14, 2014 11:53 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Prison System |
Psycory wrote: As this is my neck of the woods, I heard about this earlier in the week and this practice seems so idiotic. You owe the state money, so come to jail for two days where we will pay to feed and take care of you and the debt is forgiven?!?!?! What? Berks county - and Reading in particular - has become a hotbed of crime and gang activity. We go to Wyomissing (north suburb of Reading, hometown of Kate plus 8 and Taylor Swift) to shop...and that's it. In fact, there has been a migration of people from central Berks to the northern part of Berks/southern part of Schuylkill county-where I live. In fact, all my neighbors work in Berks county. This is the new version of White (and Black) flight, but instead of it being from African-Americans (who have been there forever), they are getting away from the Hispanics who have been moving in. Happens all around the country. |
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| Author: | Psycory [ Sat Jun 14, 2014 12:05 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Prison System |
Yes it has, It is amazing how quick it is happening though. The best part is that I can now get good Mexican food within 40 minutes of my house. The old options were Taco Bell or the Mexican restaurant owned by a family who also owned an Italian Restaurant...there version of Mexican food was bad. |
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| Author: | bigfan [ Sat Jun 14, 2014 12:22 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Prison System |
I would just stop mentioning things people do in movies as an opening point of discussion for any debate on society. ...what if Bruce Willis's crew got all their demands met before they went to drill the Asteroid and didn't have to pay taxes ever? ..what if 6 kids came back to the same summer camp every 4 or 5 years, and the murders continued each time, would they call in a SWAT team? ...what if the rowdiest member of the rowdiest fraternity, had a 0.0, could he ever really be Senator? |
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| Author: | doug - evergreen park [ Sat Jun 14, 2014 12:42 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Prison System |
First off....this story is ridiculous. I had no idea there were truancy fines. That shit needs to end. - What if E.T. had a cell phone? What is Supermans transport hit an Asteroid on its way to Earth? Kneel before Zod! What if Indiana Jones shot Greedo....first? |
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| Author: | chaspoppcap [ Sat Jun 14, 2014 1:26 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Prison System |
So putting them in jail is not a good idea. Then do the correct thing. Community service. You can even have the kids do it,oh wait they don't show up to school so why would they show up to that. |
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| Author: | Nas [ Sat Jun 14, 2014 1:29 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Prison System |
I am thinking fining parents and putting them in prison because their kids didn't come to school is probably the problem here. |
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| Author: | SpiralStairs [ Sat Jun 14, 2014 1:30 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Prison System |
chaspoppcap wrote: So putting them in jail is not a good idea. Then do the correct thing. Community service. You can even have the kids do it,oh wait they don't show up to school so why would they show up to that. Cut off their feet and replace them with brooms. That's the humane thing to do. |
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| Author: | spanky [ Sat Jun 14, 2014 1:31 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Prison System |
Nas wrote: I am thinking fining parents because their kids didn't come to school is probably the problem here. How do you force parents to get their kids to school? Fines may not be the best idea, and neither is jail time - so what is? Make school optional? |
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| Author: | Nas [ Sat Jun 14, 2014 1:37 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Prison System |
spanky wrote: Nas wrote: I am thinking fining parents because their kids didn't come to school is probably the problem here. How do you force parents to get their kids to school? Fines may not be the best idea, and neither is jail time - so what is? Make school optional? Kids have been dropping out of school for centuries. I am not sure how you can force a child to stay in school. If I dropped my child off to high school and they walked out the building seconds after I pull off I am not sure how you can prevent that. I always thought school was optional. |
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| Author: | spanky [ Sat Jun 14, 2014 1:41 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Prison System |
Nas wrote: I always thought school was optional. I find this hard to believe. I'd say 90% of the time (maybe more?), chronic truancy is not a "kid" problem - it's a parent problem. And a chronically truant student isn't the kid that skips a class or two to go smoke with some buddies or "hangout" with their girlfriend. It's the kids that miss 20, 30, 40 days of school ever year - usually from a young age. |
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| Author: | Nas [ Sat Jun 14, 2014 1:46 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Prison System |
Take the child out of the home then. |
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| Author: | bigfan [ Sat Jun 14, 2014 2:54 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Prison System |
Nas wrote: I am thinking fining parents and putting them in prison because their kids didn't come to school is probably the problem here. ...or if they unofficially get on a float and lipsync during a parade! (FYI, that scene was shot in one take with 16 cameras as they really did stop the parade for the song!) 
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| Author: | Baby McNown [ Sat Jun 14, 2014 3:27 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Prison System |
bigfan wrote: I would just stop mentioning things people do in movies as an opening point of discussion for any debate on society. ...what if Bruce Willis's crew got all their demands met before they went to drill the Asteroid and didn't have to pay taxes ever? ..what if 6 kids came back to the same summer camp every 4 or 5 years, and the murders continued each time, would they call in a SWAT team? ...what if the rowdiest member of the rowdiest fraternity, had a 0.0, could he ever really be Senator? Maybe you haven't met Max Baucus |
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| Author: | Baby McNown [ Sat Jun 14, 2014 3:29 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Prison System |
chaspoppcap wrote: So putting them in jail is not a good idea. Then do the correct thing. Community service. You can even have the kids do it,oh wait they don't show up to school so why would they show up to that. They just sit around waiting for their government check. Wait.... nevermind. |
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| Author: | Scorehead [ Sat Jun 14, 2014 8:57 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Prison System |
Nas wrote: I am thinking fining parents and putting them in prison because their kids didn't come to school is probably the problem here. I'm thinking bad parenting is the problem. |
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| Author: | pittmike [ Sat Jun 14, 2014 9:25 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Prison System |
Scorehead wrote: Nas wrote: I am thinking fining parents and putting them in prison because their kids didn't come to school is probably the problem here. I'm thinking bad parenting is the problem. These two posts really span a spectrum. So you have schools/governments prosecuting parents for bad kids in order to maintain fed funding. You have bad parenting as a cause per some. Others think it is the governments fault for fining and imprisoning the parents. Everyone thinks they are right and to certain degrees they may be. Is it any wonder nothing ever gets fixed on this or many subjects? |
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| Author: | spanky [ Sat Jun 14, 2014 10:17 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Prison System |
pittmike wrote: Scorehead wrote: Nas wrote: I am thinking fining parents and putting them in prison because their kids didn't come to school is probably the problem here. I'm thinking bad parenting is the problem. These two posts really span a spectrum. So you have schools/governments prosecuting parents for bad kids in order to maintain fed funding. I think it's funny that you think schools go out of their way for "federal funding".  Chronic truancy is a parent issue. Nas thinks truant kids should be taken away from their parents as a result. |
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| Author: | FavreFan [ Sat Jun 14, 2014 11:24 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Prison System |
Good nomination. |
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| Author: | pittmike [ Sat Jun 14, 2014 11:49 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Prison System |
spanky wrote: I think it's funny that you think schools go out of their way for "federal funding". But they do. They do this and make kids report to school for make up snow days on June 5th to watch a movie for an hour to get federal credit. Just one example. |
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| Author: | spanky [ Sat Jun 14, 2014 11:50 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Prison System |
FavreFan wrote: Good nomination. Oh yeah. Just a....curious reason for the nomination. Add it to the list. |
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| Author: | spanky [ Sat Jun 14, 2014 11:53 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Prison System |
pittmike wrote: spanky wrote: I think it's funny that you think schools go out of their way for "federal funding". But they do. They do this and make kids report to school for make up snow days on June 5th to watch a movie for an hour to get federal credit. Just one example. I realize you are in a different state, but school funding in Illinois goes something like this: Local . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . State . . . . . . . . . Federal Thus the reason why some states don't hesitate to exclude themselves from things such as "No Child Left Behind" and "Common Core". |
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| Author: | FavreFan [ Sat Jun 14, 2014 11:56 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Prison System |
spanky wrote: FavreFan wrote: Good nomination. Oh yeah. Just a....curious reason for the nomination. Add it to the list. You're ok with what happened? |
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| Author: | pittmike [ Sun Jun 15, 2014 12:07 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Prison System |
I guess I was ignorant as to what entity but attendance stats are a factor in funding |
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| Author: | spanky [ Sun Jun 15, 2014 1:06 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Prison System |
FavreFan wrote: spanky wrote: FavreFan wrote: Good nomination. Oh yeah. Just a....curious reason for the nomination. Add it to the list. You're ok with what happened? That's totally what I said. Exactly. |
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