What is:So, you're FED UP with the "Criminal Justice" system too, huh?


         It is a book which sets forth a comprehensive plam for 
    a three level criminal justice system (addressing the full 
    spectrum, from non-violent "first offenders" to career violent 
    criminals) which would work better, cost less, and be fairer 
    to both criminals AND taxpayers!  It's approx. 1/4 nonfiction 
    and 3/4 illustrative fiction, it is intense, and NOT intended 
    for those who are squeamish.  Among other things, it advocates 
    establishing alternatives to prison which would: 
      1) deter crime, 
      2) not be laughed at by criminals, and 
      3) make court mandated rehabilitation programs more 
        effective by putting some real "teeth" into these
        mandates.  

        It provides a means for both punishment AND rehabilitation of 
   the offender, without either taking the person even deeper into the 
   criminal sub-culture OR wasting time and money trying to rehabilitate 
   people with little or no interest in changing their lives.  

        How are these diverse goals turned from being all but mutually 
   exclusive to being compatable?  By bringing back corporal punishment, 
   in the form of flogging, of those criminals who can still be salvaged; 
   the expansion of the death penalty to include career VIOLENT criminals; 
   and use of the tax money which is saved to address problems such as 
   educational deficiencies, substance abuse, and the like...  Existing 
   alternatives to prison have merit; but, they fall short in being either 
   real consequences to crime or being any deterrent.  On the other hand, 
   prison is an expensive breeding ground for criminal activity which is 
   threatening to overwhelm the budgets of virtually every state in this 
   country.  I realize that some of you will be horrified at the idea of 
   using corporal punishment of criminals as an alternative to prison AND 
   that others will be equally horrified at my hard-core stance in favor 
   of rehabilitation...  It's time, however, to quit treating punishment 
   and rehabilitation as mutually exclusive goals and this is the most 
   effective means of reconciling the two.
        The links, at the bottom of this page, will answer many of 
   your questions; but, due to the space limitations of this web site, 
   to get the full scope,  you pretty well need to read the entire book.

        Unfortunately, I'm currently out of the paper version of 
   my book; and, due to the fact that I'm unwilling to sell my copyright 
   to a publisher (meaning that I'd lose control over the content to 
   the publishing company), I have no idea when I'll be able to have 
   more printed.  If anyone reading this knows of a publisher who would 
   be willing to print and distribute it under what's called a "license 
   to publish" (instead of a sale of the copyright), please let me know. 
   In the meantime, please visit my download center (see below.)

   For more information, you may call the author at  405-382-2821, in Seminole; or you may e-mail her at 
   fedup@okplus.com e-mail now 

TEMPORARY NOTICE

As of 7/25/98
I'm temporarily out of stock of sellable copies of the paperversion of the book.  Hopefully, this problem will be resolvedwithin a couple of months; but, in the meantime, please order the electronic version.  If you do so, and later order a paper copy,remind me of this fact and I'll give you a 5.00 credit on your order.


        As of May 28, 1997, the full text portion of the book is
   available on IBM compatable 3 1/2 inch disks.  They are in a DOS
   text format and can be read (or printed out) with virtually any 
   text editor or reade, such as: DOS "edit," Windows Notepad, "TE",
   Windows "Write," or by using "open file" on Netscape.  (Probably
   on other browsers, also...)  The cost is $5.00 for downloads; or,
   $6.00 for a mailed disk.  The ordering address is now the same as 
   for the book. PLEASE!!1 Remember to include your e-mail address
   in the same envelope as your check -- it makes things very confusing
   when people forget to do this... Downloads are free to legislators; 
   but, please include your state, district, and office in your e-mail 
   request.


           As of Feb. 28, 1999, I have gone to an "honor system" on the 
   electronic version version of the book.  It is available for on-line 
   reading (or saving the individual files from the screen).  Since I 
   rely on the proceeds from the book to keep this project going, I ask 
   that you voluntarily send the five dollar download fee to the address 
   which is posted above.  If you cannot afford this, I ask that you send 
   my URL to at least five folks who would be in a position to help the 
   cause (state legislators, D.A's, attorneys, talk show hosts, etc.)  I 
   really hope that everyone will want do the latter, even if they send in 
   the five bucks.  The URL is: DOWNLOAD CENTER



        I strongly encourage people to ask their local libraries to 
   order the book for them -- that way the book can reach a much larger 
   number of people than I could ever reach by promoting individual sales.  
   Orders from individuals are always welcome, though.


        As of Jan. 22, 1997, this book is available on tape to the
   blind and disabled through the Oklahoma Library for the Blind!
        It may be obtained by having your state affliate contact:
   Linda Boyd at (405)521-6552.  The tracking number is OK-5145.




Why did I write this book?

        I believe that each of us has the responsibility to do 
   whatever they can to make their world a better place in which to 
   live.  For some people, the only real contribution they can make 
   is an occasional donation to some charity.  I have a rather unique 
   background which enabled me to see an alternative to prison which
   would reduce crime AND prison overcrowding, spare a lot of people 
   from being victimized, and be responsible for a lot of people who 
   would've spent their lives in crime becoming productive members of 
   society, instead -- a nice legacy, if I can pull it off...  
        In terms of the problems of crime and prison overcrowding, 
   most of the general public see themselves as victims (of either 
   crime, or of the system) or nonparticipants in these problems.  
   They see them as something which someone ELSE should "fix" for 
   them.  I felt disgusted with the people who complain about these 
   problems without offering any solutions, but, at the same time, I 
   knew that many of these people really don't have the experience 
   and background needed to produce a solution.  Even if they have 
   ideas for solutions, most people are unwilling to stick their neck 
   out and take the risk of being derided by others, which they fear 
   won't agree with their views.  Many don't feel that anyone would 
   listen to them and are unwilling to be enough of a nuisance to BE 
   listened to...
        It might have been much easier for me to just sit back and keep 
   my mouth shut; but, if I had, I would have to carry a certain amount 
   of responsibility for things staying the same and/or continuing to 
   get worse.  Personally, writing the book seemed the easier of the 
   two...  Since I DO have this rather unusual background, I can speak 
   from experience, rather than from mere speculation. If I can put this 
   experience to good use, maybe I can, to some small degree, make a 
   positive difference in the country in which I live.  I feel that this 
   is a responsibility which we must each take seriously, if we hope to 
   retain our freedoms and quality of life.
        While some might consider the notion of whipping criminals absurd,
   I've spent enough time out on the front lines to know that what we're 
   doing now certainly isn't workomg and that things are going to HAVE 
   TO change!  What IS absurd is that honest citizens are often virtual 
   prisoners in their own homes, afraid of attack on the streets or 
   burglary while they are away.  What is absurd is that the citizens of 
   lower income neighborhoods must pay much higher prices to compensate 
   for the thefts and robberies which stores in these neighborhoods 
   experience -- and that's when there are even any businesses which 
   haven't closed or moved out of the area... What is absurd is that 
   drunk driving is considered to be almost trivial until lives are 
   lost.  What is absurd is that the taxpayers are being asked to scrape 
   together more and more hard earned tax money to pay for prisons which 
   are little more than "colleges of criminal enterprise", and that the 
   government is using "crime control" as an excuse for "citizen control" 
   by enacting laws which have as much (when not more) impact upon 
   the average citizen than upon the criminal.   What is absurd is that 
   people who could become productive members of society are ruined for 
   life by either being sent to prison OR (equally) by not experiencing 
   any significant consequences for their crimes -- which only encourages 
   them to continue, and often to escalate, these crimes.  What is absurd 
   is that hardened, violent criminals are either released to prey upon 
   the public or that we should have to spend enormous amounts of money 
   to warehouse them, money which could be MUCH better spent by either 
   the government or, even better yet,  by the taxpayers.  What's even 
   worse is that many of these people could  have  been salvaged, had 
   they been deterred, early in their careers, by measures such as using 
   corporal alteRnative sentencing programs in conjunction with court 
   mandated substance abuse treatment, domestic violence treatment, 
   literacy and skills building programs, restitution to victims, and 
   victim impact programs as an alternative to incarceration.


A sobering Christmas story...This story was originally posted for the holidays;
but, so many folks tell me that it's interfered with their
 drinking and driving that I've decided to keep it posted for a while...



 Click here to e-mail Kathy Renbarger at fedup@okplus.com e-mail now


RETURN TO INDEX PAGE


WHAT CAN I DO???
PROPOSALS/EXCERPTS FROM BOOK
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
VIEW PROPOSED INITIAL LEGISLATION
CENTERS, PUNISHMENTS, ETC.
OPEN LETTER RESPONDING TO SOME COMMON OBJECTIONS
PLEASE SIGN MY GUEST BOOK and LEAVE YOUR OPINION
HONOR SYSTEM BASED DOWNLOADING and READING
INFORMATION FOR ATTORNEYS AND JUDGES
TRAINING APPLICATION
EXTERNAL LINKS
CHARGED WITH A CRIME???
NEWSLETTER BACK ISSUES











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