Wednesday, September 7, 2016

I confess that I am still pissed off

In the "I'm still pissed off that rapist Brock Turner is free" news:

I was thinking about this the other day...I used to be a caseworker at a juvenile prison.  I was thinking about the many, many teens that I had on my caseload that were locked up longer than Brock Turner and the crimes that they committed.  Oh, I definitely had some that deserved to be in jail for a long time.  Most definitely.  Some scary dudes. 

I also had a kid that stole rollerblades from his next door neighbor's garage. 

And, another who was arrested for possession of marijuana, the smallest amount possible that one can be cited for, but he was arrested for this same thing multiple times.  He smoked pot.  That seemingly was all he ever did wrong.  It's illegal to smoke pot in Texas, and yes, there should be consequences for breaking the law.  But, when I compare Brock Turner to this mary  jane enthusiast, and the fact that this 16 year old was sent to a statewide juvenile jail for 9-12 months (minimum), and Brocky boy is out in 3, it just doesn't make sense. 

Even the teens that were locked up for let's say "unlawful use of a motor vehicle" (they stole a car), again, they broke the law and should be punished.  But, the victim of a car theft will not be scarred the rest of one's life to the capacity that Brock Turner's victim will.  I know.  I've had a car stolen.  Those guys served longer sentences than Brock Turner.

In Texas (I'm speaking about Texas because that's where I was a caseworker), if a teen is tried, convicted, and sent to a juvenile justice institution, the minimum stay that he can receive is 9 months.  For a teen convicted of the same crimes that Brock Turner was convicted, he'd be given a "determinate sentence" (the minimum of this served would be one year), and he'd be required to receive sex offender counseling before release.  If he did not complete the required counseling and follow his case plan that included education and socialization skills, then he would not be allowed for parole review.  He would serve years until this required treatment plan was adequately completed as deemed by the "treatment team" consisting of his caseworker, a teacher, a supervisory staff member (guard), and a medical staff member.  He could potentially be transferred to adult prison once he turned the age of 18 or 19 (depending on the case) if he did not complete his treatment plan as required.  He could not get time docked for "good behavior". 

How can an adult, like Brock Turner, not be held as accountable as a teenager committing the same act of violence?

For a minute, when I was thinking about writing this post, I thought "hmmm aren't we tired of hearing about Brock or talking about him?"  But, I realized, that we must continue talking about it.  We mustn't let this become just another story that we accept.  We must let our voices be heard again and again that we think that it is un-fucking-acceptable that a person can sexually assault another person while they are unconscious and can give absolutely no consent.  We must let our voices be heard that when this rapist is caught in the act, stopped, arrested, charged, tried, and convicted that we do not accept his excuses and justifications.  That we do not listen to his daddy about how his son shouldn't be judged based on "20 minutes of action".  It can take less than 20 minutes to shoot and murder someone.  Should that person not be judged for that action either, Mr. Turner?  Ridiculous.

Brilliant
And, we mustn't forget the most important voice of all - the victim's.  I will continue to remind myself of her pain and read her full statement because I don't want to forget what she endured, and I don't want to forget that justice wasn't served for her.



Not your usual fun confessions post, eh?  Well, I'm still linking up with Nadine & Kathy anyway.  Happy Humpday!

19 comments:

  1. I don't even know what to think about it anymore. Shame on him. Shame on his parents for protecting him. Shame on our justice system for failing the victim!

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  2. i am SO with you on this whole friggen post. i just get so so angry when i think about him and the whole thing. everything. i don't even know where to begin. and her letter. that was everything. and more people should read it. everyone should. and no one should stop talking about this. thank you for writing it. <3

    xoxo cheshire kat

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  3. "For a minute, when I was thinking about writing this post, I thought "hmmm aren't we tired of hearing about Brock or talking about him?" But, I realized, that we must continue talking about it." YEP.
    This is the most infuriating case. He was CAUGHT. He was found GUILTY. How, how, how does he only get away with a slap on the wrist? Why would anyone report a rape and go through the hell of it all to watch their attacker walk away after ONLY 3 months in timeout?? So infuriating.

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  4. Yes to all of this. Gosh, there is so much awful crap happening all over the world and the US right now. I just can't even process it some days. It also kills me how the media chooses to cover/not cover so many important things. For example, the pipeline protest in the Dakotas by the native american tribes. It's a big issue, and a historic one (so many tribes have not come together in hundreds of years)... and yet it's not being covered. It's definitely important to share and speak about these issues. XO - Alexandra

    Simply Alexandra: My Favorite Things

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  5. You know what - we brush things under the rug so easily when the 'next news story' comes out - I appreciate you bringing it back to light & reminding people how messed up our justice system is. SO INFURIATING!!!

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  6. I have a ranty paragraph in tomorrow's post about this but mother of hell. I cannot with this motherfucker. And you are absolutely right. Kids in the juvenile justice system, especially the poor ones, often get screwed or talked into terrible plea deals (I, too, have seen this firsthand due to my previous career) while shitstains like Brock Turner serve half of an already joke sentence.

    The only silver lining in this is that California closed the loophole that allowed this nonsense to happen. We'll see how well it works but it's supposedly closed.

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  7. It is just so outrageous, I do not understand under justice system at all. My heart breaks for the victim, I can't even imagine what it must be like. No justice at all.

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  8. This has made me so angry I've become passive about it. I don't have words to accurately describe my feelings. Rage is the least descriptive word I can come up with. I just.. I fucking hate some people.

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  9. I am still beyond pissed about the whole Brock Turner situation. It disgusts me. He disgusts me. Judge Petrsky disgusts me. I cannot fathom a situation where the guilty party's future and well-being is a bigger concern than justice or what the victim endeared/s. Like Jana, I'm glad they closed that loophole, as a woman and a California resident. I also think it is incredibly important that we, as women, continue to share our disgust and frustration and make sure "Brock Turner, the rapist" is never forgotten, because that is the only real punishment he faces. That we won't forget or let others forget what he did. That we continue to advocate for rape victims and make sure rapists pay for their crimes.

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  10. This whole situation is just so horrific. Makes me so mad. Side note-I didn't know you used to be a caseworker. What an interesting (and I'm sure super hard) job!

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  11. I am with you 100% in your thoughts. It isn't just that he is getting off easy, because that is enraging all in it's own. But when you look at the justice system and see seemingly decent people in jail for long amounts of time for a minimal crime simply because they are underprivileged or fell on hard luck and then you have this sociopath monster walking free? Ugh it makes me so sick!!!!

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  12. I could not agree with you more on everything, I just can't wrap my head around this and am totally disgusted :(
    Green Fashionista

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  13. RE: 'Aren't we tired of hearing about this?' I agree with you completely. I don't want this to eventually be swept under the rug as last week's news. Just something we talked about because it was 'popular' or whatever. He's disgusting, and you still have all the headlines talking about his release saying, "Former Stanford swimmer" etc instead of RAPIST. That's his title now. Also, I will never understand how possession of marijuana in any state could possibly have a longer minimum sentence than rape. It makes zero sense. Rape is a VIOLENT CRIME. Some kid (or adult) smoking marijuana didn't do anything to anybody (if they are only charged with possession of marijuana/not violating parole or whatever). I just want to yell and scream. Clearly, from my ranty comment.

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  14. I still think that it's absolutely ridiculous, and I think that you're totally right that we still need to talk about it! It's crazy that somebody went to jail for longer because they had marijuana over somebody who RAPED somebody!

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  15. Totally with you! Just hearing/seeing his name makes my blood boil. It's frustrating to talk about but I absolutely agree that talking about it is a NECESSITY.

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  16. It's so disgusting I can't stand it. Then all the articles listing him as "Stanford Swimmer Brock" ummm no it's "Rapist Brock". The only thing that makes me feel better about it is that his life is a living hell right now with people giving him shit.

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  17. Ugh. It really is so sickening. I appreciated the angle you took to offer insight in this post. That just throws it into much sharper relief how inconceivable it is that Rapist Brock Turner is out free today. Unacceptable. Despicable. A rapist is free and you're right—we can't forget nor let anyone else forget it. Thank you also for reposting her full statement.

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  18. my brother has been in a correctional facility longer than brock turner. much longer. my brother makes stupid mistakes, but he has the biggest heart of anyone you've ever met, and i'm not just saying that. he really does. he would never, ever, ever hurt anyone, let alone a woman. it breaks my heart that he is in there, but he made the decision and he should face the consequences, but it just isn't fair that brock turner did something worse and faced less time. you are right, we need to keep talking about it.

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  19. It makes me sick and worse yet it means I will continue to fear for Kyra everyday and teach her to be wary of LITERALLY everyone she meets.

    I can't believe the justice system fails so amazingly on these type cases.

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