At a recent meeting of the state's Criminal Code Evaluation Commission, one of the members described a class D felony as the kind of crime most people have committed but just hadn't been caught for it.
It was an eyebrow-raising moment, considering he included in his "most people" category the members of the commission - people who represent the state's prosecutors, public defenders, judges, probation officers, prison officials, and the General Assembly.
In a flight of imagination, I scanned the panel of members sitting there and began wondering about their secret criminal history. In Indiana, a class D felony is the lowest level of serious crime; it can land you in prison for six months to three years.
Here some examples of class D felony crimes: burglary, battery, cheating at gambling, cruelty to animals, cultivating marijuana, domestic battery, fraud, impersonating a public servant, moving a body from the scene of a death, obstruction of justice, perjury, possession of a sawed-off shotgun, prostitution, and public indecency. The list goes on and on, but here's just a few more: criminal deviate conduct, dispensing of material harmful to minors, disposing of a dead animal, driving while intoxicated, exploiting an endangered adult, failure to warn of a communicable disease, illegal possession of a vehicle identification number, invasion of privacy, stalking, strangulation, prescription fraud, and tampering with an odometer.
There are some drug possession crimes on the list, too, including possession of more than 30 grams of marijuana, about one ounce.
My flight of imagination didn't last long. The commission member's statement was meant to emphasize a point (I think) about proportionate punishment, rather than to implicate his colleagues.
The commission was created in 2009 to take a deep look at the state's criminal code - which lays out the standards for crime and punishment in Indiana - and figure out what needs to be kept and what can be tossed. Since it was last revised in 1977, the General Assembly has been adding to it and altering it - often, as legislators themselves say, without considering the escalating costs of locking up more offenders or making sure there were like penalties for like crimes.
The commission has made big progress, thanks in part to people like commission chairman State Rep. Ralph Foley, a Republican from Martinsville who's retiring from the legislature after 20 years. Despite some acrimony created during a failed attempt at sentencing reform in the 2011 legislative session, Foley and others dug back in. Now the commission is making its way through a serious set of recommendations put forth by a work group of attorneys, created by the commission and led by former U.S. Attorney Deborah Daniels (sister of Gov. Mitch Daniels).
Taken as a whole, the recommendations call for overhauling the state's criminal laws to make punishment more proportionate to the crime. They include tougher penalties for the worst sex and violent crimes, along with less prison time for low-level drug crimes.
The commission's goal is to come up with a framework for legislation that would be introduced in the 2013 session. There will likely be much debate, especially over issues like the existing "credit time" incentive, which allows offenders to get out early if they earn a college degree while in prison.
It's likely to be a messy debate, too, but worth watching.
- Maureen Hayden covers the Statehouse for the CNHI newspapers in Indiana. She can be reached at maureen.hayden@indianamediagroup.com.
I hate dog movies. In dog movies, the good, loyal, lovable dog always dies at the end and I end up sitting there in the dark with big tears streaming down my cheeks.
I’ve not kept it a secret that I find people who dress their dogs in clothes to be, to put it nicely, somewhat more than just eccentric. And many friendly, helpful readers out there have not kept it a secret that they really wish I would not express my views about dogs dressed as humans.
Distrust of government secrecy has been elevated to an exceptional level with the disclosure the Justice Department covertly examined two months of Associated Press phone records to determine who leaked details to the AP about a foiled terrorist plot.
It sounds like the plot from a dystopian libertarian novel. The word “patriot” and the phrase “educating on the Constitution and Bill of Rights” triggered heightened scrutiny from the most intrusive agency in the federal government.
The action at the bird feeder has been spectacular lately: Cardinals, finches, songbirds in impressive variety crowding around all day long in search of sustenance. It is truly gratifying …
Everyone presumes that Sen. Chuck Schumer, the media-hungry Democrat from New York, wants to be the next Senate majority leader. His performance in the negotiations over the Gang of Eight immigration plan should bolster his case for an eventual promotion.
An NPR broadcast examines the question of how communities can better prepare for tornadoes like the one that struck Moore, Okla. on Monday. The broadcast features commentary from Michael Fitzgerald, who reported a five-part disaster series for the CNHI News Service.
When J.J. Abrams took over the "Star Trek" franchise in 2009, he boldly went where the series hadn't gone before — romantically — pairing Uhura with Spock. Many fans disliked the change. Some loved it. Others didn't care, because they just wanted to see Kirk and Spock make out.
An NPR broadcast examines the question of how communities can better prepare for tornadoes like the one that struck Moore, Okla. on Monday. The broadcast features commentary from Michael Fitzgerald, who reported a five-part disaster series for the CNHI News Service.
Commentary
Discussion
A little felon in all of us
By Maureen Hayden CNHI
At a recent meeting of the state's Criminal Code Evaluation Commission, one of the members described a class D felony as the kind of crime most people have committed but just hadn't been caught for it.
It was an eyebrow-raising moment, considering he included in his "most people" category the members of the commission - people who represent the state's prosecutors, public defenders, judges, probation officers, prison officials, and the General Assembly.
In a flight of imagination, I scanned the panel of members sitting there and began wondering about their secret criminal history. In Indiana, a class D felony is the lowest level of serious crime; it can land you in prison for six months to three years.
Here some examples of class D felony crimes: burglary, battery, cheating at gambling, cruelty to animals, cultivating marijuana, domestic battery, fraud, impersonating a public servant, moving a body from the scene of a death, obstruction of justice, perjury, possession of a sawed-off shotgun, prostitution, and public indecency. The list goes on and on, but here's just a few more: criminal deviate conduct, dispensing of material harmful to minors, disposing of a dead animal, driving while intoxicated, exploiting an endangered adult, failure to warn of a communicable disease, illegal possession of a vehicle identification number, invasion of privacy, stalking, strangulation, prescription fraud, and tampering with an odometer.
There are some drug possession crimes on the list, too, including possession of more than 30 grams of marijuana, about one ounce.
My flight of imagination didn't last long. The commission member's statement was meant to emphasize a point (I think) about proportionate punishment, rather than to implicate his colleagues.
The commission was created in 2009 to take a deep look at the state's criminal code - which lays out the standards for crime and punishment in Indiana - and figure out what needs to be kept and what can be tossed. Since it was last revised in 1977, the General Assembly has been adding to it and altering it - often, as legislators themselves say, without considering the escalating costs of locking up more offenders or making sure there were like penalties for like crimes.
The commission has made big progress, thanks in part to people like commission chairman State Rep. Ralph Foley, a Republican from Martinsville who's retiring from the legislature after 20 years. Despite some acrimony created during a failed attempt at sentencing reform in the 2011 legislative session, Foley and others dug back in. Now the commission is making its way through a serious set of recommendations put forth by a work group of attorneys, created by the commission and led by former U.S. Attorney Deborah Daniels (sister of Gov. Mitch Daniels).
Taken as a whole, the recommendations call for overhauling the state's criminal laws to make punishment more proportionate to the crime. They include tougher penalties for the worst sex and violent crimes, along with less prison time for low-level drug crimes.
The commission's goal is to come up with a framework for legislation that would be introduced in the 2013 session. There will likely be much debate, especially over issues like the existing "credit time" incentive, which allows offenders to get out early if they earn a college degree while in prison.
It's likely to be a messy debate, too, but worth watching.
- Maureen Hayden covers the Statehouse for the CNHI newspapers in Indiana. She can be reached at maureen.hayden@indianamediagroup.com.
I hate dog movies. In dog movies, the good, loyal, lovable dog always dies at the end and I end up sitting there in the dark with big tears streaming down my cheeks.
May 21, 2013
Mr. President, the buck stops with you.
President Truman set that standard, with these very words posted on a sign on his Oval Office desk.
But now, with over a thousand days left in this second Obama administration, we find a Nixonian stench emerging from the “W. House.”
May 21, 2013
Rarely has the White House briefing room so resembled the main ballroom at a meeting of the Conservative Political Action Conference.
May 21, 2013
I’ve not kept it a secret that I find people who dress their dogs in clothes to be, to put it nicely, somewhat more than just eccentric. And many friendly, helpful readers out there have not kept it a secret that they really wish I would not express my views about dogs dressed as humans.
May 17, 2013
Distrust of government secrecy has been elevated to an exceptional level with the disclosure the Justice Department covertly examined two months of Associated Press phone records to determine who leaked details to the AP about a foiled terrorist plot.
May 17, 2013
The federal government recently announced new regulations for buying fast food.
May 17, 2013
It sounds like the plot from a dystopian libertarian novel. The word “patriot” and the phrase “educating on the Constitution and Bill of Rights” triggered heightened scrutiny from the most intrusive agency in the federal government.
May 17, 2013
The action at the bird feeder has been spectacular lately: Cardinals, finches, songbirds in impressive variety crowding around all day long in search of sustenance. It is truly gratifying …
For my neighbor.
That’s what it’s like at his feeder.
May 14, 2013
On April 27, Dr. Jeff Butts demonstrated a rare form of servant leadership as he participated in the Go Love Indy westside service project.
May 13, 2013
Everyone presumes that Sen. Chuck Schumer, the media-hungry Democrat from New York, wants to be the next Senate majority leader. His performance in the negotiations over the Gang of Eight immigration plan should bolster his case for an eventual promotion.
May 13, 2013
Follow me on Twitter
Will you be attending this year's Indy 500?
Tires
Telecommunications
Beauty Salons
Government
An NPR broadcast examines the question of how communities can better prepare for tornadoes like the one that struck Moore, Okla. on Monday. The broadcast features commentary from Michael Fitzgerald, who reported a five-part disaster series for the CNHI News Service.
May 22, 2013 1 Photo
Complete Report:
Part I: Are We Prepared? | Part II: Disaster Dollars
Part III: Lessons Learned | Part IV: Warning Signs
Part V: The Big One
When J.J. Abrams took over the "Star Trek" franchise in 2009, he boldly went where the series hadn't gone before — romantically — pairing Uhura with Spock. Many fans disliked the change. Some loved it. Others didn't care, because they just wanted to see Kirk and Spock make out.
May 22, 2013 1 Photo
An NPR broadcast examines the question of how communities can better prepare for tornadoes like the one that struck Moore, Okla. on Monday. The broadcast features commentary from Michael Fitzgerald, who reported a five-part disaster series for the CNHI News Service.
May 22, 2013 1 Photo
Complete Report:
Part I: Are We Prepared? | Part II: Disaster Dollars
Part III: Lessons Learned | Part IV: Warning Signs
Part V: The Big One
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