LET'S ORGANIZE
I have always thought that a union, or some other like organization, should be developed by criminals. In other words, criminals should get together and organize to present a united front to the authorities. Of all the people in the country that are unrepresented when it comes to laws and government policy, criminals are the most underrepresented. And simply having your own lawyer to represent you in court really doesn't accomplish what a union could do. A lawyer is required to have only your best interest in mind, not the criminal class in general.
This under-representation is purposeful. As an example, a standard rule of probation or parole is that you should not associate with other people on probation or parole, which dictum alone is made to insure that criminals do not get together and organize. A union of criminals would be a direct assault on government authority or so assumed. This needs to be addressed first. It is not only necessary but in my opinion unconstitutional to determine who a person can associate with or not. You know, what if my wife is a felon as well? This happens.
But when you stop and think about it, what group of people are treated more poorly and with more contempt than people who have been defined and marked as criminals. The State, whichever State one may be referring to, has made, does continue to make, and will, apparently, always make more criminals and this is to be encouraged. After years practicing criminal law, it has become clear to me that the laws creating ever yet more crimes have one primary purpose - - additional control of the public, those who are supposedly the reason government is instituted in the first place, which is to make life more agreeable. Defining a person as a criminal, especially as a felon, is certainly at cross purposes with this raison d'etre.
Just think of the things that criminals, as organized, could address: length of sentences, amount of fines and court costs, conjugal visits, work release, jail food, ankle bracelets, various rules that restrict where you can live and what you can do, etc. Pamphlets of explanation could be provided for all those who are arrested Among the standard jail issue when being arrested, such a pamphlet would give instructions on who to contact for union membership along with a list of bondsmen and attorneys.
One issue you may want to consider is the obvious necessity of renewing membership ranks with death or rehabilitation always at cross purpose; and even though new criminals join the ranks continually through existing laws, more are always welcome. It would not be unexpected that any organization of criminals would encourage state and federal legislators to continue to enact more crimes every legislative session. The more criminals, the bigger the organization, the more effective their action. In addition, it would help my business as a criminal defense attorney. Our legislators increase my workload every year in any event, which I'm duly thankful for, for if there weren't any crime, I'd have to find something else to do.
Newton is a perfect place to begin such an effort as well. It was for many decades a union town with Maytag here making appliances that were shipped worldwide. There must be some expertise left in the community that could advise and instruct in the nuances of organizing and maintaining a union and one can only hope that those with this expertise would be willing to assist in such a worthwhile endeavor.
The criminal organization, or preferably the criminal union, could, while encouraging laws that increase their numbers, at the same time develop action plans for better treatment once a person is so classified. These two things are not incompatible contrary to first appearance. We want more members to make our demands more demanding and at the same time we want improvement in our circumstances once we are classified as a criminal. Seems reasonable to me.
One last thought on the subject is warranted. There must be an effort to convince those who simply get tickets for speeding that they are just as much a criminal as a burglar or robber. I know that this might be a stretch for some, but a proper educational effort should ameliorate any objection.
Richard E H Phelps II
Mingo
