Stephen Jones 0

Self Dignity for Indigent Defendants and Jail Prisoners

Show your support by signing this petition now
Stephen Jones 0 Comments
0 people have signed. Add your voice!
0%

In Boston an inhumane practice has been accepted as the procedural norm within the prison and local jails, respectively. More than 95 % of detainees held on bail, convicted, or arrested over the weekend have to wear clothes that are wrinkled and smells terrible, especially detainees that can not make bail and have to go through many court dates wearing these same foul smelling clothing articles or wear a jail issued uniform. The option of choosing between appearing in civic attire or prison gear is truely oppressive, inhumane, dehumanizing, undignified and animalistic. It violates the 8th,13th and 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and the principles of detainees procedural due process. Involuntary servitude is illegal; detainees awaiting trial have same rights, as those on bail or on personal recognizance in court proceedings. The "privilege" of appearing presentable or handcuffed by (prison) attire at their scheduled court proceedings is a cruel position to find oneself in, for those not duly convicted by the magistrate of the court, which acts as an agent upon jurisdiction of those who appear to be economically in a state of indigent involuntary servitude within the United states of America. This petition is important also due to the fact African-Americans make up 40% of 2.1 million incarcerated detainees or prisoners in America, but are only 12% of the U.S. population according to United States Department of Justice 2009 report. Prison has now become more than ever "intermentent camps" for warehousing African-American males specifically. The social effect it has on the communal foundation of black America is paralysing and crippling culturally. Intermentent camps were used for the imprisonment or confinement of people, (blacks today), commonly in large groups, without trial. Oxford Dictionary defines it as the action of "interning"; confinement within the limits of a country or place. Furthermore American detainees of color are confined in astronomical numbers throughout America, even in communties they are unrepresented as an ethnic group. Therefore I urge all to sign onto this petition to draw attention to the indignified manner in which procedural due process is allowed to be administered within the U.S Trial Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Being able to present oneself in a clean presentable attire may appear to be a small or moot issue compared to attention grabbing campaigns, but it places an undue burden and stigmatise detainees as appearing uncivilized during criminal procedures. Thanks for taking the time to read or/and sign this need petition.

Share for Success

Comment

Signature

No signatures yet. Be the first one!