"Over 10,000 ex-prisoners are released from America’s state and federal prisons every week and arrive on the doorsteps of our nation's communities. More than 650,000 ex-offenders are released from prison every year, and studies show that approximately two-thirds will likely be rearrested within three years of release" according to USDOJ website. President George Bush stated in his 2004 State of the Union Address, "“This year, some 600,000 inmates will be released from prison back into society. We know from long experience that if they can’t find work, or a home, or help, they are much more likely to commit more crimes and return to prison…. America is the land of the second chance, and when the gates of the prison open, the path ahead should lead to a better life.” If someone can reach the 5 year mark without re-offending, they should be able to be able to obtain gainful employment at their skill level. What many people do not know is that even to work at McDonald's these days you have to go through a background check. A lot of employers have moved to online applications that automatically screen applicants by doing a background check! Think about this for a second, what does a background check of more than 5 years do? Are you the same person you were 6 years ago? Have you grown mentally and spiritually in that time? Many states are already implementing this and seeing that recidivism drops because you put the ability for felons to be able to make an honest living. Is a career criminal really going to be trying to get a job at a big corporation? If so shouldn't the companies interview process eliminate these people instead of throwing everyone that ever made a big mistake into that group? Being turned down time and time again because of something that was done in the past is demoralizing. It's just not fair! I say put and end to background checks after 5 years and it will make the world a better place for everyone!

Believing that there are fundamental, emotional and intellectual differences between children and adults, Advocates for Abandoned Adolescents' mission is to end the practice of trying, sentencing and incarcerating youth under 18 in the adult criminal justice system.Our mission is to place a national spotlight upon the nations approach to juvenile justice, and to place faces and stories to the children that were waived, and thereby, held to an adult standard in the courtroom and then sent to adult prisons. Our mission is to end the practice of sentencing children to life without the possibility of parole, and to reduce the harm caused to children in adult prisons by supporting legislation that will make those who were sentenced as children eligible to have their sentences reviewed at some point during their incarceration. I think it's important that America's focus and attention also include the teenagers that were waived and sentenced to long terms of imprisonment in the adult prison system 15/16/17/years ago. I think Justice for these Juvenile offenders would include Liz Ryan, the Director for the campaign for youth justice called the 2nd look Legislation. '2nd Look' means youth serving long sentences get their sentences reviewed at some point in their incarceration. Would you consider 2nd look Legislation? We ask you to sign this petition and advocate for Juvenile Justice reform across the US. We seek to use your voices to communicate to policy makers and the public the real life impact that the Adult Criminal Justice System has on youth. Be the voice for youth so that the babies born today will not become the juvenile defendants waived into adult courtrooms and given lengthy prison sentences of tomorrow.

There are many New Yorkers who could benefit from the medical qualities Marijuana has. Medical Marijuana can help treat cancer, anorexia, AIDS, chronic pain, spasticity, glaucoma, arthritis, migraine, and many other illnesses. Marijuana is already legal for medical use in District of Columbia, California, Alaska, Oregon, Washington, Nevada, Colorado, Maine, Montana, Michigan, Rhode Island, New Mexico, Vermont, Hawaii, and New Jersey. We are asking New York State Senate to pass The Compassionate Care Act to allow sick New Yorkers legal access to Medical Marijuana.

As a citizen and resident of Florida, I am appalled that this state's record of sending innocent people to death row is the highest in the nation.

Am starting this petition with child abuse especially child molesting on the rise and these people go to jail but end up getting out and doing the same offense again and again. I feel the death penalty will greatly put a stop or reduce the number of reported child rapes or molesting. Repeat offenders gets out of jail and fail to sign up as a sex offender and they end up falling though the cracks, please sign this to put and end to child molesting which in turn in the future lots of victims will grow up without being abused and the cycle of child molesting will stop!

REASON TO BELIEVE FOUL PLAY WAS INVOLVED AND A WELL EXECUTED COVER-UP IN THE DEATH OF KENDRICK JOHNSON.

I have not been affected by this personally, but know and love people who have survived rape. No woman who has been raped should be legally tied to her rapist. It is morally reprehensible.

This petition is spearheaded by the Institute of the Black World 21st Century (IBW), a national advocacy organization, working to uplift African-American communities across the country. Many of IBW's members have sons, brothers, uncles and cousins who have been unfairly incarcerated as a result of the so-called 'War on Drugs'. For more info on IBW, visit our Web site: www.ibw21.org.

Every single day I drive my car, I see people texting while they are driving. This is getting as dangerous as drunk drivers. I want the penalty for texting while driving to be equal to a DWI offense.

For decades, many in the horse industry have been unwilling to shed light on pervasive abuse among its ranks for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is fear of retribution. Horrifically cruel training methods are passed on to ambitious students, are cloaked in secrecy, and the cycle persists in spite of rules and regulations imposed by governing bodies like the US Equestrian Federation, the National Reining Horse Association, etc., whose rules are all too easy to defeat. Too often the results of these abuses are rewarded in the show arena with titles, money, trophies, publicity, and adoration.The aim of this petition is to give voice to brutally murdered, promising young horses like Bella Gunnabe Gifted at the hands of a trainer whose tactics will not be tolerated.

I am a Marijuana consumer ,like over half the people my age .I am tired of worrying about getting busted for a small bag of weed.With #s1977 Decriminalized Marijuana it would be just a ticket for a small amount of marijuana.My hope is that there is a overwhelming amount of signatures that it would be impossible for him to rip this one up.GOVERNOR CHRISTIE PLEASE LISTEN TO N.J. RESIDENTS AND DECRIM #s1977

I am starting this petition to try and increase charges for animal cruelty. Each time an animal is abused a criminal remains free.