Once young people have been imprisoned, their records are smeared for ever. No longer can they apply for jobs, housing, funding, without being labelled "undesirable" and denied their benefits. Prison is for those who are a danger to society. The punishment is out of proportion with this "crime". By not imprisoning them, many people would get a second chance in life and it would save the States lots of money.

My sister was diagnosed with a condition Schizophrenia when she was 20 years old. She was under a medical psychiatric care and her doctor prescribed a wrong medication which caused severe bad side effects. She was at a store acting bizarre and the police were called and they arrested her. At the time of her guilty plea, she was not coherent to understand the consequences of her guilty plea. Therefore, she should not be punished for what she simply followed her doctor’s advise and she paid a heavy price by taking the wrong medicine. She lost her Section 8 housing Voucher and now she fears for the uncertainty of her future since she is unable to support herself. This decision has caused her to suffer emotionally and this has shattered her hopes for the future. Stress can trigger psychosis and make the symptoms of schizophrenia worse, so keeping it under control is extremely important. Wherefore, we requests that the Orange County Housing reconsider its decision and change how we treat mentally ill in this country. They need help not punishment

Because those responsible are still at their desks at Wall Street and will continue to create toxic instruments of mass destruction.

The Seventh Amendment right to an unbiased jury trial is as important as a citizen's right to vote. Yet, everyday working class citizens are denied this right when they level allegations of theft of their intellectual property against multimillionaire defendants. Government protection of the 99%, at our expense will no longer be tolerated!

Over a three-year period ending in 2007, the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office, headed by self styled "Toughest Sheriff in America" Joe Arpaio“ ignored or inadequately investigated over 400 sex crimes, many including reported child molestation, with victims as young as two years old. In the small Arizona community of El Mirage alone, at least 50 - 75 sex abuse cases (including over 32 child molestation reports) were never resolved. Victims of abuse, especially vulnerable children, are entitled to the protection of local law enforcement and deserve to have their accusers brought to justice. It is unconscionable that Sheriff Arpaio has allowed such a gross miscarriage of justice to take place under his direction. Under Sheriff Joe Arpaio's watch, the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office has allowed hundreds of reported sexual abuse crimes, including dozens of alleged child molestations, to be mishandled, inadequately investigated, or outright ignored. Law enforcement officials are sworn to serve and protect the public and victims of abuse are entitled to justice under our legal system.

In response to the realignment of prisoners to the county jails. L.A. County Sheriff Lee Baca has proposed a $1.4 billion expansion to Los Angeles County jails. This expansion would add 393 expensive and unneeded beds to LA's jails. Realignment should be utilized to expand community programs and alternatives to incarceration not to build more cages.

I currently work for a non profit apprenticeship painting program for ex-felons giving them a second chance to change their lifestyles and to be mainstreamed back into society as a viable entity in their community. This program keeps our youth off the streets, a prevention for lowering crime and out of the penal system. We are the only minority apprenticeship in the State of Virginia and partnering with the Department of Juvenile Justice and we cant get funding for these youth. We currently have 21 youth involved in this program, yet they want us to help others but won't support us in our endeavors.

My younger brother was accused of robbery to the 1st degree back in 1989. He went prison and still in Bowling Green Missouri's Correctional Center. He has served his time. We had a petition for Clemency signed by over a thousand people at the request of his attorney I found for my parents who have trusted over a half dozen attorneys over the years that took them for a ride. This attorney was a past judge and has done a great deal of work trying to free my brother. He stated that this was too much time for the crime. He got 30yrs with no parole and no one was hurt or killed at the time this happened. There were a lot of flaws in the report in which that female judge who sentenced him refused to listen to stated by my mother. Michael and his friend was arrested out of jurisdiction. He has changed his life and never had any prior convictions when he went in stated by attorney. This judge retired soon after his sentencing. Please help me help my brother. He is been changing many lives behind bars. He has been in ministry playing music and helping other pastors at the prison. Many prison officials stated from various prisons he had attended, that he didn't belong here. He came from a good family with good christian parents. I'm his older and only sister. I won't be completely happy until he is home with us again. Please help me free him. He wrote president Barack Obama a week ago. Thanks for you all of your time and consideration regarding Michael Hurst and family. The governor has his petition and papers of release on his desk and just haven't signed it. It's been over a year. It has already been to the parole board and back to the governor. Cheryl Foutz

My mother was murdered Aug. 29 2007 in Fairview Park and she was strangled and her head and kitchen lit on fire to cover up evidence. Tim had been arrested for having her rental car and her credit cards after her death and he was one of the last people with her that day. He has a 34 yr criminal history which includes arson,attacking a police officer,possessing bombs and forgery,grand theft,the list goes on. He pretended to be a caring neighbor and handyman all the while to rip my mom off blind. I found forged checks from him out of my mothers checkbook whcih he has not been arrested for. I want the book thrown at him,he is obviously a danger to society and does not deserve to be out of jail on March 14th 2012. If you agree that people like Tim should be kept out of society please sign.

Let's create legislation to stop high density animal production. High production hog farms, chicken farms and feed lots as they exist now are concentration camps for animals.

The profit motive is all the incentive corporations need to foment more laws putting more people in prison for longer terms. They have no motivation to release prisoners. Corporate lobbying, expecially through ALEC has resulted in a dependable stream of prisoners and revenue that will keep our fellow citizens in bondage.

People are dying all over Mexico, due to the Cartels making so much money supplying illegal drugs. Prohibition Failed, so has the war on drugs. More people die from tobacco related Cancers every year, than from all illegal drugs combined. And the US is wasting over a billion a year on enforcement alone!!