Comments on: Bill Would Provide Released Inmates With State ID Cards

By: mike

mike — Fri, 13 Dec 2013 18:57:18 +0000

You guys are idiots if you think someone has payed there debt to society just for being in jail last time I checked I payed there debt cause my tax money payed to feed them shelter them. Nothing in life is free and if you got it for free then your a piece of crap. Ive worked all my life and pay all the fees and your telling me that I have to pay the fees for some idiot that raped, killed or harmed someone screw that. He can comecut my grass and EARN IT LIKE I HAD TOO

By: Warren

Warren — Fri, 13 Dec 2013 04:40:57 +0000

Great Bill! This may seem to be a non-issue, but unless you work where this matters…you really won’t get it. An actual bill that will have an immediate impact!

By: David Huie Green

David Huie Green — Wed, 11 Dec 2013 19:17:58 +0000

REGARDING:
“Please don’t nit pick everything people say here.”

I wouldn’t dream of it. I just don’t consider it a small, insignificant thing when folks say a criminal has paid his debt to society when released from prison or, for that matter, not incarcerated in the first place. Based on that thought, people have argued known child molesters should be free from the stigma and their records sealed. Because of that philosophy other children have been murdered by convicts on probation who had “paid their debt to society”.

Few crimes are committed to avoid starvation.

I have no problem giving convicted criminals a chance to repent, reform, rejoin decent society. I just don’t favor the idea that they are equally worthy of trust as the ones who actually earned it. We owe small children and old people more consideration than that.

David for reasonable people

By: No Excuses

No Excuses — Wed, 11 Dec 2013 04:28:59 +0000

My point, David, was that at some time after release, the inmate is not required to stay in a cell, or to report to a probation officer. I do realize that if I had a loved one who had been murdered, I would not consider that the inmate had paid his or her debt at all unless they had been put to death. Nevertheless, most inmates would like a fair shot at rejoining society, and allowing them to gain employment is a great start. If they must no longer remain incarcerated, the debt to the governing officials is considered to be paid.

Please don’t nit pick everything people say here. The phrase “debt has been paid” in regard to inmates merely means it’s now time for them to rejoin society – albeit even if they may be on probation – which will require them to have a job and housing, by the way. I sure there are a hundred exceptions you can find, but I believe I was clear enough in my understanding and my response to the article.

By: David Huie Green

David Huie Green — Wed, 11 Dec 2013 02:57:34 +0000

Being released from prison does NOT mean your “debt to society” has been paid. Usually those released are still on probation with legal restrictions on their freedoms and rights as citizens. The rest of society is not required to treat them exactly like a citizen who has never murdered, raped, robbed, defrauded or whatever their particular crimes were. Some crimes carry debts so high they can never be paid because they have hurt others in ways which continue over multiple generations

That is not to say it is not good and wise to give convicted criminals more chances, but it is foolish to pretend the scales of justice are balanced by release from prison. If that were the case, the fastest way to pay “their debt to society” would be to set all sentencing to one day. Then they’d be free and clear the next day even if their victims were crippled for life or dead already.

David for clear understanding

By: No Excuses

No Excuses — Wed, 11 Dec 2013 01:27:40 +0000

I’m with “Just sayin”. Like it or not, upon release, their debt has been paid. They need the bare minimum to get started with a job and a place to live. That would be an ID and a birth certificate. Now, I do believe that most inmates don’t want to go back to prison and will do what they are able to avoid it. Some will go back to illegal activities and recidivate, but for the ones who want to make a positive change, this is a good way to start. I think it’s a good bill, and common sense says we should support it. Personally, I think Florida charges too much for these documents anyway. I recently got a copy of my birth certificate from Texas for $10.

By: Just Sayin'

Just Sayin' — Tue, 10 Dec 2013 22:46:57 +0000

Once taxes are taken from your pay, they are distributed according to the law. You do NOT get to pick and choose how those dollars are spent.

As others have said, upon your release from prison, you are considered to have paid your debt to society. Therefore, you are now on equal footing with every other law abiding citizen. It is unfair and should be illegal to discriminate because of a past mistake that you have done your penance for. If all of you refuse to give these prior inmates the chance to do right, they won’t. They’ll go back to crime because they haven’t been given any other option. Use your common sense, people. Give them the opportunity to do right, instead of setting them up to do wrong!!!!

By: Working for my children

Working for my children — Tue, 10 Dec 2013 17:48:24 +0000

Helping the less unfortunate..OK..I can do that…Someone who has broken the law and ended up in jail..NO SIR!! My children went through HELL trying to get ID’s due to moving alot & not having paperwork or not having the funds for the birth certificate and yet you wanna GIVE these items to released inmates….My tax dollars should go to my childrens needs ya know the ones i WORK to support but NO NO NO NO they are going to criminals who are GIVEN these items not having to lift a finger to get back in society!!!! So tired of the bad ones being given everything & the ones working hard to achieve have to work that much harder to succeed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

By: Don

Don — Tue, 10 Dec 2013 16:09:45 +0000

I’m reading a lot of post of how these people need help to make a fresh start,I agree,however starting them off with an entitlement only adds to the never ending cycle of government dependency,if someone truly wants a better life they will find a way to afford the required i.d card,picking up cans,raking leaves etc.Taxpayers are sick of government moochers and are now are asked to pay for an I,d is too much….what’s next we pay for i.d’s for the 11 million unlawfull invaders?

By: Molino Wife

Molino Wife — Tue, 10 Dec 2013 15:23:04 +0000

This is a very good idea, a long time coming. This helps a former inmate ease back into society, hopefully to gain employment, and a residence and to start a new life.