General Discussion

nadinbrzezinski

(154,021 posts)

112. This is what is shocking about this story

Sat Sep 1, 2012, 04:54 PM

Sep 2012

We have a man given time in the clink for stealing a couple candy bars.. ok, so far so good.

Then we have some people here applauding this.

I invite those posters to look into their local area. Ask some relevant questions.

1.- How many beds exist for your local homeless population at your local shelters? (For San Diego that is about 500 beds)

By the way, they are full, pretty much.

https://211sandiego.communityos.org/cms/shelter-bed-availability

2.- What is the estimated homeless population? (For San Diego we are talking 10K, I am rounding numbers here)

http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2012/mar/13/county-homeless-population-rises-86-percent/

Then I want you to ask another relevant question, if there are not enough beds do you think there are enough spots to feed these people? We may get "pleasure" from sending a man to jail over two candy bars, and giving him a $500.00 fine, good luck collecting... I mean that will teach him! But it reveals something dark in the country.

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Homeless man gets 180 days for theft of candy bars [View all] Tony_FLADEM Sep 2012 OP

This message was self-deleted by its author darkangel218 Sep 2012 #1

are you kidding? You see stealing 3 candybars as a life of crime? cali Sep 2012 #3

This message was self-deleted by its author darkangel218 Sep 2012 #5

look at the facts: He's 21. He evidently has no history of violence cali Sep 2012 #10

This message was self-deleted by its author darkangel218 Sep 2012 #14

He was on probation for stealing a few cans of food from WalMart cali Sep 2012 #19

on probation for retail petty theft for stealing some canned tunafish from walmart. again, HiPointDem Sep 2012 #25

Your human compassion overwhelms etherealtruth Sep 2012 #167

But, Cali... After all, one of them WAS a Twix bar jberryhill Sep 2012 #17

yeah, and the guy turned himself in the next day cali Sep 2012 #20

Thank you that is part of the problem of this country gopiscrap Sep 2012 #84

Or Circus Peanuts obamanut2012 Sep 2012 #71

Or if he'd stolen the ones that say they're "Chocolaty", which means Ken Burch Sep 2012 #144

And his likelihood of ever finding a decent job is greatly diminished Live and Learn Sep 2012 #133

There is enough food for everyone? blueamy66 Sep 2012 #72

You're absolutely right gopiscrap Sep 2012 #85

it's the power I think blueamy66 Sep 2012 #95

It's food....he was hungry.... FarPoint Sep 2012 #81

I agree completely. nt ZombieHorde Sep 2012 #104

Yes, I'm sure employers are lining up to hire a 21 year old homeless kid Warpy Sep 2012 #130

"Today he steals a candy bar...tomorrow he will steal a car"? Ken Burch Sep 2012 #143

it's hard to get a job Terra Alta Sep 2012 #158

Thank you I totally agree!!! gopiscrap Sep 2012 #82

I feel sad for you, that's for sure. - n/t coalition_unwilling Sep 2012 #4

Well you shouldnt. darkangel218 Sep 2012 #7

Well, I always feel sad when I see a collection of cells that uses coalition_unwilling Sep 2012 #13

Youre just describing the thief, not me. darkangel218 Sep 2012 #15

Whatever you've got to tell yourself - n/t coalition_unwilling Sep 2012 #18

Post removed Post removed Sep 2012 #21

Your lack of mercy will fall back upon you tabasco Sep 2012 #78

Troll alert! gopiscrap Sep 2012 #86

the thief is just another human being like the rest of us. Ken Burch Sep 2012 #146

++++ Starry Messenger Sep 2012 #45

heh. SammyWinstonJack Sep 2012 #175

Sometimes DU feels like this giant pinball machine. I just took a spin coalition_unwilling Sep 2012 #178

I bet you wouldn't have any problem being the one to tell Oliver no more porridge Major Nikon Sep 2012 #31

"living a life of crime"... sibelian Sep 2012 #38

Your entire thought process here makes no sense. eqfan592 Sep 2012 #59

I sense this is all deliberate baiting FarPoint Sep 2012 #83

I wish more people thought the way you do. zuzu98 Sep 2012 #131

He won't have to steal for 6 months. GeorgeGist Sep 2012 #65

I know, because we as a society could do much better nadinbrzezinski Sep 2012 #75

Surely you have at least a twinge of regret Spirochete Sep 2012 #106

So you'd have backed Inspector Javert in LES MISERABLES? Ken Burch Sep 2012 #145

Since you allude to Hugo, it is appropriate to cite Balzac's coalition_unwilling Sep 2012 #179

Ever notice how it's rarely the rich thieves that go to jail? Marrah_G Sep 2012 #154

+1000! GreenPartyVoter Sep 2012 #177

He hadn't eaten in days. You do know that there aren't enough soup kitchens out there to GreenPartyVoter Sep 2012 #176

Oh, it is excellent to have a giant's power. But it is coalition_unwilling Sep 2012 #2

Our judges need to start serving in soup kitchens, and homeless shelters to start appreciating what midnight Sep 2012 #6

So you sugest he should just keep giving them probation and encurage them to steal darkangel218 Sep 2012 #8

you putting word into another poster's mouth: Wow. cali Sep 2012 #11

At 21 im pretty sure he couldve went back Home or stay with relatives, no need to be homeless darkangel218 Sep 2012 #16

"couldve went" - poor grammar is often a hallmark of sloppy thought. Just a coalition_unwilling Sep 2012 #23

No more so than that of grammar trolls Major Nikon Sep 2012 #42

Grammar troll in defense of coalition_unwilling Sep 2012 #68

Well, here's something to think about Major Nikon Sep 2012 #98

Oh, you'll get no disagreement from me in general terms. But let's consider coalition_unwilling Sep 2012 #115

bwahahaha. more and more pathetic and disgusting. cali Sep 2012 #24

I see his kind Every day, thats how i know! darkangel218 Sep 2012 #30

in florida after two petty thefts the next one is booked as third degree grand theft, a felony, HiPointDem Sep 2012 #35

oh for fuck's sake. bzzzt. cali Sep 2012 #36

Well, being a security guard is pretty high up there in the justice system. blueamy66 Sep 2012 #73

oh, you can tell that that poster pissed the hell out of me? cali Sep 2012 #74

just a little bit blueamy66 Sep 2012 #76

Me too gopiscrap Sep 2012 #89

"Petit" theft comes from the French, jmowreader Sep 2012 #138

its etymology aside cali Sep 2012 #140

The etymology though reinforces the fact that it's a minor theft Gormy Cuss Sep 2012 #151

THIS GObamaGO Sep 2012 #153

Your compassion is stunning FredisDead Sep 2012 #33

that is clear. cali Sep 2012 #40

he confessed BEFORE he got caught. his confession was WHY he got caught. HiPointDem Sep 2012 #26

So you're just making stuff up now? sibelian Sep 2012 #39

Maybe everyone on DU should place the antagonist FarPoint Sep 2012 #87

I reported him/her as a troll gopiscrap Sep 2012 #90

We can only take a DU FarPoint Sep 2012 #94

You're pretty sure, huh? gollygee Sep 2012 #47

You have a vivid imagination, and few facts in hand quaker bill Sep 2012 #52

Not everyone has a family to go to when they are in trouble. IrishEyes Sep 2012 #93

You don't know shit, do you? Comrade Grumpy Sep 2012 #107

That's assuming he had a "back Home" or relatives who would put him up. Gormy Cuss Sep 2012 #117

"Confesing" is spelled with two "s's" Ken Burch Sep 2012 #149

You don't know that. Lady Freedom Returns Feb 2013 #184

This message was self-deleted by its author cali Sep 2012 #12

so you're fixated with punishment? datasuspect Sep 2012 #55

Poor people need to eat more than rich people need to hold up unfairly distributed laws. midnight Sep 2012 #103

He should do what he can to help them GET jobs. Ken Burch Sep 2012 #147

No kidding gopiscrap Sep 2012 #88

Using Arizona's prison contract figures Downwinder Sep 2012 #9

Would you prefer be burglarized, raped and killed rather than support the correction system? darkangel218 Sep 2012 #22

No, they pay me half of that to stay out of jail. Downwinder Sep 2012 #27

bwahahaha. Yes, not jailing someone who stole a couple of candybars is sure to lead cali Sep 2012 #28

This message was self-deleted by its author darkangel218 Sep 2012 #32

why don't you post the stats, then. HiPointDem Sep 2012 #34

Sure you do... UnrepentantLiberal Sep 2012 #70

ooooh! A wanna-be cop who "works in the field" zuzu98 Sep 2012 #136

Anybody who's hungry is capable of stealing food-you'd do the same. Ken Burch Sep 2012 #150

So you know that "Justice" is served unequally to minorities and the lower classes. GObamaGO Sep 2012 #155

Kewl story bro! Rex Feb 2013 #183

We have to be more careful with where we spend our limited resources gollygee Sep 2012 #48

+1,000,000 GObamaGO Sep 2012 #156

We're going to be raped if this guy doesn't do hard time for stealing some freaking CANDY? Ken Burch Sep 2012 #148

Too bad it wasn't a Klondike bar Major Nikon Sep 2012 #29

DUzy! GObamaGO Sep 2012 #157

Put him in the same cell as the bankers Angry Dragon Sep 2012 #37

This is sad...I don't think this guy has the first clue how to improve his situation. dkf Sep 2012 #41

It sounds like he's probably severely retarded or mentally ill Major Nikon Sep 2012 #43

Or maybe he has a conscience. dkf Sep 2012 #69

Stealing candy bars when you are hungry is something a child would do Major Nikon Sep 2012 #92

Maybe this fella has mental issues? He sounds lost. secondwind Sep 2012 #44

Wow, imagine how much jail time he'd get for stealing millions or billions in a Ponzi scheme, tclambert Sep 2012 #46

Exactly gollygee Sep 2012 #49

exactly what is happening. look at the confluence of declining incomes, increasing police HiPointDem Sep 2012 #97

got it right newspeak Sep 2012 #80

It was 5 years for Jean Valjean jsr Sep 2012 #50

Sadly, many people would be fine with that. "Lock 'em up!" reformist2 Sep 2012 #57

There are places the homeless can get food,shelters, food banks. This man has a history of theft. appleannie1 Sep 2012 #51

not always easy for the homeless cali Sep 2012 #56

Then sentence him to report to a homeless shelter... not prison! reformist2 Sep 2012 #58

Many of which are full or run out of resources so often that many homeless don't bother to try. eqfan592 Sep 2012 #60

You live in such fear of candy bar thieves tabasco Sep 2012 #108

Stealing food because one is hungry GObamaGO Sep 2012 #159

Plan B AnnaLee Sep 2012 #53

If you look at it one way, he will not be homeless for awhile. That's a good thing. Honeycombe8 Sep 2012 #54

After reading the story, I don't believe the thief was being brazen. eqfan592 Sep 2012 #61

That will get him through the winter without starving or freezing to death. nt alphafemale Sep 2012 #62

Sounds like Soapy in the O'Henry short story Art_from_Ark Sep 2012 #63

I was thinking of that exact story. alphafemale Sep 2012 #119

The Last Leaf is not in my O'Henry anthology Art_from_Ark Sep 2012 #162

http://www.eastoftheweb.com/short-stories/UBooks/LasLea.shtml alphafemale Sep 2012 #164

Thanks! Art_from_Ark Sep 2012 #182

At first I wasn't sympathetic, but after reading the article it is a sad case. aikoaiko Sep 2012 #64

I think spending a week behind bars per year should be a requirement of every judge... Comrade_McKenzie Sep 2012 #66

Candy bars are unhealthful. He'll get decent nutrition in jail. slackmaster Sep 2012 #67

no, he won't. zuzu98 Sep 2012 #134

BWAHAHAHAHA!!! Have you ever eaten jail food? backscatter712 Sep 2012 #142

No, I wasn't in there long enough to get a meal slackmaster Sep 2012 #165

Lovecraftian... n/t backscatter712 Sep 2012 #171

Now he has a home for 180 days. Also food and clothing. Problem solved. FarCenter Sep 2012 #77

a home? blueamy66 Sep 2012 #96

Now he has lots of great role models too Major Nikon Sep 2012 #99

Yeah blueamy66 Sep 2012 #100

Wow. Just wow. marmar Sep 2012 #122

Are you kidding me? GObamaGO Sep 2012 #160

Well that judge sure showed that homeless man who is boss! Rex Sep 2012 #79

For all the billions squandered on banksters, the war machine, and private prison systems, the money AnotherMcIntosh Sep 2012 #91

In jail he will get 3 square meals a day HockeyMom Sep 2012 #101

Good post. blueamy66 Sep 2012 #111

that and a side of rape and assault. Jail is NO place cali Sep 2012 #125

The judge could have made a work arrangement burnsei sensei Sep 2012 #102

Hopefully, his cell mates will give him some pointers on how to be a better thief. nt ZombieHorde Sep 2012 #105

"3 hots and a cot" NashvilleLefty Sep 2012 #109

He is not going to get what he needs so stow the cali Sep 2012 #121

Good Ter Sep 2012 #110

Oh please. blueamy66 Sep 2012 #113

Please read this serious anwer nadinbrzezinski Sep 2012 #114

I would give hin what I could. I would not mind him around my stuff. He stole two candy bars cali Sep 2012 #120

This is what is shocking about this story nadinbrzezinski Sep 2012 #112

And oddly..... DeSwiss Sep 2012 #116

can you give me the actual link to the story cali Sep 2012 #123

Here ya go: DeSwiss Sep 2012 #132

I remember that story cali Sep 2012 #139

I challenge all you "lock him up" folks to spend a night on Skid Row here in U4ikLefty Sep 2012 #118

Wow I've been in DU a long time and never seen such nasty onecent Sep 2012 #124

I'm sorry you think this is "stupid shit". I think it's a huge social problem cali Sep 2012 #127

I don't know what's sadder, this story or some of the responses in the thread...... marmar Sep 2012 #126

+1 Nine Sep 2012 #135

Hey he gets free room and board and food to eat lovuian Sep 2012 #128

Conrad Murry gets 2 years CountAllVotes Sep 2012 #129

What did Fla Gov Rick Scott get for stealing $10 million from Medicare? lib2DaBone Sep 2012 #137

I never grow tired of citing Honore de Balzac: "Behind every great fortune coalition_unwilling Sep 2012 #180

Wow. Didn't take long for the authoritarian asshats to troll the fuck out of this thread. n/t backscatter712 Sep 2012 #141

Welcome to the new DU! nt woo me with science Sep 2012 #166

A new jail is better than living on the street. MrSlayer Sep 2012 #152

Who's the bigger asshole here: Judge John Fuck or Lawrence Bo-shit, the store employee. Prometheus Bound Sep 2012 #161

This thread has drawn in a number of people IDemo Sep 2012 #163

!!! etherealtruth Sep 2012 #168

The guy should be given a medal for stealing stuff slackmaster Sep 2012 #170

Juvenile response IDemo Sep 2012 #174

Me too. I feel so disheartened by the losing battle I fought in this thread cali Sep 2012 #172

Disgusting, and an ominious sign of our future. woo me with science Sep 2012 #169

He should have stole billions as a bank executive instead. limpyhobbler Sep 2012 #173

In Soviet Amerika, bank robs you! n/t backscatter712 Sep 2012 #181