Topeka, Kansas City Council Considers Decriminalizing Domestic Violence To Save Money

[Kadie]

Topeka, Kansas City Council Considers Decriminalizing Domestic Violence To Save Money
By Marie Diamond on Oct 6, 2011 at 5:45 pm

Faced with their worst budget crises since the Great Depression, states, and cities have resorted to increasingly desperate measures to cut costs. State and local governments have laid off teachers, slashed Medicaid funding, and even started unpaving roads and turning off streetlights.

But perhaps the most shocking idea to save money is being debated right now by the City Council of Topeka, Kansas. The city could repeal an ordinance banning domestic violence because some say the cost of prosecuting those cases is just too high:

Last night, in between approving city expenditures and other routine agenda items, the Topeka, Kansas City Council debated one rather controversial one: decriminalizing domestic violence.

Here’s what happened: Last month, the Shawnee County District Attorney’s office, facing a 10% budget cut, announced that the county would no longer be prosecuting misdemeanors, including domestic violence cases, at the county level. Finding those cases suddenly dumped on the city and lacking resources of their own, the Topeka City Council is now considering repealing the part of the city code that bans domestic battery. <...>

more...
http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2011/10/06/338461/topeka-kansas-city-council-considers-decriminalizing-domestic-violence-to-save-money/

[jmowreader]

1. Oh my word...

You know you're totally FUCKED as a nation when someone actually proposes legalizing wife-beating as a way to cut the budget.

[Blue_Tires]

3. +1000

[hobbit709]

9. fits right in with everything else.

Like repealing child labor laws, safety and environmental laws, etc.
since these bastards pretty much want women to be considered chattel property i'm no longer surprised by anything

[Kaleko]

13. It's called social genocide

and it's on the menu in America now.

At last, the cannibalization has been brought home to its fatherland.

[ixion]

2. so they would rather decriminalize this than pot?

:wtf:

[FiveGoodMen]

4. This country is clearly run by all the wrong people.

[hobbit709]

5. I second that WTF.

[Uncle Joe]

7. I third that WTF!

:wtf:

[alittlelark]

14. Crazy, just plain Nuts.

[tabbycat31]

6. this calls for some publicity

Anyone local want to send a letter to the editor?

[ceile]

8. kick

[FarCenter]

10. Isn't domestic violence against Kansas state law?

http://www.womenslaw.org/laws_state.php?state_code=KS

[Blue Owl]

11. Violent wife-beating GOOD. Peaceful pot-smoking BAD.

What kinda "people" are making laws these days?

Jesus Fucking Christ.

[provis99]

12. Is this from the Onion?

that's about the fifth crazed idea I've read today in the media...

[yellerpup]

15. Well, okay.

All you battered ladies, go out and arm yourselves. Shoot to kill and suddenly you have jacked yourself out of a bad situation. Dust your hands and get on with your life. Ain't no crime in Topeka.


:sarcasm:

[Tsiyu]

16. Seems this would violate equal protection

but then, if a case made it to the Supremes, Scalia might argue the original constitution didn't view women or children as "people" and therefor beating them is fine in 2011.

On another note, Note to Self: Never go to Topeka, Kansas. Those people in charge there are psycho. They have no clue that most prison inmates are victims of domestic violence. They must not have educated people on the City Council, only goons and spouse-beaters.