An unexpected admission from King County Prosecutor, Leesa Manion, about the failures of a so-called “5 Strikes, You’re Out” sentencing protocol for juvenile offenders that has resulted in many cases of repeat crimes–especially involving guns– according to KOMO News.
KVI morning show host, John Carlson, digs into the story and what Manion’s confession means for the prosecutor’s office that shifted toward relying on ‘diversion’ rather than actual incarceration to punish juveniles.
To hear Carlson’s conversation, click the play button below.
Carlson says the five strikes law, “does nothing to deter young miscreants (who are) getting into trouble from getting into more trouble, because there’s no consequences for getting into trouble.”
“I tell ya what, Leesa Manion, here’s your charge.”, Carlson continues, “Get on the phone with Bob Ferguson, who you know well since he was chief law enforcement officer for Washington while you’ve been King County Prosecutor, and ask him to push for legislation that will dramatically increase the penalty. Then we’ll know you’re serious about this. Then we’ll know you really mean it. Because KVI listeners have known it for a long time.”
Carlson concludes, “We’re talking about saving lives. And by the way there is an epidemic of armed violence among juveniles in part because our juvenile justice system–under Leesa Manion– prefers diversion to consequences for juveniles who are continually in trouble with the law, so they graduate to guns pretty quickly. Especially since…there are next to no consequences for having the (illegally obtained) gun.
The John Carlson Show is heard weekday mornings from 6-9 on Talk Radio 570 KVI and 101.5 FM HD3.
