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

[Sallow]

Really?

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.

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

That just takes the cake.

 

[Tank]

Third world here we come

 

[Lakhota]

What is it with this relentless Republican war on women? I don't get it? What's next - take away their voting rights?

 

[J.E.D]

Beating your wife, misdemeanor. Taxing the rich, don't you dare.

 

[Sallow]

Beating your wife, misdemeanor. Taxing the rich, don't you dare.

It's so unreal.

One of the really bottom line reasons for having a government is to protect people.

 

[westwall]

What is it with this relentless Republican war on women? I don't get it? What's next - take away their voting rights?

I believe the majority of the Topeka City Council is not Republican. That being said, I think the idea is ridiculous. Sallow is correct, the first responsibility of Government is to lay the groundwork for the protection of innocents. That groundwork is a system of laws that define what is proper and what is not. This is clearly not acceptable.

 

[editec]

So assault and battery isn't going to be a crime, now?

I rather doubt that.

 

[The Rabbi]

What is it with this relentless Republican war on women? I don't get it? What's next - take away their voting rights?

I believe the majority of the Topeka City Council is not Republican. That being said, I think the idea is ridiculous. Sallow is correct, the first responsibility of Government is to lay the groundwork for the protection of innocents. That groundwork is a system of laws that define what is proper and what is not. This is clearly not acceptable.

In theory I wouldn't have a problem with it.
In practice "domestic violence" is a sham. Any time a woman claims to have been beaten her husband immediately loses all his rights. He cannot buy or own a firearm. He is presumed guilty until he can prove beyond the shadow of a doubt that he did not hit her, an impossible standard.
Probably this is what is behind this measure. Why should domestic violence be worse than any other kind of violence? Why should a domestic violence misdemeanor make you forfeit constitutional rights when no other misdemeanor does?

 

[Rocko]

What is it with this relentless Republican war on women? I don't get it? What's next - take away their voting rights?

I believe the majority of the Topeka City Council is not Republican. That being said, I think the idea is ridiculous. Sallow is correct, the first responsibility of Government is to lay the groundwork for the protection of innocents. That groundwork is a system of laws that define what is proper and what is not. This is clearly not acceptable.

In theory I wouldn't have a problem with it.
In practice "domestic violence" is a sham. Any time a woman claims to have been beaten her husband immediately loses all his rights. He cannot buy or own a firearm. He is presumed guilty until he can prove beyond the shadow of a doubt that he did not hit her, an impossible standard.
Probably this is what is behind this measure. Why should domestic violence be worse than any other kind of violence? Why should a domestic violence misdemeanor make you forfeit constitutional rights when no other misdemeanor does?

I believe its another example of the governments good intentions being a problem.....The police and court system continuously act against the will of people involved and take normal freedoms away, in order to protect the people from themselves...

While its clear that the governments domestic violence policies do help in some cases, I think in many cases they are counter productive and oppressive...Imo taking away liberty from people is not the right thing to do, even if it protects some people.

 

[Full-Auto]

Really?

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.

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

That just takes the cake.

would no longer be prosecuting misdemeanors,

My sheriff asked years ago, How much law enforcement can you afford. As he announced the county would not respond to car prowls, If you were broken into, file a report.

Here if the police are called for domestic violence someone goes to jail, even if no offense was committed. I wonder if this city operates under the same rules?

 

[Seawytch]

This is truly unbelievable. 1 in 4 women are the victims of Domestic Violence and yet the City Council of Topeka is going to stop prosecuting domestic violence in order to cut the budget? Reprehensible.

All across the country, cities are not turning on street lights, not paving roads, firing entire police forces, laying off teachers and firemen and this is okay with people? This is preferable to raising taxes? WTF?!?

 

[The Rabbi]

This is truly unbelievable. 1 in 4 women are the victims of Domestic Violence and yet the City Council of Topeka is going to stop prosecuting domestic violence in order to cut the budget? Reprehensible.

All across the country, cities are not turning on street lights, not paving roads, firing entire police forces, laying off teachers and firemen and this is okay with people? This is preferable to raising taxes? WTF?!?

Do you really believe 25% of women are victims of domestic violence? Really?

 

[JWBooth]

Not being familiar with Kansas state law, I gotta believe that there is some redundancy in place. Essentially if you are going to batter a spouse, or anybody else, there is a penal law in place to deal with it.

Now, if the police enforce said state law, where are the savings going to take place?

The real outrage ought to be aimed at he District Attorney
From the linked article:

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. [...]

 

[High_Gravity]

Beating your wife is already just a slap on the wrist as it is, might as well just legalize and go the way of Iran.

 

[Sallow]

Really?

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.

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

That just takes the cake.

would no longer be prosecuting misdemeanors,

My sheriff asked years ago, How much law enforcement can you afford. As he announced the county would not respond to car prowls, If you were broken into, file a report.

Here if the police are called for domestic violence someone goes to jail, even if no offense was committed. I wonder if this city operates under the same rules?

This is just going to lead to more dead women.

The Jail time offers a "cooling off period" where the woman can decide maybe it's time to leave, or the guy can decide maybe it's time to get help for a drinking problem.

I was busted for DWI once. One of the best things to ever happen to me.

 

[Sallow]

Beating your wife is already just a slap on the wrist as it is, might as well just legalize and go the way of Iran.

No fucking way.

 

[Full-Auto]

This is truly unbelievable. 1 in 4 women are the victims of Domestic Violence and yet the City Council of Topeka is going to stop prosecuting domestic violence in order to cut the budget? Reprehensible.

All across the country, cities are not turning on street lights, not paving roads, firing entire police forces, laying off teachers and firemen and this is okay with people? This is preferable to raising taxes? WTF?!?

You make it sound so bad.....I would tend to agree However.........................

When or what level of violence takes it from a misdemeanor to felony?

 

[JWBooth]

This is truly unbelievable. 1 in 4 women are the victims of Domestic Violence and yet the City Council of Topeka is going to stop prosecuting domestic violence in order to cut the budget? Reprehensible.

All across the country, cities are not turning on street lights, not paving roads, firing entire police forces, laying off teachers and firemen and this is okay with people? This is preferable to raising taxes? WTF?!?

Gotta keep locking up them dopers though....

 

[High_Gravity]

Beating your wife is already just a slap on the wrist as it is, might as well just legalize and go the way of Iran.

No fucking way.

I'm being sarcastic, but this is what we will become if we just make beating your wife legal, next honor killings will be ok.

 

[Rocko]

Really?



That just takes the cake.

would no longer be prosecuting misdemeanors,

My sheriff asked years ago, How much law enforcement can you afford. As he announced the county would not respond to car prowls, If you were broken into, file a report.

Here if the police are called for domestic violence someone goes to jail, even if no offense was committed. I wonder if this city operates under the same rules?

This is just going to lead to more dead women.

The Jail time offers a "cooling off period" where the woman can decide maybe it's time to leave, or the guy can decide maybe it's time to get help for a drinking problem.

I was busted for DWI once. One of the best things to ever happen to me.

What about when jail and the courts put an extra burden on the relationship, perhaps than maybe leading to worse things?