You don't know what you don't know. A Preface

Passed by Congress on January 31, 1865, and then ratified on December 6, 1865, the 13th amendment abolished slavery in the United States and provides that "Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, EXCEPT as a punishment for a CRIME whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction."

This isn't a series of articles about police brutality. This isn't about mass incarceration and over populated prisons. This isn't about unethical treatment of inmates that border and often cross basic human rights violations. This isn't about corruption at the state and federal level. These articles aren't about any of that...but at the same time thats exactly what they're about...and its subject to happen to any of you.

If your lucky, your interaction with law enforcement has been limited to traffic stops or noise complaints, maybe you've really stepped over the line and had to appear in court, but for some, actually for many, the officer doesn't just leave you with a citation, they leave and you go with them.

If this hasn't happened to you or someone closely related to you then you may have not given a second thought to what happens after your taken into police custody.

In the United States of America, you can literally be detained and incarcerated for anything...or nothing. No person is out of the reach of the justice system and our laws have been designed and refined to allow the prosecution of anything the governments do not like. For instance, at the state level you can and often will be arrested for driving a vehicle without carrying auto insurance coverage. At the Federal level you can be incarcerated for not paying them enough money in taxes. Jail and Prison isn't just for the evil and violent. In fact the justice system primarily functions to create revenue rather than to punish and rehabilitate.

FUN FACT* Labor unions that represent correctional officers lobby for longer prison terms and more facilities for job security and increased salaries.

Think for one second about a utopian society void of crime. A lot of people would be out of a lot of jobs.

The detective that investigates you. The cop that arrests you. The magistrate that arraigns you. The Attorney that defends you. The Attorney that prosecutes you. The Stenographer that records you. The bailiff that babysits you. The Judge that sentences you. The Warden that houses you. The caseworker that evaluates you. The correctional officer that wrangles you. The parole board that releases you and finally the probation officer that supervises you. Most of these individuals are a part of entire teams and offices.

The last thing ANY of those individuals want is a crime free society. They would all be unemployed.

INCARCERATION IS NOT ABOUT PUNISHMENT ITS ABOUT EMPLOYMENT AND REVENUE. From the smallest infraction to the most heinous crimes.

Have you ever wondered why some states have the Death Penalty and others do not? We would assume that it is to reflect the moral alignment of that state, but in actuality the states that have abolished the death penalty have only found more creative ways to bleed money from the inmate.

Inmates need essentials, unless you are indigent as an inmate you must buy your own hygiene and toiletry items. Inmates need food, clothing, accommodations, recreation, educational opportunities, and religious services.

All this amounts to is large government controlled contracts. This is where corruption and misappropriation of funds often occur.

In the subsequent articles we will look at these areas of corruption and look at some of the largest offenders of the type. We will also be learning about the inner workings of and how to avoid the justice system trap.

Remember. They don't want crime off the streets, they want money out of your pockets.