by INFORUM
Changing crime penalties proving difficult
September 29, 2010 at 7:02 pm in INFORUM
Some North Dakota prosecutors looking to raise felony threshold
BISMARCK Since the early 1980s, it’s been a felony in North Dakota to steal something worth more than $500, even though the money buys a lot less than it did 30 years ago. Continue Reading
I agree it needs to be changed. We have to many young people doing stupid things, like making an error in their checkbook and simply paying rent, that can be convicted of a felony. It is difficult enough to get a job and start life without a felony record for a small error. By having the bar this low we are creating a situation that results in people become life long criminals because after a felony conviction for a petty crime they have little chance at a ligit job. Young people do stupid things sometimes simply because they are young. Many do not understand the long term consiquences as they tend to live in the moment at that age.
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This needs to be changed. $500 a felony? We do realize that a felony is so serious that you cannot own a gun or vote. You will never get a job again except for hard labor and your life is pretty much over. Basically your property of the state and not even a real person. The state owns you. Has anyone ever bounced a check for their mortage? Under ND law your a felon.
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I think it should stay at $500. If you steal something, then you deserve to have a felony record. Now if we could only stop these liberal judges from giving light sentences or suspended sentences, maybe the crime rate would drop even further.
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So if someone steals my dog they should be a convicted felon? Dog is worth over $500.
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Yes, if the dog is truly worth more then $500, then the theft should be considered a felony. We need to stay tough on crime or the criminals will walk all over us.
Yesterday it was on the news that some gal on the Fort Totten Indian Reservation embezzled from the Casino and all she got was 3 years probation. I’m just fed up with liberal judges thinking the criminal is the victim.
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So then you are in favor of increasing your property tax to pay for all these extra people in prison or on longer term probation/parole??
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Stealing is a serious crime and the limit should stay. As for bouncing a check and such that should be amended at least for the first offense. After that they should know the consequences and pay the piper. Too many judges don’t do anything for crimes or they get off on a plea bargain. But have one to many beers and wow will you pay the piper then, you will think you robbed a bank or something. If you are way over the legal limit then yes you should also pay the piper. It should be on a graduated scale at least for the first offense. Then you should have learned your lesson or you just won’t change your ways. No, I do not drink or smoke as I know that is what some of you are wondering.
Just my two cents.
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if you steal, you get a hand cut off. That ought to learn people! I think it all needs review. Less (petty) things illegal, and the illegal things need stricter penalties. I would think it should be common sense, but people that have that many degrees to hold the position they are in, usually have lost their sense along the way. I’ve met many ‘smart’ people. They don’t even know which direction they are driving….
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A thief is a thief. Does it matter if it was a bike or a car? There are more serious problems in our court system than this.
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A thief is a thief.
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There is no such thing as an x-con either. Good Day All!
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Isn’t that what you find in an X-box?
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The state still has stone age co-habitation laws and won’t change them despite young people fleeing the state like a bad dream. It doesn’t matter if the state won’t enforce them or not, because land lords won’t bend and many still take it very seriously. $500 felony theft in 2010. LOL. You can commit personal injury offenses on people that put them in comas and walk away with nothing but an aggravated misdemeanor. LOL. Take my PS3 or crack my skull? Hmmm.
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