American Senate enjoys recidivism, no food stamps for felons

On Wednesday, the 2013 Senate Farm Bill was amended by to make those convicted of certain violent crimes ineligible for SNAP (Supplementary Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits, popularly known as food stamps. The amendment was passed by unanimous consent, meaning that neither Republicans nor Democrats objected to the bill.

The new eligibility requirements were proposed by Republican Senator David Vitter of Louisiana, who at the same time introduced another amendment designed to end the so-called Obama phone program which helps low-income Americans obtain cell phones. The Senates Farm Billa large piece of legislation passed once every few years to regulate, fund and subsidize various programs related to agriculture and food productionalready included language that would cut food stamps by about $4.1 billion.

Under current law, there is a lifetime ban for convicted drug felons, though many states have opted out of or modified that ban, reads a statement from Vitters office. Vitters amendment would extend the lifetime food stamp ban to dangerous sex offenders and murderers.

Timothy Smeeding, director of the University of Wisconsins Institute for Research on Poverty, called the amendment ridiculous.

It doesnt save anyone any money, he told MSNBC. It just makes sort of a political statement that we dont forgive people for crimes once they pay their dues. Were just going to punish them forever. He argued that making it more difficult for convicted felons to meet their basic nutritional needs would encourage recidivism.

Theres research that supports Smeedings claim. Researchers at Yale University have found that making drug offenders ineligible for food stamps puts them at greater risk of engaging in dangerous, sexual risk behaviors in order to obtain food, according to the Yale News. Many former drug offenders in states where they are ineligible for food stamps are turning to prostitution and other behaviors that put them at risk for HIV and other negative outcomes in order to obtain food.

The bill could also have other unintended consequences. For example, the amendment would mean lower SNAP benefits for their children and other family members, writes Bob Greenstein, president of the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.

The House Farm Bill includes yet more draconian cuts to SNAP benefits. Last week, the House Agriculture Committee approved legislation which would cut $20 billion in SNAP funding over the next decade.

http://tv.msnbc.com/2013/05/24/vitter-proposes-eliminating-food-stamps-for-those-convicted-of-violent-crimes/

geez, wtf are they thinking by doing this?

Pretty surprised there's no discussion on this. I would imagine it would be a pretty divisive thing on here.

F*cking idiots. So when they get out of prison, they can't get a job (convicted felon) and now can't obtain food stamps. And what will they do? Turn to crime and go right back to prison.

A vicious cycle.

Just need to start executing repeat offenders.guynamedbilly

Once you go bad you never go back to being good.

[QUOTE="guynamedbilly"]Just need to start executing repeat offenders.Aljosa23

[QUOTE="Aljosa23"]

[QUOTE="guynamedbilly"]Just need to start executing repeat offenders.Bane_09

Words escape me.

[QUOTE="Aljosa23"]

[QUOTE="guynamedbilly"]Just need to start executing repeat offenders.Bane_09

[QUOTE="Bane_09"][QUOTE="Aljosa23"]A better solution would be to try and discourage recidivism but okay.guynamedbilly

I support this with all my heart and soul.

no money, time or effort should be wasted on felons.

[QUOTE="guynamedbilly"][QUOTE="Bane_09"] the average american doesnt even know what recidivism is, let alone care enough to want to discourage itBane_09

I do declare.

To be fair though, I don't think most adults tell kids they are only trying to stop their recidivism so I can see how you didn't catch that.

[QUOTE="Bane_09"][QUOTE="guynamedbilly"] I think physical harm is frequently used to discourage repeated bad behavior. As for your point, I don't disagree. How do you feel about the practice of using words that people might not understand when much more common words are available? Let's correct society's ills one step at a time.guynamedbilly

I do declare.

To be fair though, I don't think most adults tell kids they are only trying to stop their recidivism so I can see how you didn't catch that.

F*cking idiots. So when they get out of prison, they can't get a job (convicted felon) and now can't obtain food stamps. And what will they do? Turn to crime and go right back to prison.

A vicious cycle.

DroidPhysX

It's their own fault for becoming felons.

i honestly can't see how anyone can be against this.

[QUOTE="DroidPhysX"]

F*cking idiots. So when they get out of prison, they can't get a job (convicted felon) and now can't obtain food stamps. And what will they do? Turn to crime and go right back to prison.

A vicious cycle.

frannkzappa

It's their own fault for becoming felons.

i honestly can't see how anyone can be against this.

[QUOTE="DroidPhysX"]

F*cking idiots. So when they get out of prison, they can't get a job (convicted felon) and now can't obtain food stamps. And what will they do? Turn to crime and go right back to prison.

 

A vicious cycle.

frannkzappa

It's their own fault for becoming felons.

i honestly can't see how anyone can be against this.

It really is quite simple.  You either need to make arrangements for felons to be able to function in society, which may, for some, require food stamps (felons aren't likely to be wealthy to say the least), or you put them in prison forever.  The latter is more expensive and less productive.  It's also a kind of sh!tty thing to do.

no money, time or effort should be wasted on felons. frannkzappa

[QUOTE="frannkzappa"]

[QUOTE="DroidPhysX"]

F*cking idiots. So when they get out of prison, they can't get a job (convicted felon) and now can't obtain food stamps. And what will they do? Turn to crime and go right back to prison.

A vicious cycle.

dude_brahmski

It's their own fault for becoming felons.

i honestly can't see how anyone can be against this.

It really is quite simple. You either need to make arrangements for felons to be able to function in society, which may, for some, require food stamps (felons aren't likely to be wealthy to say the least), or you put them in prison forever. The latter is more expensive and less productive. It's also a kind of sh!tty thing to do.

It doesn't need to be.If certain expensive legal procedures were dropped and living conditions lowered, life prison terms would be more efficient.

Action should also be taken to lower the expense of state sponsored execution, so that violent criminals can be executed without the economic drain.

[QUOTE="frannkzappa"] no money, time or effort should be wasted on felons. TacticaI

Ideally it shouldn't.

It should be cheaper to execute them as well.

[QUOTE="dude_brahmski"]

[QUOTE="frannkzappa"]

It's their own fault for becoming felons.

 

i honestly can't see how anyone can be against this.

frannkzappa

It really is quite simple. You either need to make arrangements for felons to be able to function in society, which may, for some, require food stamps (felons aren't likely to be wealthy to say the least), or you put them in prison forever. The latter is more expensive and less productive. It's also a kind of sh!tty thing to do.

It doesn't need to be.If certain expensive legal procedures were dropped and living conditions lowered, life prison terms would be more efficient.

Action should also be taken to lower the expense of state sponsored execution, so that violent criminals can be executed without the economic drain.

Yeah, but you are still paying to house, feed, clothe and medicate them as opposed to getting them back to a point where they do what normal people do - be productive and pay taxes.  The Europeans do the best with the prison/recidivism thing.

Additionally, unless you plan to not bother proving criminals are guilty, which is otherwise an expensive process, you'll end up executing quite a few innocent people, which is a very bad thing.

[QUOTE="frannkzappa"]

[QUOTE="dude_brahmski"]

It really is quite simple. You either need to make arrangements for felons to be able to function in society, which may, for some, require food stamps (felons aren't likely to be wealthy to say the least), or you put them in prison forever. The latter is more expensive and less productive. It's also a kind of sh!tty thing to do.

dude_brahmski

It doesn't need to be.If certain expensive legal procedures were dropped and living conditions lowered, life prison terms would be more efficient.

Action should also be taken to lower the expense of state sponsored execution, so that violent criminals can be executed without the economic drain.

Yeah, but you are still paying to house, feed, clothe and medicate them as opposed to getting them back to a point where they do what normal people do - be productive and pay taxes. The Europeans do the best with the prison/recidivism thing.

Additionally, unless you plan to not bother proving criminals are guilty, which is otherwise an expensive process, you'll end up executing quite a few innocent people, which is a very bad thing.

Rehabilitation is a joke (in a criminal sense), it's too risky to let violent criminals back into society.

They lost their chance.

[QUOTE="dude_brahmski"]

[QUOTE="frannkzappa"]

It doesn't need to be.If certain expensive legal procedures were dropped and living conditions lowered, life prison terms would be more efficient.

 

Action should also be taken to lower the expense of state sponsored execution, so that violent criminals can be executed without the economic drain.

frannkzappa

Yeah, but you are still paying to house, feed, clothe and medicate them as opposed to getting them back to a point where they do what normal people do - be productive and pay taxes. The Europeans do the best with the prison/recidivism thing.

Additionally, unless you plan to not bother proving criminals are guilty, which is otherwise an expensive process, you'll end up executing quite a few innocent people, which is a very bad thing.

Rehabilitation is a joke (in a criminal sense), it's too risky to let violent criminals back into society.

They lost their chance.

Recidivism stats in Europe in contrast with ours make me disagree.

F*cking idiots. So when they get out of prison, they can't get a job (convicted felon) and now can't obtain food stamps. And what will they do? Turn to crime and go right back to prison.

 

A vicious cycle.

DroidPhysX

[QUOTE="DroidPhysX"]

F*cking idiots. So when they get out of prison, they can't get a job (convicted felon) and now can't obtain food stamps. And what will they do? Turn to crime and go right back to prison.

A vicious cycle.

frannkzappa

It's their own fault for becoming felons.

i honestly can't see how anyone can be against this.

[QUOTE="frannkzappa"]

[QUOTE="DroidPhysX"]

F*cking idiots. So when they get out of prison, they can't get a job (convicted felon) and now can't obtain food stamps. And what will they do? Turn to crime and go right back to prison.

A vicious cycle.

DroidPhysX

It's their own fault for becoming felons.

i honestly can't see how anyone can be against this.

Keep them incarcerated or execute them...cycle stopped.

[QUOTE="DroidPhysX"][QUOTE="frannkzappa"]

It's their own fault for becoming felons.

 

i honestly can't see how anyone can be against this.

frannkzappa

Keep them incarcerated or execute them...cycle stopped.

Yes, let's go with the most expensive, least efficient options.

Of course Aljosa would complain about people in a country he doesn't live in not being given free food that's paid for by other people in that country he doesn't live in.Laihendi

[QUOTE="frannkzappa"]

[QUOTE="DroidPhysX"] It creates a cycle of incarceration and crime. dude_brahmski

Keep them incarcerated or execute them...cycle stopped.

Yes, let's go with the most expensive, least efficient options.

Ideally after conviction it should only cost a bullet or some rope to execute someone.

Living conditions can also be lowered substantially to keep costs down. Felons could also be used for forced labour to again lower costs.

Of course Aljosa would complain about people in a country he doesn't live in not being given free food that's paid for by other people in that country he doesn't live in.Laihendi

Of course Aljosa would complain about people in a country he doesn't live in not being given free food that's paid for by other people in that country he doesn't live in.Laihendi

He's far more reasonable than you, even though I disagree with him on lots of things.

Laihendi, how many jobs have you had, and how many hours a week do you work?  I assume that you, like myself, are a hard-working, self-sufficient man that earns and pays his own way through school, just like any proper capitalist.

[QUOTE="frannkzappa"]

[QUOTE="DroidPhysX"]

F*cking idiots. So when they get out of prison, they can't get a job (convicted felon) and now can't obtain food stamps. And what will they do? Turn to crime and go right back to prison.

 

A vicious cycle.

DroidPhysX

It's their own fault for becoming felons.

i honestly can't see how anyone can be against this.

[QUOTE="dude_brahmski"]

[QUOTE="frannkzappa"]

Keep them incarcerated or execute them...cycle stopped.

frannkzappa

Yes, let's go with the most expensive, least efficient options.

Ideally after conviction it should only cost a bullet or some rope to execute someone.

Living conditions can also be lowered substantially to keep costs down. Felons could also be used for forced labour to again lower costs.

It's still bloody expensive in contrast to having most of them returning to a normal life a la Norway.

But I guess we could always try to do things the worst way possible because we can!

[QUOTE="Laihendi"]Of course Aljosa would complain about people in a country he doesn't live in not being given free food that's paid for by other people in that country he doesn't live in.DroidPhysX

When will the government wake up and realize that we need to fight poverty rather than encourage it?

Laihendi, how many jobs have you had, and how many hours a week do you work?  I assume that you, like myself, are a hard-working, self-sufficient man that earns and pays his own way through school, just like any proper capitalist.

dude_brahmski

[QUOTE="DroidPhysX"][QUOTE="Laihendi"]Of course Aljosa would complain about people in a country he doesn't live in not being given free food that's paid for by other people in that country he doesn't live in.Laihendi

Oh dear, are you complaining about the fact that you might one day have to get your sorry carcass a job and earn a living for yourself instead of leeching off of others' work?

[QUOTE="Laihendi"]Of course Aljosa would complain about people in a country he doesn't live in not being given free food that's paid for by other people in that country he doesn't live in.Aljosa23

Sometimes, I am concerned that Laihendi is a troll, and it is I that is the real fool.