KC Youngblood
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The novel Lethal Choices is an exotic blend of Oriental intrigue and California politics. Golden state political leaders introduce a startlingly unique proposal that would completely revamp the criminal justice system. On the other side of the Pacific Ocean, a power struggle pits equally ruthless chieftains of traditional business interests and the Yakuza underworld in a dance of death. Lethal choices abound in both locales, as these parallel story lines explore areas too refreshingly controversial 'for any New York publisher to touch.' This powerful novel of two cultures introduces many impressive characters, and ideas about capital punishment and the salvaging of criminals that are revolutionary in scope. Joe Drane and the beautiful Maria are compelling figures that would transfer well to the big screen, but are even more fun to read about.
KC Youngblood has lived all over the world, including several years in the fascinating country of Japan. The author's experiences in the Far East led to special insights into the culture and the nature of the people, that are readily apparent in Lethal Choices. Coronado Island, across the bay from San Diego, is the backdrop for much of the action occurring in Lethal Choices, and has been one of KC's favorite watering holes for many years. KC has a unique way of viewing things -- many of the ideas developed in Lethal Choices are well beyond the paradigm enforced by the unofficial idea police of American publishing.
AIs the current system cost effective? Well, if it is not effective, it can't very well be cost effective....but let's look at the economic impact. We used to be a wealthy state. Everything was new, a steady stream of workers flowed into the state, contributing tax dollars from the jobs they had with burgeoning defense and high tech industries. Our state had the best of everything, including an educational system we were all very proud of. We still have immense capabilities, including more PhD's and engineers than any two other states combined. But because of enormous drains on tax dollars, we can't afford to educate our children anymore. Until recently, California has had the largest average class size of any state in the nation! This has been reflected in recent test scores that put our fourth graders at the bottom, when compared to fourth graders in other states for reading abilities. While we are spending fifteen to thirty thousand dollars a year to warehouse individual criminals, who rarely mend their ways and become law-abiding citizens, our children are being denied the education they will need to compete in the global economy, because of a lack of tax dollars!
A Money being spent to build more prisons should be spent instead on so many other things -- better schools with more teachers, medical and dental care for the indigent, repairing and expanding the infrastructure of roads and public parks -- and preventing children from becoming criminals in the first place.
AWe have determined that our current system doesn't work. It is bankrupting us, it doesn't deter crime, and it doesn't rehabilitate criminals. The program being proposed would cost about the same initially, but would then dramatically decrease in cost over five years. It would spend most of the resources on juvenile criminals, and first and second time offenders. Third time offenders, or those amassing a certain number of markers indicating an unwillingness to exist in a positive way within any social context, would be executed by painless lethal injection.
This last comment brought a massive gasp from the audience. Some started to talk to one another, but were hushed to silence by those that wanted to hear more. Jason Stonebreaker was sitting as close to the politicians in attendance as possible, with a recorder on. Anything he could overhear would be great for his column -- but wow! This was political dynamite!
Ignoring the commotion in the audience, Governor Harris continued to speak to the cameras. AThe people of the state of California have repeatedly indicated their support for capital punishment, both at the ballot box, and in numerous polls. In my mind, there is no humaneness in locking up a human being for the rest of his or her life, with no hope of parole. There is no humaneness in releasing a career predator to savage our law-abiding citizens. There is no humaneness in squandering precious resources building monumental warehouses for criminals, while we deny the children who are the future of our state an adequate education.
AWe cannot afford to lock up people who are unable to exist in society and throw away the key -- the upkeep for those people is bankrupting us. We need to take the resources we are utilizing on hopeless cases and apply them to rehabilitating those capable of assimilating into society. Two dollars worth of chemicals can end the rage and dysfunction of those who can't or won't try to live a life that is unharmful to their fellow human beings.
ABy breaking the log jam at the end of the criminal justice system that allows criminals to be uncooperative, while they thumb their noses at corrections officials, and live a lifestyle superior to that of many citizens on the street, we bring a certain amount of justice into the system as well. Criminals will be motivated to avoid markers, by cooperating in rehabilitative programs. They will be motivated to stay straight when they hit the streets. The money saved from housing criminals for life sentences will be used to train juvenile delinquents and first time offenders in job skills that can prepare them for a real job. Second time offenders would be required to have productive jobs in prison, and make documented progress through rehabilitative educational programs and job skills training.
