LETTER: Sentence People On Probation To Work At Dump

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Today (Monday) I was making one of my usual trips to the convenience center. While there, a lady backed her vehicle in beside me. After unloading her trash she helped me with some of mine, seeing that I had more than the normal kitchen garbage.

We lamented the convenience center experience since the removal of the prisoner assistance. We both agreed that the Sheriff's decision was the proper thing to do under the circumstances.

It later occured to me that there might be a possible alternative. I notice in the Courier that there are lots of court cases where the convicted persons are given suspended sentences and or a specified amount of time on probation.

Obviously Judge Melton thinks that these people are trustworthy. Perhaps these people could be sentenced to a specified amount of time to be served as community service. The convenience center would be one such service and I am sure there could be others.

This could be used as a mild form of punishment and the people serving could feel that they were in a small way paying for their crime.

I heard a fellow say about his upcoming court case,(not his first one) that he hoped the Judge would give him some more of that probation. Seems it kept him out of jail, but didn't change his ways. Probation by itself doesn't seem to be an effective deterrent for most lawbreakers.

 Thank you,

Bill E. Asbury
3996 Porterfield Rd
Readyville, TN 37149
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Members Opinions:
March 22, 2011 at 1:07pm
Mr. Bill
Not a bad idea, but what do you think about narrowing it down to people who are caught littering our beautiful county.
March 22, 2011 at 3:23pm
BULLPEN GREAT IDEAL I'VE SEEN TO MANY LOOSE A BAG OF TRASH OUT OF THERE VEHICLE AND JUST KEEP GOING...
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March 22, 2011 at 3:26pm
I think anyone should do community service....this is a great suggestion. i hope the right people see this~
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March 22, 2011 at 6:17pm
I, too, went to the dump on Monday and was disgusted by the amount of trash that was on the ground. When I got out of my car to unload my trash, I literally had to step in that crap to get my trunk open...it was disgusting! The inmates at keast kept it somewhat cleaned up at the top of the hill. Community service work is a great idea btw...but in my opinion so is inmate labor...with the CORRECT SUPERVISION.
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March 22, 2011 at 6:54pm
Hey, I agree with Bill. How about all the people who litter on River Road. That is the beginning of the mighty Stones River and every time I drive it I see so much trash. Why can't people just throw it away at home?
March 22, 2011 at 8:17pm
so lets get this straight......as long as a person is not wearing an orange jump suit people will feel safe going to the dump? do you not understand that the people on probation have probably committed the same crime as the people who were on the work program in jail who were previously working the dump, they just have the luxury of not being incarcerated.
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March 23, 2011 at 7:00am
if you look at the ppl in the paper or on here that is placed on probation they are usually repeat offenders. i mean how do u get 4 DUI or 3 driving on revoked? I mean good grief ppl its ur trash--DUMP IT or burn it in a backyard barrel.
March 23, 2011 at 7:50am
MissMary
I have a suggestion: What's wrong with requiring the owner/operator of the dump to keep it clean. Why could that person not be fined if it is an eyesore and dirty to the point of being a health risk. There might need to be someone hired with that as his job description.
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March 23, 2011 at 8:57am
The trustees working at the dump or the courthouse are not violent offenders. A lot of those guys are in for failure to pay child support, D.U.I.'s, not paying mandated fines or court costs.

Darrell is not going to put a serial killer at the dump. He is not going to put a known murderer at the courthouse planting trees.

They were removed because of lack of properly trained supervisors to monitor them. Since that was the case, why not just simply train people how to supervise them and then start the program back? It is not a very difficult solution.

The idea of putting people on probation is a good one that was discussed immediately following the removal of the inmates a few months ago. It is also one that I would hope would come to fruition as well.

The goal should be to help the people who truly need it.

MissMary, to my knowledge the dump is owned by the county and they are responsible for maintenance, upkeep and clean-up. The County Executive is responsible for the hiring of people who work at the dump.
March 23, 2011 at 9:40am
that is exactly what i was saying corey. i was just referring to previous comments that were made about people feeling unsafe to go to the dump because inmates were there working, yet no one seems to have a problem with a probationer working the dump.

and to comment on what you said about helping the ones who need to be helped, here is some food for thought:

people on probation still have the opportunity to go to work every morning, or go look for work whatever the case may be. some will not do so however. the people incarcerated do not have that same opportunity, letting these men work the dump, clean our streets, etc. give them some sort of work ethic that may help them upon release. i feel that letting these men work at the dump would be helping more than the probationer. still at the same time, those on probation that do not have jobs should have the same chance to help themselves and our community at the same time......maybe combining them would be a good idea. just alternate days perhaps.

at some point or another, everyone needs help right?
March 23, 2011 at 11:36am
I don't care either way if there are inmates at the dump site. Are there any other parents or citizens that think we should have inmates next to Woodbury Grammar? I have complained about this till I am blue in the face. Every morning I see that white van out there where I drop my son off. Even if I don't see them, I know there are inmates in there. It doesn't matter to me if there crime was petty, they are locked up period. Am I the only one with this concern?
March 23, 2011 at 12:05pm
The inmate labor at the dump has been in place since we've been here. Why is it suddenly a problem?
March 23, 2011 at 1:22pm
I liked the inmates dumping my trash for me. They also did alot of sorting to recycle what garbage they could. Redeemed I agree with you. Someone probably moved to Cannon County and felt offended. This is usually where most controversies start out is from outsiders. I have nothing against them, but please don't move here and try to change things.
March 23, 2011 at 6:43pm
There is nothing "convient" about this our convience center. It isn,t convient to most of the citizens of this county.We need trash collection centers in different sections of the county.
March 23, 2011 at 10:34pm
Redeemed the inmates were removed because drugs were found on inmates working at the dump, and weapons were being smuggled into the jail by those working at the dumb.

To be honest I have been waiting for this to come up. I stated back when everyone was on board with the inmates being removed that when everyone had to empty their own trash we would be screaming for the inmates to comeback. I do feel that the inmates need to work rather than sit in a cell all day, and get free meals. Do I think they need to come back to the dump? In the interest of safety "No" for my convenience? "Yes" Do I need them to empty my truck of my trash? "No"

Jar2h: I have wondered the same thing, but if your going to bring up the inmates at Woodbury Grammar, how about the inmates around the general public during Good Ole Days or when they are working around the kids at the Woodbury Grammar's Reach building?
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March 25, 2011 at 8:36am
How lazy can you get? get your fat a** out of the car and unload your garbage.
March 25, 2011 at 4:27pm
That is a great idea. When a person is on probation they have to pay fees an all that stuff. If they don't pay their fees then their probation gets extended or they have to serve jail time. I know that jobs are hard to come by these days an I think that working somewhere like that would be a good way to help with the fees. Just like if someone has to serve time for child support its takes so much off that they owe for so many days they serve. Not only will it help them out but it helps the community out. Some how probation has taken over an there really is no such thing as community service anymore. I work in law enforcement an I think more needs to be done than just probation otherwise they will never learn. There are to many roads to take for the easy way out these days. I see the same people come in an out to often an its sad because we are seeing more younger people now than when I started 4 1/2 yrs ago. The judicial system needs better structure. I know people make mistakes an no one is perfect but when they keep repeating the crime its no mistake.
March 30, 2011 at 9:10am
I also agree, people on probation or have to do community service GREAT IDEA
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