Indefinite Detention - Now good for more than terrorists!
By BJ Bjornson
You know, for the “Land of the Free”, you all sure do like the idea of putting people behind bars forever.
The Supreme Court ruled Monday that federal officials can indefinitely hold inmates considered "sexually dangerous" after their prison terms are complete.
The high court in a 7-2 judgment reversed a lower court decision that said Congress overstepped its authority in allowing indefinite detentions of considered "sexually dangerous."
"The statute is a 'necessary and proper' means of exercising the federal authority that permits Congress to create federal criminal laws, to punish their violation, to imprison violators, to provide appropriately for those imprisoned and to maintain the security of those who are not imprisoned but who may be affected by the federal imprisonment of others," said Justice Stephen Breyer, writing the majority opinion.
As John Cole puts it, why even bother with a sentence? I suppose it will make folks feel better to say they’re tossing these guys away for a few years when in actual fact as soon as they’re behind bars, the key’s going to get thrown away.
And I can’t wait to see what the reaction will be to the fact that the lawyer arguing the government’s case was Elena Kagan, now Supreme Court nominee Kagan, and that the dissenters were Thomas and Scalia.
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