The so-called “Safer Kentucky Act” — better known as the “Lock Up Everyone” act — is now law. HB 5 was passed, vetoed by the governor, and the veto overridden. Now today, on the last day of the session, the sponsors of this misbegotten bill are having a signing ceremony, celebrating putting more people (including the homeless) in jails and prisons.
A few weeks ago, we asked our readers to weigh in on this bill. Below are the responses, along with some of the comments we received. It seems that our readers understand the problems better than the legislators who voted for the bill. We shall see who gets it right in the end – but on this topic, our readers are smarter than our legislators.
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Selected comments
This bill will increase the number of people incarerated and will require more jails and prisons. I know who will pay for these new jails and prisons - it will by KY taxpayers. But who will run these new jails and prisons - it will be the private for-profit prison companies who will make a lot of money on the backs of the poor and homeless. Shameful.
This is pure “tough on crime” posturing. As far as I’ve seen, none of the sponsors’ claims are supported by solid data.
The name is misleading and, as per usual, Gov. Beshear’s veto will be used for political fodder. This will not make us ‘safer,’ is only politically reactionary, and does not address the root causes of any issues the bill attempts to react to. Just standard grandstanding from our legislature for political, monetary, and personal gain that I embarrassingly expect.
The “Safer” KY act will not make Kentucky safer. It will lead to locking up — in already overcrowded and stressed jails — those down on their luck or suffering from addiction and/or mental illness. It will lead the homeless to hiding, more furtive behavior, likely stealing to get necessities because they are afraid to access help for fear of being imprisoned. It absolutely criminalizes homelessness despite what the self righteous legislators are telling themselves. Their lack of humanity and human kindness is astounding.
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