Topeka Decriminalizing Domestic Violence To Save Money?

[kas125]

Topeka, Kansas City Council Considers Decriminalizing Domestic Violence To Save Money

Faced with their worst budget crises since the Great Depression, states and cities have resorted to increasingly desperate measures to cut costs. State and local governments have laid off teachers, slashed Medicaid funding, and even started unpaving roads and turning off streetlights.

But perhaps the most shocking idea to save money is being debated right now by the City Council of Topeka, Kansas. The city could repeal an ordinance banning domestic violence because some say the cost of prosecuting those cases is just too high:

Last night, in between approving city expenditures and other routine agenda items, the Topeka, Kansas City Council debated one rather controversial one: decriminalizing domestic violence.

Here’s what happened: Last month, the Shawnee County District Attorney’s office, facing a 10% budget cut, announced that the county would no longer be prosecuting misdemeanors, including domestic violence cases, at the county level. Finding those cases suddenly dumped on the city and lacking resources of their own, the Topeka City Council is now considering repealing the part of the city code that bans domestic battery.

Continued at:
http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2011/10/06/338461/topeka-kansas-city-council-considers-decriminalizing-domestic-violence-to-save-money/

[Rabblevox]

1. Dear, fucking god. Welcome the the 1800's. I hope they at least put the "rule of thumb" ...

back in effect. This is beyond horrid.

[bluestateguy]

2. Or they could just stop arresting people for using and possessing pot

or arresting kids drinking at high school parties and other such nonsense.

But I guess they decided to legalize wife beating instead.

[kas125]

3. That's the first thing I thought, too. Stop arresting non violent

people for possession and you might have the resources to go after wife abusers. This is absolutely insane.

[AverageJoe90]

4. This country is regressing faster and faster every year...........

What's next? They gonna make it legal to beat children again like it was back in 1891?

[AndyTiedye]

5. There is Something Terribly Wrong With Kansas

[Odin2005]

7. It's call Round-Up pesticide.

Associated with lowered IQs and increased incidence of ADHD.

[my2sense]

6. Unbelievable n/t

[etherealtruth]

8. Decriminalizing a violent crime ...?

Clearly, they believe assault (and battery) of women (women are largely the victims)is really not that bad. :puke:

[rustydog]

9. Wow, so a crime that is predominately against women is now ok?

I can see their travel brochure now: "Come to Topeka! Slap the shit out of your wife."
My God, this country is soaking in a moral sewer.

[lunatica]

10. The non crime of domestic abuse can now resume unabated

That's music to abusers' ears

[fascisthunter]

11. right wing utopia... abusing women is ok