Sounds good, except for the expense of it, until that last sentence. The Russians used to throw all their more educated dissidents into mental hospitals, no trials or convictions there either. (better than making martyrs out of them) It's going to get expense enough just Baker-Acting the convicted criminals. jan g. ----Original Message Follows---- From: "JACK CHILDERS" <jaxone1234@msn.com> Reply-To: BLACKSHEEP-CHAT-L@rootsweb.com To: BLACKSHEEP-CHAT-L@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [BSChat] Megan's Law Date: Tue, 14 May 2002 18:05:40 -0500 Florida had a pretty good way of dealing with sex crimes. They have special sex offender prisons with a heavy emphasis on programs. A judge can sentence a sex offender to X number of years in prison, along with the stipulation that the inmate has to undergo all the treatment programs. Once in prison the offender does not have to take the programs, but if he doesn't he don't get out ! They have what they call The Baker Act. What the Baker Act does is, in the opinion of the prison officials, an inmates poses a danger to society, they can send them to a mental hospital, even if the original sentence is over. And they can Baker Act you even if you take the sex offender programs and they don't work. Once in a mental hospital they have to review your case every so often, and if you are still a danger to society they just re-Baker Act you !! The Baker Act isn't restricted to sex offenders. It applies to any prisoner, and if I am not mistaken, it can also apply to someone not convicted. Just say someone is acting in a manner that is dangerous to society, zap, they can Baker Act you. Jack Childers in OKC _________________________________________________________________ Send and receive Hotmail on your mobile device: http://mobile.msn.com