Posted Friday, September 28, 2007 by Mark Krupinski
 We all remember in the movie, The Green Mile when the electrocution of the character “
Del ” did not go so well. That was a good example of cruel and unusual punishment.
The United States Supreme Court starts its next session on Monday and has decided to hear a case that addresses cruel and unusual punishment in regards to the death penalty. Two
Kentucky inmates have questioned whether the mix of drug cocktails before the lethal injection amount to violation of the eight amendment “cruel and unusual punishment”. Baze admits to his crime but does not want to suffer in his last moments alive.
The last time the United States Supreme Court heard a death penalty case was in the 2004-2005 session, when they decided in March 2005 on the Roper v. Simmons case that it is unconstitutional to execute juveniles.
On the Roper v. Simmons case, Chief Justice Rehnquist, Justices O’Connor, Scalia, and Thomas all dissented. With Chief Justice Rehnquist and Justice O’Connor gone, replaced by Chief Justice Roberts and Justice Alito, the status of the death penalty in the United States may see an upcoming change.
Do you think the United States should put a moratorium on the death penalty?
Or go so far as to make the death penalty unconstitutional?
What do you think?
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Posted Monday, September 24, 2007 by Mark Krupinski
 Just a quick follow-up to my Child Victims post because I have to ask the question, what happened to the mom’s who defend their babies from all evil? What happens when mom IS the evil?
Recently a
Minnesota women was charged with the death of her baby - but she says she had to do it because her boyfriend was going to kill her and the baby. I say, so what! Who cares what your boyfriend said, defend your child!
In
Michigan , a woman is on trial for killing her two daughters, gruesomely. Jennifer Kukla chased her two daughters down to kill them with a kitchen knife (she was nice enough to kill the pets after the kids!). I would have to agree with Joseph Foy in that this case itself would be reason to bring the death penalty back to
Michigan . However, that might be too easy - a sedative and a needle - I can only imagine what Alexandria and Ashley Kukla felt in their dying moments, besides betrayal from their own mother.
What snaps or drives a mother to kill her own children?
What do you think?
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Posted Sunday, September 16, 2007 by Mark Krupinski
 Okay Law & Order fans, are there enough of us to vote District Attorney Arthur Branch into the Oval Office? We may need to have a covert operation in
Florida for some “hanging chads”.
Fred Thomson announced his run for president, Hollywood style, on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno. And then with a fifteen minute speech on his website. If Ronald Reagan, aka “The Gipper” can be president and Arnold Schwarzenegger, aka the Terminator can be governor of
California (like Ronald Reagan before his presidency) - why not Fred Thomson aka Arthur Branch be leader of the free world?
For those of us in
Minnesota , Fred Thomson showed “he is one of us” by attending the Minnesota State Fair. And with The Republican National Convention here in the Twin Cities next September we may see Fred Thomson again.
However, with Thomson’s “late start” into the race, we will have to learn more about the real Fred Thomson, and how he compares with the Arthur Branch, before we cast our vote next November. But more importantly, what will happen on Law & Order- we have to wait until January 2008 to finally see Jack McCoy, as
Manhattan ’s District Attorney.
What do you think?
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Posted Thursday, September 13, 2007 by Mark Krupinski
 Is there ever justice when a child is hurt or killed? And does it matter whether that harm came from the hands of a stranger or a person the child loves and trusts, like a parent?
This past weekend Madeleine McCann parents became suspects in her May 3rd disappearance in
. After four months of investigation, the police are calling Madeleine’s parents “suspects”; not just “persons of interests” but suspects.
Last week “reformed” child killer Richard Dobeski was arrested for terrorizing two children in
Indiana
. Even after his forty years in jail for killing two children in 1964, he is still a predator.
When bad things happen to children, is there ever really justice? This week Daryl Holton will be executed by his preferred method of electrocution in
Tennessee
for killing his four children in 1997. Many claim, he does not have remorse, because he believes his children's lives were ruined because they'd be raised in a broken home.
Andrea Yates killed her five children in 2001, after her guilty conviction was overturned on appeal; she is currently in a state hospital. Is it easier to accept a stranger like Richard Dobeski harming children, or their own parents, the people children love and trust the most? I am a parent. And I can not imagine harming any child, much less my own.
What snaps in these parents’ minds that drive them to commit the most heinous crime, killing their own flesh and blood? For Andrea Yates, it was postpartum depression that drove her to drown her five children in the bathtub she once bathed them. For Daryl Holton, it was the idea that he thought his children would be better off dead than being raised in a broken home. For Richard Dobeski, it was a “character disorder” that caused him to brutally murder a brother and sister.
What will it be for Madeleine?
A parent gone mad?
Or a psychotic stranger?
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Posted Friday, September 07, 2007 by Mark Krupinski
 A few weeks ago, the Mankato Campus of
Rasmussen
College held a criminal justice career fair & advisory board. About 18 people from various criminal justice agencies gave their advice to students on employment.
The most common statement from criminal justice professionals was that students should get experience in the criminal justice field while they are going to school. Any kind of job, internship or volunteer experience would be beneficial to a student becoming employed in the criminal justice field.
In addition, when you interview, either for that internship or a job, the board members emphasized three points:
1. Be on time to your interview or meeting
2. Look professional- many CJ jobs require a uniform- therefore appearance is important
3. Know who you are talking to-research the agency that you are meeting or interviewing with.
In addition, know who is head of the agency (sheriff, director, chief, etc.) know what the agency does, what is expected of the position for which you are interviewing. Hopefully once you get that internship or volunteer opportunity make sure you do a good job. Be on time, problem solve, be committed. Criminal justice agencies do background investigations and check on references. You do want a glowing review from your internship or volunteer coordinator for that next job.
And of course college. In addition to real world experience, the board members emphasized the importance of college. The criminal justice employers explained to students that writing, reading and problem solving are the skills most utilized in the criminal justice field.
Every action and reaction is documented in criminal justice therefore one needs to know how to write down incidents and actions that happen.
Reading- everything that is written down and documented needs to be read by other officers, the courts, and correctional officials. And problem solving- most criminal justice jobs are fast-paced and independent. When a problem arises you do not always have the time to ask other people how to solve the problem – therefore you need to be the person to solve the problem.
So go to college, focus on reading, writing and problem solving. Get into the field, volunteer, do an internship and you will be on your way to making a difference in the world through criminal justice.
Be safe…
 Agencies in attendance at the
Rasmussen
College , Mankato Criminal Justice Fair:
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