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Under a new state law that goes into effect Oct. 19, selling a metrocard swipe could soon land you up to three months in jail. That is just plain ridiculous. I understand that it costs the MTA a lot of money every year, but putting people in jail is only going to defer that cost to taxpayers in another way by putting these non-violent offenders in jail.
I used to work for a youth homeless agency in the city and a lot of the kids sold metrocard swipes to earn a few bucks for the day. I’m not saying that the MTA should just sit back and take it, but this society is becoming way to eager to throw people in jail to try and solve its problems. And we all see how well that’s worked so far.
To think that someone, a child, could land in jail for up to three months for selling a metrocard swipe, it’s sickening. The people selling the swipes aren’t doing it as a second job or to save up for a new iPod. They’re homeless and just trying to get by anyway they can. I think it’s a sad commentary on our supposedly liberal city that we are going to allow people to locked up for this kind of crime.
—admin
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2 Comments
1. Frank Lynch
2. James
Want a neat little picture by your comments? Get one here.If it’s not a crime, then judges can’t impose sentences on those who don’t fit the ptofile that you’re concerned about.
If it is a crime, then they can punish those who don’t fit your profile and be more lenient on those who do.
Without the law, you’re basically condoning the fraud.
(Disclosure: I work in marketing research, and the MTA is a client.)
Posted Friday, October 14, 2005 at 12:09 am | Permalink
I’m not saying it shouldn’t be a law. I’m saying that the penalty of a fine is sufficient.
And not for nothing, from the time I’ve spent working in Social Work, I don’t put a lot of faith in judge’s perogotive when it comes to sentencing.
Posted Friday, October 14, 2005 at 8:39 am | Permalink
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