Mandatory minimum sentencing has caused an increase in the prison industrial complex, including private prisons, profit margin. More American citizens are incarcerated and for longer periods of time. When incarceration is profitable, you can be sure people will be incarcerated! How much is this costing YOU, the tax payer?

According to 2002
statistics, the US has 5.7 assaults and 5.5 homicides per 100,000; while Canada has 4.0 assaults and 1.8 homicides per 100,000. Yet, our prison population is 546 to Canada's 118 per 100,000. And, our child poverty rate is 22.4% compared to Canada's of 15.5%, while Sweden's is 2.6%! What does this tell us about our nation's priorities??

The majority of inmates are serving time for non-violent charges and have mental health illnesses or drug addictions. These two populations have historically been our Nations throwaway populations. By the time the inmate is released they are more violent and defensive or frightened with even fewer social skills than when they entered prison. This is a lose/lose system.
Alternative sentencing and rehab in a sustainable community-based program where inmates function under supervision is a less expensive win/win system. If that sounds scary, remember that most inmates will be released without any supervision. Do we prefer they are trained to function in society or to function in a prison?

The sad part is that there are many who have never committed murder, never hurt a child, nor committed rape and yet they are placed in these dungeons because they join a gang to basically protect their own self in prison. What I cannot understand is why, after let out of these dungeons, parolees get revoked on minor technical violations especially when they had been in "ad-seg", for a long term, with no human contact, education, nor rehabilitation, just living worse than caged wild animals. It saddens me the most because we are doing this to our own American people in which I feel is cruel and inhumane.

It is true that we have people in prisons for longer periods of time, some longer then others. How can they justify putting someone in prison who had a burgulary charge and a person who killed someone in a dui accident for the same amount of time. (7 years)? I work in a prison and I see many things that most people wouldnt want to know. However an inmate said something to me today that made me think that I shouldnt feel to sorry for some of the people in there. He said think about all the things these people might have done that they never got caught doing, he said if he had been caught on everything he ever did he probabley would never be able to get out of prison. This is an inmate telling me this!
Believe me they arent sad little kids that just stole a dollar from mommy, these are criminals and they've been put in prison for a reason. Dont worry most will get out, but sad thing is most will reoffend and end up coming back. Deterrence just doesnt exsist.

As you say Deterrence does not exist, but yet it does, back in the late 80's with detailed analysis of actions between two conflicting parties, especially leaders or groups in a crisis situation, came to an agreement, so why can't we figure out a way to come to an agreement on our American non-violent isolated inmates?
As well as in the same time, the Bill of Rights, do exist. These are human beings we are talking about, not just throw aways. Like I said earlier, if they had raped someone, or violated a child, or committed murder, then I can completely understand the ad-seg point of view, but on the opposition standpoint, I am unwilling to accept only what an official says verses an inmate, regardless.....why you ask? BECAUSE...I stand my ground on the point of when we were kids, can't you remember, when brother or sister pointed the finger at you and it was really his/her fault but you got the butt whippen??!! Well I do remember. There are 2 sides for each and every story, it's just the other one never got caught. Each and every natural born citizen of the United States of America has a right to due process and I have come to realization that this has been over looked by our Government Officials and Parole Boards. Reviews once a year??? come on..it needs to be a little bit more than that.
Now please don't take this wrong, I commend our correctional officers who go day by day having to put up with violent,hateful, don't give a crap terroristic individuals and I am so glad you are there to help protect our community. It's the ones who are non-violent that just have a jacket or as they say are "confirmed gang members/security threat groups", that I do not feel need to be in these isolated quarters. AND YOU, THE GOOD..DOWN TO EARTH.. CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS... are the ones that know which offenders need to be there and the ones that shouldn't....
Thank You

Odessa:

Incarceration works to catch those who are a threat to public safety - such as the person who confessed to you an assurance of his criminality, but it also catches, categorizes, and demeans those whose lifelong label as a criminal is often times based on the discretion of a few, biased people whose payment comes from doing the job of putting people in jail. There are always plenty of criminals to arrest and prosecute in a large city, but what would happen if there weren't? We would still need to be protected from the violent few, even if it were not financially desirable to sustain an entire legal system for just a handful of criminals. What this line of thinking has brought me to is: What were the original guidelines of our legal system and are they still adequate today? Many prisoners live in poverty, while those in the legal system do not. Do you think that is a desirable choice for the inmates? You know as an officer that intelligence is not a good factor for why people commit crimes. In our systems, equality is continually put into question.

oops - I'm new to postings

Dear Concerned People of this Nation,

I recently finished watching the the show Prison Nation, and I was BEYOND APPLALLED at what I saw!! Can no one else see that our nation is in a crisis?? I am a second grade teacher at an inner city school and I could give you numerous names of students in my own school and classroom that I could almost guarentee will end up in prison! We have students threatening to kill other students (even a kindergartener who "held up the classroom" with a pair of scissors in each hand threatening to kill the teacher and the other kindergarteners in the classroom. We have students who are like a bomb and just explode with violent behavior (yelling severe obsceneties at the teachers and students, jumping from tabletop to tabletop in the lunchroom and throwing their tray all over other students while cussing everyone out, students who bite their teacher (even through their shirt, thus resulting in the teacher having to go to the hospital in order to get it checked out and taken care of)-- that was a workman's comp. case. We recently had a kindergartener who kicked another kinddergartener in the face 3 times while he was on the ground. Now we have other students (who are being exposed to this behavior) and now they want to bite the teacher so that they will be sent home, or threaten to kill so they would be sent home. A kindergartener who saw one student bite his teacher and then get sent home flat out told his teacher he was going to bite her so he could go home as well. This behavior is rubbing off on the other students. Our children are not being disciplined. There are no consequences for their behavior! If they get suspended, they are happy to get a vacation away from school! (This is only reinforcing all these negative behaviors!!) I could go ON AND ON about instances, it's ridiculous! I see so many of my elementary students who are VERY POTENTIAL students for repeating the Columbine incident and many potential students who will be in jail! Now that I have seen this show, I am so much more concerned! The inmates are coming out worse than when they went in! This is setting them up for failure! Our society needs to make DRASTIC CHANGES before we crash and burn!
We need to have HARSH consequences for prisoners in order to deter people from committing crimes in the future. My students at school have NO FEAR! In fact, many of their parents are in jail and they see jail as an upgrade! Free housing, free meals (already prepared for them), free cable T.V., free weight-lifting, sports, etc. WE HAVE TO PAY FOR SUCH PRIVILAGES!! SOMETHING IS VERY WRONG WITH THAT PICTURE! We need to put prisoners to work-- cleaning up roadside litter (rain or shine or even when it is snowing). We need to have other jobs similar to this as well. They need to be under strict supervision at all times, but at least this is better than having no human contact. This will allow them to at least be productive!
In my eyes, as soon as someone commits a crime, they lose all human privilages. Someone who commits rape or murder has taken advantage of another person and took away their rights, so therefore, I feel that the crimanal (once they have committed a crime) has given up all their rights.
They should have their sentences not only be based on simply just a time frame for their crime, but also they should be sentenced to complete a certain amount of rehabilitation programs and then be psychologically evaluated before being released!
Obviously what we are doing is NOT working. We need to make a huge change. That is challenging though because we are so OVERCROWEDED with inmates right now!
My opinion--- is rather harsh.... if a dog bites someone and is considered a viscious threat, people hardly think twice about putting it down. WELL, WE HAVE PEOPLE DOING MUCH WORSE THINGS... AND THEY ARE GIVEN MORE PRIVILAGES THAN ME?? (free housing, free food and cable, etc). I honestly think that we need to "clean out" our prison systems right now and instill a much more harsh set of consequences for our future generations. The mentally ill prisoners are so far "gone" that I feel it is impossible for them to ever be able to live a healthy and productive life once they are released back on to the streets. As sad as it may seem, these are usually some of the worst criminals and they (just like the viscious, biting dog) should be put down. This should only be done after intensive measures have been taken to rehabilitate them and when psychological evaluations have taken place. If there is no hope of them turning themselves around, then please for our safety and their own sake, just put them down! This will help to relieve the overcrowding issue.
Also, people who are in jail for murder and we are 100% sure that they are guilty, then they should receive the death penalty. If they have taken an innocent human life, then they have given up their right to live. This will also relieve overcrowding issues.
For the inmates who are potentially able to be rehabilitated and would potentially be able to live relatively healthy and productive (CRIME-FREE) lives, they should be placed in programs while in prison. I know right now that instilling programs is an overwhelming task due to overcrowdedness, but if that is no longer an issue, we can focus on putting in programs, such as (education, GED courses and college courses, counseling for depression and drug addiction, teaching of job skills, re-entry programs, etc.) WE NEED TO COUNSEL AND AID THESE PRISONERS AND PREPARE THEM FOR WHEN THEY ARE RELEASED FROM PRISON BEFORE THEY CAN EVEN HAVE A CHANCE AT BEING SUCCESSFUL ONCE THEY ARE OUT! Right now, all we are doing is setting them up to fail once they get out and according to the show Prison Nation from National Geographic, MORE THAN TWO-THIRDS OF THEM END UP BACK IN PRISON!
In conclusion, we as a nation are in a state of crisis and SOMETHING NEEDS TO CHANGE. WE NEED TO PUT THE FEAR BACK INTO OUR CHILDREN, OTHERWISE MANY OF THE TYPES OF STUDENTS THAT I WORK WITH WILL END UP IN JAIL AS WELL, JUST PERPETUATING OUR (according to Prison Nation's statisics)
$60 BILLION DOLLAR A YEAR CRISIS. THAT IS ONE EXPENXIVE BILL TO BE PAYING IN ORDER TO KEEP A CRISIS IN EXISTANCE. WE NEED TO SPEND THAT MONEY ON OTHER WAYS TO ALLEVIATE THESE PROBLEMS! I know I DON'T have all the answers, these are just my opinions. If anyone else has answers that they think will help, please post them! Thank you for your time and concern.

P.S. I want to send a "thank you" to National Geographic and all the people involved in making the show Prison Nation. I am thrilled to know that other people are concerned about this issue as well. Also thank you to the correctional facilities who allowed National Geographic do a show on the reality of prisons in America. Thank you to all people who work work so hard in such a harsh and dangerous environment! My respect goes out to all of you.

Jon:
First and foremost, I am not by any means an ex-con/criminal, nor have I ever been a convicted criminal of any statue. I am a Business owner, I am a mother of 3 teenagers, I am a home owner and a tax payer, and I am a registered voter here in the state that I live in.
As you stated in the above comment: (incarceration)… not (ISOLATION). So, just what are we trying to prove here?... That we can put our American people, who do not abide by what our many loop-holed laws say, and just throw them into this 6X9 cell with no sunlight, no education, no rehabilitation, nor any human contact for 23 hours a day for however many years,... that's right year's not days,... That our state deems them to serve, then that is considered ok? Oh, but when and if they hit parole, and get out, they are EXPECTED to just fit right in to society!?!~~~ come on get real……they need some sort of therapy and rehabilitation and guidance…Remember, they will be our next door neighbor sooner or later….
We really need to look up the definition of cruel and inhumane in the dictionary. Cruel and Inhumane also pertains to mental abuse, which is what is involved in the statement above that which I stated, (isolation for over a period of years not just days.) To my understanding, this type of isolation was in the prison war camps and also concentration camps in Russia before we the United States of America intervened, what happened to the Geneva Convention of 1929, along with many other battles and wars, which I will not get into discussion with, and yet we do this to our own people. ... Oh, and to catch those offenders in threat of public safety, …HA!!, I have several friends who are/were correctional officers, and they were more scared of the other correctional officers in the prison verses any of the inmates. Three of them have quit so far due to the inhumane and unjust actions of the correctional officers towards their piers and the inmates.
So what if an "offender" confesses?? THEN WHAT?? they are a gang member in the prison?....
SO WHAT....I wouldn't want to get raped or killed either, so I guess I would find an organization, or as you state it, (a "Security threat Group"), also, to help protect myself. The parole board, which I have no faith in at all, just signifies that a parolee had a minor technical violation so revoke their parole and send them back to our overly crowded prisons, and if they are a “confirmed gang member” send them to these isolated quarters…. Is that not mental abuse or what??? Yes you are right, there are still plenty of criminals to arrest and prosecute, that is why our state still has the right to bear arms..but can we really? and what are the justifications stating that foundation? "Everything is "ILLEGAL"....except for the officials, and officers supposedly upholding the law, they can get away with shooting a so called “villain“ in the back and it be justified…. I sometimes feel that if I drink a bottle of water wrong, then I will get arrested because I swerved too far over to place the bottle into my mouth in public.
It all boils down to one thing.... As a child, we throw them into psychiatric care, then as an adult, we throw them into isolation facilities for however many years, even life... Is this what our American People actually believe to be a corrective mind changing atmosphere or rehabilitation?? I believe not....Most of the American people are just too scared to voice their opinion.. Or the sad thing is they just don’t care because they are taking a numerous amount of pills…………

Does anyone know how I can get this programs credits?

When does this show air again?

anyone know where to find maureen green?

Solitary Confinement in Texas, is this really the way for Rehabilitation???

Texas Department of Corrections? No Longer; It is now called Texas Department of criminal Justice. The name changed when the contract changed. Rehabilitation within TDCJ (Texas Department of Criminal Justice) is dim and non-existence when placed in Ad-Seg (Solitary Confinement, a prison within the prison). I've spent 15 years of my life in TDCJ and have recently returned to prison on a technical violation. Inmates are thrown into these cells where they spend years on end in a cell where each day they get one hour out of their cell to recreate (a rec-yard, so to speak). A lot of these inmates are non-aggravated individuals who have really never got into trouble, but are here for the mis-fortune of being a "confirmed" gang-member." I got down with a gang in prison many years ago, for all the stand up men belonged and in prison one only feels belonging in unity behind these walls. I was one of the few whom stood up for all the new boots(never been in prison, and of my race) coming in the door. You see, a lot of the racial inmates would prey on these new boots coming through the door, by intimidating them into paying for protection, riding, or turning them out into fags. A lot of these new boots, I would lace up(take up for/show them the ropes), most of them didn't know what to expect, but I did and all in here knew me and knew that I stood up for what I believed in. I was labeled a trouble maker cause most of my fights were with other racial inmates and or gang-members!! Thru the years I've come to see the system (TDCJ) change many times for the worse. Most of the inmates back here in Ad-Seg (of all races) don't belong here, some do, but there are many whom have spent years on end back here and will one day be returned into society with no education, nor will they even be able to function like a normal human being. It's sad for this is what society's tax dollars are being spent on, to "house" not *rehabilitate*. Then to house inmates into Ad-Seg for however many years our state deems and then turn them loose into society, where they can't function at all!! They could be your neighbor one day or live next to any of your family members, for that matter. I remember getting out of prison in 2006. I did 5 years in Ad-Seg and when I got out, I didn't know what to do. I had NO EDUCATION,... NO TRADE,... NO SOCIAL SKILLS,... NOR ANY HUMAN CONTACT at all.... I Thank God I had a family and a Loving Fiancé' that helped me through this, for I couldn't walk in a store without getting paranoid, due to being confined for so long in Ad-Seg. I battled day by day with trying to adapt in a world where things were so different. Administrative Segregation did a number on me mentally that I never knew existed until I was released from prison. I befriended many officers that worked for TDCJ and many of them believe it's wrong the way the system locks away an inmate for years of isolation for being a gang-member and a lot of them "Non-Aggravated" individuals. You the people pay the taxes, it's in your hands... you can complain all you want, but that does not change the fact that these inmates are still going to get out into your society, either, a raging lunatic, or rehabilitated?? The state could care-less either way, how bout you?? So please, write your congress, your senator, hell, even the President. Make them address these issues, for it will only get worse, believe me, I do know...

Sincerely,

Harley

December 10, 2007

hey are they going to air this program again? I missed the first times because of work and I REALLY want to see it. thanks.

You know Bennett, you are so right, they need to air this show, over and over again so our American people will see the cruelty and unjust that is happening to our American prisoners today..It is absolutely disgusting to know that we, pr really our Government, actually approves of this type of cruelty!!!

California has created a prison bureaucracy and is currently in a 19 billion dollar deficit. In the USA prosecutors and police withhold exculpatory evidence and have a must win at any expense attitude. Police often lie and use jail house informants and or other unreliable witnesses such as a psychotic ex to prosecute men. Men which make up 800% of the world prison population. You can read about this and other injustices at www.theinnocenceproject.org . Innocent people are persecuted and do go to prison, in the U.S. The Bible clearly stated that Satan is the father of the lie at John 8:44. These injustices will change only once the media exposes all of the corruption that takes place in the everyday court rooms in America. If exposed, people will no longer have any confidence in the U.S. legal system. Don’t forget that attorneys over charge there clients and when the money runs dry, then they quickly seek plea bargains for their clients. Prosecutors on the other hand are desperate for attention and are always looking for the next photo opportunity. Most judges are former prosecutors and almost always favor the prosecution. Lastly, if a person is of a racial minority, they are more likely to be convicted. America is headed in the wrong direction, and should focus more on how to get our children better educated.

First tsmers: Thomas Boggs, Ft Dodge, medium security youth facility. did anyone see this show? Was anyone bothered by this young man who appears to be totally out of his element and prey for those inside the walls of this facility? I am very disturbed and haunted by what will happen to this young man at this facility

These are good shows that let the public see what they have been told about prisons is a lie. Similar to the way the Nazi's lied to the people about how the Jews were being treated. It's not cable TV and steak, it's mass incarceration, Human Rights Violations and damaged people coming back into society at the rate of 650,000 per year. This is very bad business for the future of America.

This is sad, if you look at Al Qaida prisoners, they get everything even things law abiding citizens don't like free healthcare.

I saw the episode about Fort Hood in Iowa. I was terribly upset about Thomas Boggs. It is clear he exhibits anti-social tendencies and does not grasp reality. This young man needs counseling in a mental health setting if he is ever going to live a normal life. Prison is going to destroy someone who seems to be mentally challenged.

Ben and Bev....I saw that episode and Boggs has been on my mind ever since. I don't know why I can't quit thinking about him..I'm worried for his safety and felt so bad for him. I hope he's ok.

I spoke to someone at Ft.Dodge in an attempt to see if there wasn't something I could contribute to help this young man. There was little they could tell me due to privacy issues there were few suggestions they could make that wouldhave allowed me to help. They assured me that they do not suffer from an inordinate amount of fights and that the young men are in training/vocational programs. They wished it had been a more balanced report. They believe in their program and that they are making a difference.

I watched a show where they had new inmates 19 years old and up, but the one 19 year old they had on there caught my attention, this boy pulled a knife and got 15 years, are you frigging kidding me, and then the warden puts this young man who has never been in prison, in a cell with the prisons biggest bully, what kind of a warden is this??? does he want to help these young affenders never to commit a crime or how to become worst then when they went in????????? this warden sucks in my books along with the dumb ass judge who gave this kid 15 years..

I'm not 100% positive that this is the same guy. I've attached a link to the charges and sentencing of one Thomas Michael Boggs. If this is the same guy then it appears there is more to the story than just some 19 year old threatening someone with a knife. It would be interesting to know the whole story of this guy.

http://www.iowacourts.state.ia.us/ESAWebApp/TIndexFrm

Ken - His name is Thomas Michael Boggs. Regardless, you're right, it would be nice to know the entire history of the young man.

Sorry!!! Thomas JAMES Boggs

Apparently they're reviewing my last post. I wrote the guys name in wrong. It was Thomas James Boggs on the last link. Apparently that isn't working, so to see what this guy pled to, click on the following link. Then click start a case search. Then under "Trial Court" on the right side click case search. Fill in his last name "Boggs" and then first name "Thomas". The first listing is him. On the upper right hand corner click "[Criminal Charges/Disposition". You decide from there.

http://www.iowacourts.state.ia.us/ESAWebApp/DefaultFrame

I am a doctoral student working on reentry research with particular interest in community education on the process and how reentry programs are essential to public safety. I was especially interested in today's show and Joan Petersilia. Is there any way to get a copy of the transcript?

Thank you.

Does anyone know which prison was on the episode of the big tattooed guy with braids on his beard, that kept talking to that female guard?

For those of you curious about Thomas Boggs, it appears they moved him to keep him safe.

Clarinda is a medium security facility that houses male inmates who are mentally retarded, mentally ill, or have other social problems. It also protects inmates who are especially at risk of victimization by other inmates. The Clarinda facility uses a program called The Other Way (TOW) as a treatment program for inmates with substance abuse issues. TOW uses a phase system based on the principles of Alcoholics Anonymous. There are also educational services for inmates, as well as social skills development classes, and work details both in and outside the facility.

hiya, watched the programme about thomas boggs yesterday, in England, found it very disturbing, what did he do to get 15 years and then be put in "gladiator camp" and then be put in cell the units biggest bully, glad to know other people are concerned.

Its good to know that others felt the same way i did when they watched the programme about Thomas Boggs, it was very heartbreaking, he did not belong there and im pleased he was finally moved, i hope he gets the help he needs, i wish him all the best and hope he manages to live a happy life

Thank you so much for airing these very informative shows. For those of you who want to make a change, email your congressman and tell him to support the bipartisan Second Chance Act of 2007 (HR1593) being sponsored by Congressman Danny Davis. America has more of its people in prison than any other developed nation in the world - more than two million. The vast majority, 95% of the men and women in our prisons will eventually return to the community. They deserve a second chance. Their families, spouses, children and communities deserve a second chnce. A second chance to break the grip of a drug habit. A chance to support a family, to pay taxes, to be self-sufficient. Today few of those who return to their communities are prepared for their release or receive any supportive services. Many leave prison to return to the same environment which saw them offend in the first place. But, as they return they often face additional barriers to reentry: serious physical and mental health problems, no place to stay and lack of education or qualifications to hold a job. As a result, two out of three will be rearrested for new crimes within the first three years after their release. Considering the cost of incarceration to the tax payer and all the social and economic costs of crime to the community its just common sense to act to help ex-offenders successfully reenter our communities and reduce recidivism. Also , not sure if they will let me post this here, but a couple of sisters whose father is locked up in jail for thirty years for a first time offense are asking people to sign a petition that will bring back parole for non-violent offenders. Prisoners currently serve 85% of their sentence as a result of sometimes very unjustice manditory sentences laws. Check out their petition at www.ipetitions.com/petition/fedinmaterelief.

According to the Iowa DOC website, Mr. Boggs is in jail for "Asslt. to Commit Sex Abuse/Bodily Inj.-10 Yr Special Sent."

Thomas Boggs should have stayed, if other prisoners have to put up with the rash reality of prison then how come he doesn't?

While I feel sorry for Thomas Boggs for obviously being a fish out of water, before you feel too sorry for him, perhaps you should understand why he is in prison in the first place. After some digging, I found out that he followed a 15 year old girl into a mall bathroom and attempted to rape her while threatening her with a knife. Thankfully she escaped, but it just goes to show that there is a reason why these people are in prison in the first place. Should you care to read further:

http://www.wcfcourier.com/articles/2006/09/28/news/metro/eb6bf18e793ecd4f862571f7004ddc28.txt

http://www.wcfcourier.com/articles/2007/05/19/news/metro/7ce4e6a77c417a2f862572e000198046.txt

wow longstar there is really two sides to every story i also felt sorry for him till i read the news articals you posted what a little dip---- i hope he learns his lesson.

What Thomas Boggs did was wrong and indefensible. To assume prison is the answer for a kid with obvious mental deficiencies is a stretch too. This appears to me to be one of the those lives that could be turned around. Then again, I assume that prison does attempt to rehabiliate and educate some of the criminals. But it appears prisons are crowded buildings to hold these people until they are dumped backonto the streets

Courier: Boggs surrendered to mall security workers without incident and was then handed over to Waterloo police officers, Arends said.

During an interview, investigators asked Boggs what he intended to do. He replied "I guess I was going to rape her," according to court records

Appears to be more the village idiot then a hardened criminal

Thomas Boggs is a good friend of mine. Unfortunatly, we had a huge fight before he was put in and a lot of that could have honestly been prevented. He's not a socially impaired as they think. He does have some problems, but he just snapped.

Just to put in, the second link that Lonestar had posted I think gives him more of his character rather than his crime. I only wish that people could see HIM rather than what he did. That wasn't him.

People can change in the blink of an eye, but somewhere deep inside, they're still themselves. Just remember that.

Brittany- I'm trying to provide some help to Thomas though he has no idea who I am. If you could email me, I'm very interested in helping him and agree, from what I read, he was misguided and misdirected. hackrider at yahoo dot com Thanks

Bev- I have emailed you at the said address. Can't wait to hear back from you =]

Hey Brittney- Back at ya, read my email when you have time. Hope to hear from you soon :)

Boggs should have not been moved to Clarina. Keep him at Gladiator camp.

Josue-

You're entitled to your opinion and I certainly understand why you might feel that way. It's all relative to your experiences in life. I had 4 family members, 2 of which were pregnant, murdered by someone who did not know them. Then again, I have a cousin who murderd two women. He worked, made upwards of 90K a year, had a family was in his 40's and murdered two women. Where in your head do you go to be able to do such things? I don't know, I'll never understand it BUT I do see that Thomas Boggs can turn his life around as opposed to becoming a life long criminal because of one mistake. Think about it...

I agree with you Brittney, what he did was bad and must have been a terrible experience for the girl involved, but like you say people can just snap, we will probably never know what was going on in his life that lead to him doing something wrong, i can see that deep down he is a good person, i am really glad he has friends like you, and also Beverly who can also see the good in him the same as i do and is in a position to help, (im from England so i dont know what help i can be from over here, other than to let him know he does have support and people who care about his side of the story) please keep writing on here though so i can keep up.

I agree with you Brittney, what he did was bad and must have been a terrible experience for the girl involved, but like you say people can just snap, we will probably never know what was going on in his life that lead to him doing something wrong, i can see that deep down he is a good person, i am really glad he has friends like you, and also Beverly who can also see the good in him the same as i do and is in a position to help, (im from England so i dont know what help i can be from over here, other than to let him know he does have support and people who care about his side of the story) please keep writing on here though so i can keep up.

Micaela-

We're going to do what we can to see that Thomas knows he hasn't been abandoned. Its important that he doesn't ever feel hopeless or lost in the system. He screwed up and now he has to pay the piper but at the end of his time, he has plenty of room to turn it around and make his life what he wants it to be. Let's hope with encouragement from the masses, he'll get out of this and move onto a much better life.

We're going to do all we can to offer Thomas hope. With any luck he'll be able to turn this all around once he's released in 5 years.

I am a friend of Thomas's from when he was in high school. When he left our town for Iowa, he was a very good guy and a terrific friend. I don't know why he did what he did, and I do think he deserves the consequences. I don't think he deserved to be put in Fort Dodge, though, and I'm glad to know he's been moved. A lot of my friends and I are concerned for him but don't know how we can be of any help from New Mexico. As an old friend of his, I know he is capable of turning his life around. For all of you who would heartlessly say that he deserved to be at Fort Dodge, I want you to think of your friends. One of them could snap just like Thomas did. That doesn't make them evil. That means they messed up and need help. If anyone gets any more info about his situation, could you post it? My friends and I would appreciate it greatly.

I'm so very happy to hear from yet more of Thomas's friends. I to think he messed up and deserves to pay for what he did, but I also believe he made a bad decision that he can comeback from if he knows he has plenty of people pulling for him. You can email me directly at hackrider@yahoo.com. I'll respond with info that I would prefer NOT to post in a public forum. :)

Bev

Thomas Boggs, if you would like to help, here's a way to help him.

http://www.iowacourts.state.ia.us/ESAWebApp/TIndexFrm

Paste this into your address bar, then click on FINANCIAL

Bev -
Thanks a billion on your info on Thomas' current location!