“STARTLED”

When you jump in the night,

You’ve been startled with fright.

Must have been scenes from the past,

The vision will never be the last.

When you cry out in the night,

You’ve been startled with fright.

You know the reason, not hearing a sound,

Like trees falling in the forest, no one around.

When you toss n turn, sweat in the night,

You’ve been startled with fright.

Where’s the peace of abundant sleep?

You fill there’s no relief down deep.

When there’s a flash in the night,

You’ve been startled with fright.

Without life, the vision is at end,

The gun the wrong message you send.

By John B. Tidwell

VGSQ-Media

“64% of California’s jail population is awaiting trial or sentencing as of December 2016.” Most remain in pretrial custody because they cannot afford bail.  Jail Profile Survey, http://www.bscc.ca.gov/

“if y’all think I did it…just give me a lawyer, dawg, ‘cause this is not what’s up.”Warren Demesme said during police questioning.The Louisiana Supreme Court held that this reference was too ambiguous to count as a request for counsel.REASON Magazine, January 2018

73 percent of Alabama is within a drug-free zone, defined as extending three miles from schools, colleges and housing complexes and resulting in a five- year enhancement.  REASON Magazine, January 2018

UC Davis combats prison stigmas with Beyond the Stats

Christmas comes early with VGSQ’s Toys for Tots

Study shows rural jails add to mass incarceration