Clarification

• Pages: 8-8

Bail system debate

I would expect ABA membership to

decline in the face of the ABA Journal’s

constant barrage of contemporary

liberal articles, of which the recita-

tion “Change Agents: A New Wave of

Reform Prosecutors Upends the Status

Quo,” June, page 40, constitutes an

example. The attacks on the bail system

(notwithstanding the U.S. Constitu-

tion’s recognition of bail), the thinly

veiled innuendos about police ofcers

and the unending allegations about a

“broken” criminal justice system convey

unmistakable evidence of editorial and

institutional bias. As a nearly 60-year

ABA member and onetime House of

Delegates member still practicing law, I

can understand disregard of the ABA by

so many current lawyers.

Judge Quentin L. Kopp (Ret.)

San Francisco

Second chances

I was extremely happy to see “Marked

for Life,” May, page 40—a cover story,

nonetheless—on helping ex-offenders

reintegrate and move forward. You also

highlighted the (often) repeated at-

tempts to do so, as well as the slips that

almost inevitably occur. Kudos to Mr.

Steve Price for sharing his story (and to

his mother for being a supermother),

Target Area DevCorp, Steve Perkins,

Mr. Joshua Coakley, Apostle Joseph L.

Stanford and his church. Any and all

industries, such as Koch Industries, need

to be recognized too. In Canada, the

7th Step Society has a similar mission,

using institutional and street groups

to support ex-offenders to stay out of

prisons and jails.

Mark Knox

Nova Scotia, Canada

Your recent article on ending mass

incarceration was excellent. Second

chances are just the beginning. Some

people need third or fourth chances.

I spent my teenage years locked up in

a juvenile correctional facility. After

turning 18, I went to prison twice.

After narrowly escaping a life sentence

on a Georgia chain gang, I returned to

Minnesota. Later, I went to college and

then law school, and after clerking for

the Minnesota Court of Appeals for

two terms became one of, if not the

only, prosecuting attorney to have been

in prison.

Being a prosecutor was good for me.

I held myself to a higher standard and

demanded the best from myself. I felt

good about who I was. I later decided

to become a defense lawyer. It was

a mistake for me. I believe everyone

deserves the best defense they can get,

but for me, it was not healthy. Holding

myself accountable lifted me up. Spend-

ing my days making excuses for other

people’s bad behavior did not. I ended

up in trouble again.

I have now been working with a law-

yer in Missouri for the last seven years

as a paralegal. I believe I and so many

others like me have something to offer.

Thank you for sending that message to

the bar in your articles.

In the ’90s when I was in law school

and wanted to make a real difference

in correctional policy, no one cared.

The country was awash in money, and

building prisons was the solution. I was

a uke: a token of how rehabilitation

was possible. No one actually wanted

to hear anything I had to say. I pray

they listen to you.

Brian Pierce

Springeld, Missouri

Letters From Our Readers

Corrections

“Changes You Deserve: A Historic

Transformation,” June, page 5, should

have referred to the ABA Model Rules

of Professional Conduct.

In “Law, Camera, Action!” June, page

52, Daliah Saper should have been

identied as principal attorney at Saper

Law.

The Journal regrets the errors.

Clarification

“Lawyers, Songs & Money,” July-Au-

gust, page 38, used “plagiarism” inter-

changeably with “copyright infringe-

ment” in four instances. Although the

terms have elements in common, they

have distinct legal denitions.

Letters to the Editor

You may submit a letter by email

to abajournal@americanbar.org or

via mail: Attn: Letters, ABA Journal,

321 N. Clark St. Chicago, IL 60654.

Letters must concern articles pub-

lished in the Journal. They may be

edited for clarity or space. Be sure

to include your name, city and state,

and email address.

ABA JOURNAL | SEPTEMBER–OCTOBER 2019

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