Scary people are roaming the streets of many big cities, thanks to Democrats, who believe that innocent black people are arrested convicted by our purportedly racist justice system. Under the rubric of “bail reform,” even chronic offenders can be back on the streets the same day they are arrested.

New York Mayor Bill de Blasio was recently so embarrassed by the catch and release of Tiffany Harris after back-to-back arrests for violent attacks on orthodox Jews accompanied by hateful rhetoric that he personally intervened with the court to get her locked up on psychiatric grounds. But the policies that led to her release remain in  place in New York.

Equally problematic is Chicago, where “bail reform” has been in place since 2017. In addition, probation is liberally granted, leading to this scary fellow now walking the streets after four recent arrests, and one conviction (so far) in just a few months. The excellent website CWB Chicago explains:

Since Tyrese Parris pleaded guilty in September to a reduced charge of theft from person in connection with a violent robbery, he has been arrested three more times — including once for allegedly headbutting a cop in the nose and battering a CTA Red Line passenger. But Cook County’s feckless court system has released him back on the streets each time.

Back on May 8, prosecutors charged Parris with felony robbery, battery, and three counts of theft of lost or mislaid property after he mugged a 21-year-old man in Uptown.

Prosecutors said Parris, 21, and two others beat the victim in the face, threw him to the ground, then took the man’s phone, headphones, and credit cards.

When officers located Parris a short time later, they allegedly found the victim’s property in his possession along with a wallet, a debit card, and a Ventra card that belonged to three other men. Police said Parris “made statements admitting his participation in the robbery” after being advised of his right to remain silent.

On Sept. 16, Judge Shelley Sutker-Dermer sentenced Parris to two years probation after he struck a deal with prosecutors in which he pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of theft from person.

Tyrese Parris (photo credit: Chicago Police Via CWB Chicago)

The leniency shown to Tyrese apparently didn’t persuade him to go and violate no more.

 On Dec. 5, prosecutors charged Parris with two counts of possessing a controlled substance on the 900 block of West Belmont. He was subsequently released.

On Dec. 21, police arrested Parris as he allegedly prowled cars inside a parking garage on the 3400 block of North Broadway. Prosecutors charged him with possessing burglary tools and trespassing. He was released on his own recognizance.

At least those two arrests were for non-violent crimes. But Tyrese reverted to form, if the allegation about his New Year’s Day festivities are true:

On Jan. 1, a 28-year-old Gold Coast resident flagged down police at the Roosevelt CTA station and reported that Parris punched him as they rode a southbound Red Line train near Monroe. Police said the victim suffered “blunt force injuries” to his face.

Officers arrested Parris on the platform. He immediately began resisting and he headbutted one cop in the nose, causing the officer to become disoriented, police said. Parris later kicked a second officer during a custodial search, according to CPD records.

Despite attacking cops in addition to an ordinary citizen, Tyrese is back on the streets again, after paying $100 in bail. Keep in mind that this man is on probation and is supposed to keep his nose clean. But to the Left, protecting lawful people from chronic criminals is less important than scoring racial grievance points.

“Mass incarceration” is the label given to their crusade to set free or never jail people accused or convicted of serious crimes.  The  ACLU contends:

...more Americans are deprived of their liberty than ever before - unfairly and unnecessarily, with no benefit to public safety. It’s a problem that affects people of color most of all. (snip)

 … there are too many people in prison and for all the wrong reasons. Overcrowded prisons (snip)

Inflated prison populations have also fueled the for-profit prison industry. 

I fail to see how there is a benefit to the public in allowing a convicted felon on probation to roam the streets after being arrested for a subseuqent violent attack on an innocent train rider. I agree with Senator Tom Cotton that our problem is under incarceration. But that expression receives almost no attention in the public discourse. A Google search yields 11,500 results for “under incarceration” while “mass incarceration” boasts 14,500,000 results.