Others say and I have often said ” what happens in the past should stay in the past”. However, this belief has a different meaning in the criminal justice system when it comes to sentencing. Sentencing has many different layers when courts determine the fate of a person charged with an offense. The main focus is on the offense. A person is charged with murder and another person who has a theft charge will obviously receive many different outcomes.
People throughout this country at some point may have contact with the criminal justice system. After all, the U.S has a greater percentage of people incarcerated than any other country in the world. This should not be so. After many years of harsh punishment and mandatory minimum sentences, prisons are overcrowded. Recidivism is at an all-time high. We often hear people formerly incarcerated say “I paid my debt to society”. This is so not true.
Past encounters with law enforcement can result in serious consequences (The Three Strike Rule). I recall a case that was held in Fulton County Superior Court many years ago. The defendant was charged with a drug offense involving crack cocaine. There was another defendant charged with robbery for stealing food stamps out of a woman’s purse. Both of these individuals had prior encounters with the justice system. At sentencing and because of their past, the first offender was sentenced to life while the other received twenty years to serve. There are other similar situations in our current criminal justice system where people are charged with offenses for which they should receive punishment but not to the extreme levels that we see happening.
Additionally, the probation system is in need of restructuring. In many cases when a person is placed on probation, they have to report sometimes on a weekly basis, do community service, maintain a job, take classes, and pay fines and other fees. It makes it very difficult to keep a job and attend these classes as some of the classes are only offered during the workday. The justice system is set up in such a way that most people that fall within its grips will surely fail, make no mistake about it. Individuals that commit criminal acts must and should be held accountable. However, under the current sentencing guidelines, there should be changes that are appropriate for the offense. In other words, the punishment needs to fit the crime. Please give VMG a thumbs up or like and share & subscribe. We need, appreciate, and ask for your support.
Thanks!
Marvin Dixon
VMGReview
VMG Review 