Stupid Sentencing
I have a problem with the way we sentence people in the American justice system.
Today, Bernie Madoff was sentenced to 150 years in prison. He’s 71. So he can get released when he’s 221.
Am I the only person who finds this completely stupid? Can’t we just sentence him to life in prison? Isn’t that basically the same thing without the moronic element of poor math?
We do these types of stupid sentences all the time. Someone gets 5-15 years in prison. WTF is that? Can we just make a danged decision and commit to it? How about 5 years. Or 15 years. How can we be so unsure of ourselves that we have to give ourselves 10 years of leeway in a 15 year sentence?
“Good Behavior”? Again… WTF is that? By definition, aren’t the people in prison being punished for BAD behavior? How does not stabbing people in the joint qualify them for early release?
Can we agree that if someone is sentenced to more years than they could possibly live, we should just execute them to make room in jail and save taxpayer dollars? What’s the difference? They aren’t getting out anyhow… they must have done something pretty messed up to get 150 years in prison. The electric chair needs to make a comeback.
Bernie Madoff might live another 10 years. I don’t think a 10 year sentence is sufficient for someone like him. He’s a perfect candidate for the chair. He’ll die in prison either way. The chair is just quicker and cheaper. The last thing society should have to do is pay another red cent to feed that man.
In my world, there’s not such thing as good behavior or parole. If you deserve 10 years in jail at sentencing, then you deserve 10 years. Period.
Monday, June 29th, 2009
