Making The Punishment Fit The Crime Essay

, Research Paper

Making the Punishment Fit the Crime

Case 1-

I think that Jane Carson is somewhat of a threat to those around her. She isn t quite fit to live in society since society has not really accepted her. She has obvious social problems and needs psychiatric attention immediately. If she were sent to jail again she would probably try to take her life again as well. In this case, a fine of any amount would do no justice nor would it help Jane out. She is probably lacking money anyways since she has a habit of larceny. I sentence Jane Carson to at least 1 year at the Youth Training School, and once out she will receive formal probation. Jail will not help her since she has problems with communication and social skills. I feel a mentor or someone affiliated with a church would help her quite a bit. She is in desperate need of attention as well as the need to feel welcome and needed in society. I also sentence her to attend a drug rehab program while attending the Youth Training School. I feel that the less amount of time Jane is incarcerated the more she will learn to adjust to society. She needs to be with her children too. They are the only things that she seems to be living for as of now. If they make her happy then so be it. I wouldn t want her children to be taken away from her since I fear that she might become suicidal again.

Case 2-

Allan Jacobs needs to be admitted into a drug rehab program. From age 17 to 19 he has had 6 separate accounts of drug related incidents. He seems to be an intelligent boy who has fallen into a drug problem which he would accuse his family of causing. His father probably doesn t set any great examples for him and I m sure when he has needed his father he hasn t been able to help. He has family problems that are quite apparent, and this is a strong factor to his current problems. His drug problem can be fixed but his recent attacks on people and his larceny attempts need to be dealt with by jail time. I sentence him to 1 year at the county jail. I also sentence him to a drug rehabilitation program that he must complete. His sentence will be straightforward and harsh. Once he has completed his year at the county jail he will receive three years probation. Hopefully he will learn that he has to start paying for his crimes.

Case 3-

Dave Riley is obviously in a hard time in his life. He has resorted to some desperate measures to support his family. He doesn t

really have a past record but you must consider that he must have conspired to commit his most recent crime. He knew that he might get caught but he still took the risk. He really needs to find a way to get his business on track. I am going to sentence him to 300 days in a county jail to be served on the weekends. I want him to be able to work on the weekdays so that he can still run his business. I don t think he needs any type of formal probation nor does he need informal probation. When I give his sentence I will give him a nice speech about maybe going to school on the weeknights, his life in general, and his children. He needs to think about his actions and how they can affect his business. I will not fine him because he needs money right now and I want him to get back on his feet. I hope that this sentencing will rehabilitate him and teach him a few things.

Case 4-

Rodney Baker who committed second-degree murder is really going to pay for his crime. You can t associate his home life into this at all since it is not related to how his family treats him. He planned to rob this guy but out of an act of passion he stabbed the liquor storeowner to death. Since he was tried as an adult he will be sentenced like one too. He committed a serious crime that hurt a great deal of people. I am going to sentence him to 10 years in prison. His time in there will be harsh but well remembered. I will also mandate 2 years of probation if he serves his full ten years, but if he is let out early on parole then that is the parole board s matter. I will not fine him though since I don t want him to be in debt when he is released from prison. I want him to be examined by a psychiatrist during his incarceration. I m not sure if he will ever be able to function in society, but there is always a chance.

Case 5-

John Mitchell has committed a crime that shouldn t really affect his future other than his social life. He has no past record and wouldn t do well in a prison or jail. He probably lives a very high-class style of life and is probably very embarrassed by this recent dilemma. His reputation has been demolished and any credentials are now overlooked. He really only deserves a very large fine. With all of this considered I sentence him to 1 year in jail with a suspended sentence and a $500,000 fine. He is lucky that he is at an old age or he would probably end up working at a McDonald s since anyone who is anyone heard about this most recent scandal.