As much as I would like to vote yes, Judges should have the last say on a case by case basis. That being said, every Judge should make a conscious effort to allow people who show any type of history that indicates such low level offenders should be trusted to show up for judgement, a pathway to freedom for the interim. Some type of community service if the person is jobless, and/or tax deductible apprenticeship programs to help these folks to progress would be much more constructive than just turning them loose, or incarceration as it is.
Our whole "justice system" is a system of injustice. We have mentally ill, drug addicts, traffic offenders, thieves, child molesters, rapists, murderers etc, all balled up together in jails and prisons. Consequently those who are small infraction violators commune with the most off kilter personalities of our society. With very little structure in place to actually rehabilitate and educate those who are needing those types of intervention, the revolving door of recividism is greased.
I have been an advocate for the study and initiation of the Norwegian justice system model which approaches each individual with an eye toward inclusion to society upon release. Our system is the direct opposite.
As much as I would like to
As much as I would like to vote yes, Judges should have the last say on a case by case basis. That being said, every Judge should make a conscious effort to allow people who show any type of history that indicates such low level offenders should be trusted to show up for judgement, a pathway to freedom for the interim. Some type of community service if the person is jobless, and/or tax deductible apprenticeship programs to help these folks to progress would be much more constructive than just turning them loose, or incarceration as it is.
Our whole "justice system" is a system of injustice. We have mentally ill, drug addicts, traffic offenders, thieves, child molesters, rapists, murderers etc, all balled up together in jails and prisons. Consequently those who are small infraction violators commune with the most off kilter personalities of our society. With very little structure in place to actually rehabilitate and educate those who are needing those types of intervention, the revolving door of recividism is greased.
I have been an advocate for the study and initiation of the Norwegian justice system model which approaches each individual with an eye toward inclusion to society upon release. Our system is the direct opposite.