The legal system isn't always fair, let alone just. Consider how many people out there commit serious crimes and get off with a slap on the wrist. Remember Brock Turner, the Stanford rapist? He was sentenced to six months in jail followed by three years of probation for raping college student Chanel Miller (and was later released after serving only three months). I haven't even gotten into how cruel the "justice system" is to survivors of sexual assault, which complicates matters further.
After Redditor maekeyisn't cool asked the online community, "What crimes do you think should have a more serious punishment?" people shared their opinions.
"Compare that to a guy..."
White-collar crimes that result in many people losing their life savings. Compare that to a guy robbing a single house, who will probably get a harsher sentence.
This is a big one.
Seeing the rich and powerful get away with slaps on the wrist for full-blown Ponzi schemes is demoralizing.
Bernie Madoff committed the largest financial fraud in American history, receiving a 150-year prison sentence. He's the exception to the rule. Then again, his crimes affected a lot of his fellow wealthy people...
"Yet it gets dismissed..."
Perjury.
It happens alot more than people realize. Yet it gets dismissed so much that almost no one can really do anything about it. The courts are so clogged up as it is, it would have to be extremely severe for anyone in power to take notice.
"All crimes against those..."
All crimes against those who are likely to be taken advantage of/can't defend themselves properly: children, the elderly, and animals. Especially Sex crimes and abuse and to lie about it, as it hurts alleged offenders and real victims. Crimes based on discrimination of gender, religion, and race.
"Honestly..."
Animal cruelty. And attempted kidnapping. Honestly how many kidnapped children do you hear of coming home alive or ever being found again? Not friggen many.... so anyone attempting to kidnap a child should be felt with more severely, they aren't intending to take these kids to a nice place.
In 2019...
former President Donald Trump signed legislation making animal cruelty a federal crime."Humanity as a whole..."
The punishment seems to never match the crime, a drug dealer will get 40 years yet a sex offender will get 3-5.
This is completely backward in my opinion and should be reversed.
I also do not personally believe in incarceration for most crimes, I believe if you get more than ten years you should just be killed, as life in prison is a fate worse than death.
Humanity as a whole should be focused on fixing this instead of taking the easy way out by handing out life sentences.
"If you are a cop..."
Tampering with evidence. If you are a cop, lawyer, or judge,and you fudge stuff for a conviction, and it's found out?
Bam - all you in prison for the length of sentence you handed out.
Attempted anything should carry the same sentence as the actual crime. Attempted murder, attempted abduction.
You shouldn't receive a lesser sentence just because you weren't able to complete your goal.
"This crime is not only extremely dangerous..."
Kidnapping.
This crime is not only extremely dangerous at the time of its commission, but carries huge delayed consequences. Changes in the child's psyche and, as a result, possible future crimes.
How do we fix this?
It's distressing to think about all the cracks in the system, particularly when the discussion focuses on the harshest crimes. That we live in a world where child abusers and rapists often walk away with a slap on the wrist is unconsionable.
Have some thoughts of your own? Feel free to share them in the comments below.
Want to "know" more? Never miss another big, odd, funny, or heartbreaking moment again. Sign up for the Knowable newsletter here.
Jane Rosenberg
Jane Rosenberg
@arianagrande/Instagram
@arianagrande/Instagram