And as a deterrent obviously, I missed that bit out, though I think the prospect of killing someone is a far better deterrent for drink-driving than any prison sentence. All the most successful countries in the world focus on rehabilitation over punishment (Apart from the USA, and look at their mess of a justice system), and it has been shown that this does a far better job of preventing crime.
I don't know whether the two have to be mutually exclusive. Why not say people can be punished as a deterrent and also a signal in a sense of what the society will accept. But at the same time try and rehabilitate the criminals and try and help them to rebuild their lives. Where we would disagree is that I would probably generally want longer sentences because I think punishment isn't just about being functional ie punishment has a role outside of keeping dangerous people locked up. Anyway I'm not being overly coherent as I'm exhausted from the heat and exam stress. Perhaps a debate for another time.
The man is a disgrace. He took his life, and more importantly everybody elses that was on the road, or near him at the time, into is own hands. Serving 5 years or whatever it was is a disgrace. Minimum of 15 years for me. And in answer to your 2nd question, i would be absolutely devestated if Saints signed Mccormack or another such low life. Football is about winning, but it's also about being proud of who you support and how can you be proud of on organisation that employs somebody who took the lives of two young boys?
Prison acts as a deterrant, punishment and to protect society. I am astonished sometimes at the people that do get released. A drink driver (who isn't an alcoholic) will probably not reoffend, but people get released who will be a continuing threat to others. There are people who will never be rehabilitated...the monster who gouged out a woman's eyes is an example. May be a model prisoner in gaol surrounded only be men, but he should never be released. I remember a case when a middle-aged male judge said, ' I realise you may always be a threat to young women, but I'm willing to take that chance.' Guess what happened! One murder isn't always the same as another.
A lot of decisions by the parole board are also influenced by cost. Society already supports the elderly, non working disabled and children. Add a high prison population to this and it's an expense which can't really be justified especially when it comes to low danger risk cases who will find work straight away. Unless we bring chain gangs the prison population is a burden on society
I also believe in the power of humiliation. Young thugs will look less cool in bright orange picking up rubbish than playing the hard man card after a short spell in prison. Refuse to pick up rubbish! Only bread and tea for dinner. Nowt wrong with having a sense of shame reintroduced into society.
To be honest reading through the debate it does strike me there is an awful lot of people that seem to want revenge as a form of justice. Justice is not about revenge it is about serving what the courts would argue is a just punishment. You cannot argue any differently in regards to the horror or the incredible heart ache that it causes the families. You can of course argue as to whether you think justice was handed out. In truth though emotion can never have a place when working out what a sentence should be. No one would argue the driver wasn't stupid. In truth we all have our pet hates as to who should and shouldn't be allowed back into society after any wrong doing. Every single person could arguably make a case for every single wrong doing. So that when the perpetrator is caught lock him up and throw away the key. We are not a barbaric society though. We do have a duty to educate and persuade people to try and not make such stupid judgements. As I said before there is always consequences for the judgements we do make. If we make a wrong decision as in this case. We are punished according to law. When we are let back into society we have to support ourselves and try to make up for that indiscretion and lack of judgement. For most the only way you can do that is by not repeating any of your passed errors of judgement and actually contribute something back to society. We as a society have to let people do that. No matter what there actual job or vocation is. There is not anything we can say or do that will aid the families bereavement. Most will have some understanding as to the sense of injustice they will feel knowing that the man that killed their children is now back in society and will be free to have children of his own and to grow old with them. Something they have been deprived of. Until someone can invent a better way of doing things for those people there cannot ever be a satisfying justice. Even if he had been put to death for his crime. Do you really think it would have helped to heal their scars? No in reality it would not, revenge it may have been. The loss though would still be there.........
I believe that there are some people who cannot be rehabilitated..the ones with a fundamental character flaw. Anyone who lures and murders children will never see the error of their ways because their brains are wired differently. Keep them and potential victims safe. I don't believe in capital punishment however...for the state to plan the death of a human being in a cold and calculated way diminishes all of us and drags us down to the level of the murderer.
Then there are the cases of Steven Michael Woods and Carlos deLuna, where the wrong man has been sentenced to death, but by the time they realise it is too late.
There is a real feeling that sentences are too short for serious crimes, especially where a life is taken or awful things are done to kids. For some crimes life imprisonment is too short, but the death penalty does run the risk that an innocent person could be killed. My view is much longer, and in some cases life sentences, but no death penalty.
And to cut costs on the lifers, why not just stick them in some dungeon with a bit of bread & water each day, oh & maybe a book about human rights, & how to earn them.
I am not here to argue whether the sentence was a just one.......that is a separate debate. You are absolutely right for the parents there is no escape from the nightmare. Even if the driver himself had been given the ultimate punishment of death. The parents would still be in a nightmare. It would not bring back their children. According to our current laws he has been let out on licence to serve the rest of his sentence back in the community. Also he is not as you put it free as a bird....he is on licence so does not have the usual freedoms that every one else does. However galling it may seem to the parents, that unfortunately is the law of this country. If the law isn't right then change it........but what ever you do will not take away the hurt of the family. One final thing..... do not make personal remarks on this board about any poster or you will face the consequences of your action too. I will gaurentee you will not like that either!!
An emotional subject but a calm debate would be good, forget the ****ers and ****ing stupid, it only goes one way.
Ernie: you don't know he doesn't feel remorse, you don't know he's in any way "privileged". In fact, you don't know diddly squat, so why not shut it? Or is that too difficult?
