Honor among thieves

[Redmage]

You're looking at it in a very cut and dry way. The way I see it, he obviously didn't learn the first two times he got caught and imprisoned, so he doesn't deserve to be free again.

That sounds pretty cut and dried to me.

But see, Viper, that's exactly the reasoning I'm questioning. You're saying, "He didn't learn the first two times, so throw away the key the third time." Should we apply that rule to speeding? I don't think so, and I doubt you do either. That's the point: what crimes are really serious enough to deserve life without parole? I just can't see how anyone could put burglary in that category, no matter how many times it's done. If you can explain the reasoning to me, I'd appreciate it.

The fact remains though that the law is the law. Three strikes and you're out.

Sure, that's the law. The question I'm asking is, is it justice? Is the law right? There's a world of difference between what is legal and what is moral - ask anyone whose ancestors were legally enslaved, for example. Just saying "it's the law" doesn't make these questions go away: the law is the reason for the questions.

 

[asutickler]

The three strikes rule is a tough call when it comes to non-violent offenders... I agree with Redmage that a life sentence for burglary seems rather excessive. Then again, what do you do with someone with someone who has demonstrated that he will go straight back to burglarizing houses as soon as he's released? Anyone who breaks into enough houses is bound to encounter a homeowner sooner or later... And that probably isn't going to end well. The best compromise that comes to mind at the moment is lifetime monitoring (similar to house arrest) after the guy's release from prison... But that's hardly a perfect solution.


As far as the case at hand goes: Mr. Hahn assisted the police in catching a child molester through information obtained in the course of one of his burglaries. Without Mr. Hahn's help, that disgusting bastard might have traumatized many other one or two year old children. If I was the judge in this case I would reduce Hahn's current offence to a high-grade misdemeanor, and give him the maximum sentence available for a misdemeanor-class crime. We already reduce the sentences of prisoners who agree to testify against other, worse criminals... And showing a bit of leniency would encourage other burglars who encountered a similar situation to assist the authorities. Hahn is a slimeball, but he DID assist in the apprehension of someone far, far worse.