whats your stance?

If a person commits a crime do you think there should be a set sentence for them to serve? For example all murderers get a mandatory 40 years all rapists get 30 years...something like that. I hate seeing someone who brutally murdered someone only getting a few years, and then someone who stole a candy bar gets 20 years! Its crazy to me...but what does everyone else think?

Quoting MamaAndrea:“ If a person commits a crime do you think there should be a set sentence for them to serve? For example ... [snip!] ... getting a few years, and then someone who stole a candy bar gets 20 years! Its crazy to me...but what does everyone else think?”

No because it all depends on circumstances.. one was more violent.. motive etc

Quoting MamaAndrea:“ If a person commits a crime do you think there should be a set sentence for them to serve? For example ... [snip!] ... getting a few years, and then someone who stole a candy bar gets 20 years! Its crazy to me...but what does everyone else think?”

I totally agree!!!!

I think that is a great idea. I got robbed at gunpoint when I was 7 months pregnant,(at the nail salon no less)and they only got like 4 years or some crap. Bullshit if you ask me

But if there were set sentances.. personally I wouldn't want someone who commited murder due to the fact the 'victim' raped thier child or something and they got the same amount of time as someone that murdered someone because they said something they didnt like

I think that there should be stricter punishments.. I firmly believe in the death penalty though. I think if you kill someone, you should die the same way as you killed them.. but then they consider that cruel and inhumane or whatever. but i think that is the way it should be. and I also think any male rapist should get their dick cut-off as well.. not like the 18 year olds who are having sex with their 15 year old gf's and the parents press charges either.. I mean the sick bastards that hurt all those little kids, and do disgusting things to them... that is my upinion though.. I do NOT believe that time served will cure anybobdy. there was a guy here in MI no that long ago that sexually mutilated a woman with a pepsi bottle (a glass one.. not plastic), and killed her and he got out early for good behavior, they were supposed to keep tabs on him, and within a few days they lost him already. he is going to go do that to another woman, and go back to jail and get out, and it is a never ending cycle.. I want to know, if the same thing got done to these people, if they knew what it felt like, if they would go back out there and be repeat offenders?
my step-dad raped my baby sister..(she wasn't really a baby, but she is to me) from the time she was 5 years old until she was about 12 or so, and all he got was 30 days in jail, and 5 years probabtion... what the hell did that teach him.. not a god damn thing!!!!! it tells him he can go back out there and do it again.. for a 3rd time.. well technically 4th time.. he did that to his step-sister, my sister and me... and he still got away with it... that is why I think the way I do!

Quoting Ms.Melody:“ But if there were set sentances.. personally I wouldn't want someone who commited murder due to the fact ... [snip!] ... or something and they got the same amount of time as someone that murdered someone because they said something they didnt like”

i think there should be a set minimum, and for the worser ones, they can add to it but not get any less than the minimum bc no matter what the circumstances murder shouldn't be an option

Quoting ang_turtle:“ i think there should be a set minimum, and for the worser ones, they can add to it but not get any less than the minimum bc no matter what the circumstances murder shouldn't be an option”

idk about the states but here we do have set minimum sentances for crimes

Quoting 5.23.08 = Boy or girl!:“ I think that there should be stricter punishments.. I firmly believe in the death penalty though. I think ... [snip!] ... time.. he did that to his step-sister, my sister and me... and he still got away with it... that is why I think the way I do!”

agreed!!!!!!!!!!

Quoting Ms.Melody:“ But if there were set sentances.. personally I wouldn't want someone who commited murder due to the fact the 'victim' raped their child...'

I think that is one of the very few exceptions!!

Quoting 5.23.08 = Boy or girl!:“ I think that there should be stricter punishments.. I firmly believe in the death penalty though. I think ... [snip!] ... time.. he did that to his step-sister, my sister and me... and he still got away with it... that is why I think the way I do!”

I'm so sorry to hear about your sister I can't even imagine the torment your family must've gone through! I say I don't believe in the death penelty but to be honest if I was in your shoes... I'd want to kill him myself

I think reason, record and circumstance should be considered! These days people are going to jail for shooting somebody who entered THEIR home to rob them or who knows what else. We cant even use self defense anymore.

Self defense to me is not murder thats protecting yourself. I dont believe under that circumstance that you should go to prison or get any time for that matter. I believe murder is murder and rape is rape etc. and while there is degrees of how bad it is, motive and so on all that doesnt matter to me. I dont like seeing a person molesting a child getting 5 years and getting out on good behavior then someone who did something in my mind not so bad going away for longer then a pedophile. I love the idea of them having a minimum for any crime and then added on years for the severity of the crime, circumstance, record....

Quoting TreeTop [Team Pink]:“ I think reason, record and circumstance should be considered! These days people are going to jail for ... [snip!] ... to jail for shooting somebody who entered THEIR home to rob them or who knows what else. We cant even use self defense anymore.”

you can if you live in NM. Its under the castle law, homeowners are protected here. Man I <3 our state.

Edited to add: of course in other states, *coughcoughcali* where people sympathize more with the person that broke the law, the victims do get convicted. Total crap.

Quoting MamaAndrea:“ If a person commits a crime do you think there should be a set sentence for them to serve? For example ... [snip!] ... getting a few years, and then someone who stole a candy bar gets 20 years! Its crazy to me...but what does everyone else think?”

No. What about extenuating circumstances? Judges need the leeway to be lenient if the situation warrants it.

For example, imagine the set sentence for a marijuana possession charge was five years. Someone gets caught with three ounces, he gets five years. Someone gets caught with half a gram (that's barely even one joint) of weed, that would also be five years.

The judge should have the discretion to give the guy with half a gram a minimal sentence, or to throw the case out. His hands would be tied with a set sentence.

There are a lot of flaws with the justice system, but imposing set sentences is not the way to rectify them.

C.