Discretion in sentencing sex offenders

I think judges need to be able to used discretion in sentencing. I don't like the idea of "one sentence fits all".

 

We need better judges.

 

I have no problem with Joseph's proposal.

 

I think the original proposal is too lenient.

 

Good point, Joseph. Hard to love them kind of neighbors...and I actually have one.

 

convicted molesters and rapists should recieve the death penalty the first time around

 

Two teens go too far on their prom night, and the next day, after sobering up, the woman believes that the sex was not consensual. She was raped. Her date is tried under this new sentencing proposal.

I would argue that life in prison without parole is not a reasonable punishment for this crime, assuming that the date was guilty. But, even more problematic, if this is the only punishment that could be handed out, a jury would be less likely to convict in cases like the above, or other similarly nuanced cases.

The result: fewer sex offenders would be convicted.

 

A woman who works with our son Jon has a 16 year old son in jail until he's 21 for having sex (consensual) with his 15 year old girlfriend. The girl is only months younger than the boy and her parents 'caught' them and called police.

The boy has never been in trouble in any way and now has been charged and convicted of statutory rape.

 

Wait a minute. A 16 year old boy has consensual sex with a 15 year old girl. For all we know she could be days away from turning 16 herself. And you say this boy should rot in jail for the rest of his life???

What about the girl? Why shouldn't she also "rot in jail"???

What if this were YOUR son? Would you still want him to rot in jail? I think not.

 

Mandatory sentencing is the result of the public's dissatisfaction with judicial sentencing, and is far too harsh in it’s leaning away from justice and to persecution.

And stating that one believes in the death penelty for anyone, not convicted of murder, is wrong.

 

Re: the 16 y.o. boy and 15 y.o girl...

They are both minor children. Are we to put 8 year olds in prison for playing "doctor"? Many statutory rape laws require the older party to be more than 3 years older than the younger.

This all comes from the puritanical views of sex held by so many. The justice system is being abused in a case like this, where all it requires is teaching and parenting. This is also abuse of the kids.

 

Duncan Reportedly Bragged About Killings </font>[/QUOTE]What this story does NOT say is that Duncan, in his FIRST offence back in 1980, sodomized this other boy when Duncan was 16. We can see that Duncan was evil way back then but the courts only gave him 20 years.

I agree with Joseph to a certain point. Duncan should have gotten at the very least, life w/o parole. Frankly he should have been executed back then.

In the case Diane brings to this discussion, consesual sex is a completely different matter.

I think we should abolish the plea bargain. This is the primary reason we are seeing such "softness" on all crimes. We should dump this mindset that we need to save money, therefore offer them a plea bargain. Saving prosecution money and other court costs by offering a plea to a lesser crime is insane.

He said/she said sorts of crimes ought to be better handled as well, though I don't know how. The bible tells us any issue needs two or three witnesses. But I highly doubt if our society really cares about this.

Life w/o is the very least we should do about monsters like Duncan. As for the 16 year old who has consensual yet the girl later regrets her decision and charges the boy, who can say for sure? Underage sex is illegal, but that age of consent varies from state to state. Where one state would call a 16 year old boy a sex offender, the next state wouldn't. I am not so sure how we should handle that problem.

In HIS service;
Jim