California Law

[Tal]

My story was an exagerated example....one which sadly very probably happens often anyway.

What a funny dichotomy you're creating - are you even reading what you type before you post it? I was exaggerating...but it happens often!

Of course I'm not saying it will always be like that.

Are you getting winded backpedaling so much? I know I need to take a breather when I read this drivel.

The whole idea of e.g. you finding that punishments are not hard enough is what bothers me.

Well bothers, it is more a different way of thinking. I agree with you that (theoretically) there are a lot of people that deserve very tough punishment. The question is just, what do you want your government to do?
Just without thinking to much keep punishing heavily, don't think about circumstances in prison, and give you a nice feeling of revenge and 'he is punished because he did wrong'. With all the consequenses....more violence in prison..and because of that the moral wrong of releasing these 'trained criminals' in society. With as only result they commit more crimes, and you can start punishing even more this time.

Once again you jump to the assumption that punishment not tough enough = violence.

Society is not getting safer....it will get much more dangerous.
I know, it is a choice between what gives you a good feeling and what would be better for society.
Fact is that there is absolutely no evidence that making punsishments worse will lessen the amount of crime.

I can play the random fact game too! Fact is that there is no evidence that lessening punishments for crimes will lessen the amount of crime either! You'll also notice that I never - at any point - made the claim that prison time was to prevent crime or lessen the crime rate.