Thomas Sowell answers Justice Kennedy's recent remarks concerning mandatory sentencing...what do you think? Have we gone too far with our sentencing? If so, how do you explain the dramatic drop in serious crime?
http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/Stories/0,1413,206~11851~1603271,00.html

[This message was edited by BLeonard on 09-09-03 at .]

Verona's Prince knew what he was talking about in Romeo and Juliet, though, of course, he was not referring just to the criminal conduct of Tybalt and Mercutio. This is an age old debate-- what is the real relationship between punishment and prevention (safety). For me the crux and essential truth of the article is: "When any costs are compared by the anti-punishment crowd, it is usually a comparison between the costs of imprisonment versus the costs of various programs that promise to prevent crime or to rehabilitate criminals. No doubt promises and theories are cheaper than walls and bars. The only question is whether they are equally effective. But evidence on this is seldom asked or given." They say we do not represent the victims of our cases, but we are all the next potential victims. Punishment will be meted out, the question is who will be on the receiving end.