teke184 0 Report post Posted May 12, 2004 Study cites sentencing laws for rise in prison life terms By Donna Leinwand, USA TODAY WASHINGTON — The number of people sentenced to life in prison has increased dramatically over the past decade, even as the nation's violent-crime rate has fallen. There are 127,677 people serving life sentences in state and federal prisons nationwide, an 83% increase since 1992, according to a new study by the Sentencing Project, a Washington organization that advocates prison reform. The study attributes much of the increase to sentencing guidelines established by Congress and state legislatures that often leave state and federal judges without any leeway to impose lesser sentences. Mandatory-minimum sentences, which define the amount of time a convicted criminal must spend in jail for specific crimes, have been controversial since they took hold in the late 1980s and early 1990s, when they became part of a nationwide trend toward being tough on crime. Since then, some federal judges, Supreme Court justices and criminal defense attorneys have been calling on the government to restore more judicial discretion. In January, U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice William Rehnquist chastised Congress for passing a law in 2003 aimed at forcing federal judges to abide by the sentencing guidelines. "State and federal legislatures are usurping the job of the court, which is to mete out justice," said Jack King, spokesman for the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers in Washington. "With a mandatory sentencing scheme, no matter what mitigating circumstances regarding the crime or the defendant's background, no matter what the defense attorney brings to the attention of the court, it makes no difference," King said. Advocates of the guidelines and other laws say tougher sentences have been a critical factor in reducing the violent-crime rate and bringing the worst criminals to justice. The U.S. Justice Department, which supports limiting judicial discretion, has indicated it will appeal cases in which judges depart from the guidelines and impose lighter sentences. "The current sentencing laws and sentencing guidelines reflect the societal norms regarding punishment, and they've helped to bring about the 30-year low in crime that we're seeing today," said John Nowacki, a spokesman for the Justice Department. About 1.36 million people are incarcerated in federal and state prisons, up from 850,566 in 1992. One in 11 are serving life terms, the study found. The federal system and six states — Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, Maine, Pennsylvania and South Dakota — do not parole prisoners with life sentences. The Sentencing Project expects the numbers to grow exponentially as more people are sentenced to life in prison and fewer people leave prison, said Ryan King, co-author of the study. King said it costs about $1 million to house a prisoner sentenced to life behind bars. "It is very expensive," King said. "We have to ask, is this an efficient use of resources to take someone in their 30s and put them in prison for the remainder of their natural life when we know crime is a young person's game?" The question shouldn't be "Why are so many people getting life sentences?" as much as "How many people in this list got life sentences instead of going to Death Row?" One of the big selling points of life sentences over the death penalty is that it's cheaper to confine someone for life than to fight legal battles for 10 years to get them executed. Considering the $1 million over 30+ years is hella-cheaper than probably $5 million over 10 years to get someone executed, that's a supreme bargain. If the people getting many of these sentences are violent offenders who would have received the death penalty under other circumstances, they got off easy with life and the state got a cheaper bill because of it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MrRant 0 Report post Posted May 12, 2004 It's more expensive to do appeals and such. Bring back the firing squad and we are talking like a buck to off him/her. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kkktookmybabyaway 0 Report post Posted May 12, 2004 Or just bribe some inmate with a carton of smokes to knife whoever you want off'd in the shower. Oh, and here's a great way not to get a life sentence -- don't break the law... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Styles 0 Report post Posted May 12, 2004 Oh, and here's a great way not to get a life sentence -- don't break the law... You're so insensitive, some people had rough childhoods... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Salacious Crumb Report post Posted May 12, 2004 Oh, and here's a great way not to get a life sentence -- don't break the law... You're so insensitive, some people had rough childhoods... Yeah, Little Jimmy only killed those convience store clerks because mommy didn't buy him a new red bike when he was 9. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kkktookmybabyaway 0 Report post Posted May 12, 2004 Oh, and here's a great way not to get a life sentence -- don't break the law... You're so insensitive, some people had rough childhoods... Oh, yeah. If you had a rough childhood you get a time-out. If you didn't, then it's life for you... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest MikeSC Report post Posted May 12, 2004 Oh, and here's a great way not to get a life sentence -- don't break the law... You're so insensitive, some people had rough childhoods... Heck, how long could YOU handle your mom riding your ass about your room being dirty? That some of those kids lasted until 10 before killing her shows remarkable restraint. -=Mike Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
