196yrs in jail

wonder what he'll look like when he gets out?

 

It's very difficult, but that's why I think 10-15 instead of life - there is a chance he can go through education programs in prison, maybe learn a trade, get out on parole and put a semblance of a life back together by the end of his 20's. If I had my way, I would make prison sentences reducible by education received and completion of therapy (I understand this already plays into parole considerations). So, if someone like this goes in for 10 years and gets a GED and welding certificates, he does 2-3 years and then is back out with a skill and trade and can make $30-50k a year without breaking the law. I would also put more money into the education programs.

Setting aside emotional/moral arguments about the quality of his life and letting him have some time as a free man to enjoy existence, let's think about it economically: it costs $30-45k per year to keep a prisoner for a year. Assume for the sake of argument that higher education level will limit this type of crime (this is an argued point as well, but my hunch is that educated people rob at gunpoint less). If this guy has 50 years of life left in prison the state will spend $1,500,000 to $2,250,000 to keep this kid in a cage for the rest of his life. Now, even if it cost $60,000 to get this guy a GED and an education on the state's dime, and they keep him for 5 years, totalling $210,000-285,000, versus $1.5-2.25mm, wouldn't that make sense?

Further, there are a lot of people in prison who are mentally ill and were untreated... there is surely money which could be diverted from prisons to long-term mental care and better treat people.

 

I generally agree with you.

But I think pulling him out of society for an extended length of time will just reinforce the mental and emotional issues that led him to this situation.

When you get a 'kid' like this you have to either commit to reforming him over a couple years (which we know prison is poor at doing) or put him away for life because if he goes to prison for 10 years at this point when he gets out he will have no social skills or support system to help him use any skills he learned. He will end up continuing his crimes or on Govt support. Probably both.

ive unfortunately known too many people that have spent time in prison and some are 'scared straight' if they serve a sentence long enough to make them miserable but not so long that it breaks their spirit and indoctrinates them into the prison lifestyle/mentality. I call that at 2 years.

When they spend long periods (ive had family in there from 5+ years) when they get out they are toast unless they have incredible support from stable friends and family (which is rare).

You know Ive got that ex employee who is serving 2 years. Ive been corresponding with him and I am literally the only hope he has when he gets out. His mother and father have disowned him and his ex-wife is MIA with his son. I can already see him feeling defeated and letting himself go if there is no one there when he gets out. So Im going to give him a job and see how it goes. Hes a very talented artist.

I know there must be hundreds of studies on this but my googling failed to find any.

 

He was convicted of multiple counts--each count carries a new sentence..

 

If you have ever go to a robbery/burglary and deal with the victims, there thoughts, concerns, etc...You would understand why he got that sentence. A burglary/robbery effects different people different ways---I have seen old people get robbed and there are scared of everything for years down the road, scared to be alone, scared to go home be themselves, etc.....Essentially--He has taken a part of there lifes....

 

I would not called putting a gun to people's heads and ordering them to give up all their money "a lesser crime". A lot of people who are victims of this "lesser crime" wind up face down on the ground with their brains spilling out of a hole in their head so the criminal can have the $8.00 in their wallet. This kid did serious crimes, and got a serious sentence. I don't care how old he is.

 

To my knowledge you cannot appeal the verdict of a guily plea, although it does seem a bit excessive, we do not know what his prior crimes were and where that put him within the sentencing guidelines. The judge can depart from the guidelines, but in this case he maybe departed up instead of down.

 

Does anyone doubt that this guy has a rap sheet a mile long? The latest crimes are just the tip of the iceberg, I'd bet anything. By the time someone gets to the point of being sentenced to this kind of time, they have had seemingly endless "second chances" already.

And that is the problem. These thugs think they can get away with a slap on the wrist forever, and in many cases they do. I guarantee that a stiff sentence for a first offense would be the single biggest deterrent to crime. Teaching a kid that nothing happens to him when he's bad is the system you have now. And it doesn't just teach the bad kids, it teaches all the kids: "Go ahead, steal. You won't get in trouble. Nobody does." So nothing is safe, and the criminals own the streets.

 

No appeal from a plea of guilty. Maybe he should withdraw his plea of guilty and go to jury trial. . . You can't do any worse than the max.

The 85% is something that many states have passed to follow up the "truth in sentencing" debate. I don't think SC has sentencing guidelines, so it looks like the judge was hot under the collar with this guy.