Quote:
Originally Posted by bobalong
For some people taking their freedom away is the only punishment that results in any kind of deterrent. Think of all the politicians who are caught breaking the law, they maybe get probation or a fine, take their freedom away and things will change.
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Think about this for a moment. How many criminals are repeat offenders that spend half their year in jail and as soon as they are out, repeat their crimes? I would suggest that probably describes the majority of criminals when it comes to property theft. Even if the courts did mandate more prison time its hard to think that it is much of a deterrent when the prisons provide 3 meals a day, a warm place to sleep, education, and television, especially when the crime is often driven by addiction (although not in this case). The reality is, at $120,000 a year plus all the related policing and legal fees, it costs Canadian society almost as much or more having a criminal in prison than out (when it come to property crime).
While I acknowledge the need for prisons, we need to think differently about how we deal repeat petty criminals because locking them up just isn't working. Unfortunately in Canada, we have our precious Charter of Rights and Freedoms which always grants more freedom to the individual and severely limits options when it comes to punishment for criminals. The Charter is a good idea in theory when coupled with a strong western/Judeo-Christian world view, but unfortunately when it is interpreted with the post-modern deconstructionist mindset of our left wing judicial system, it all falls apart.
I think this judge's creative solution is a better approach than simply locking this criminal up since his overall risk, as it pertains to violence, seems pretty low. Whether or not the punishment works is more up to how thoroughly it is enforced by the police.