Should Convict Serve Time or Country?

[brokenandtwisted]

Read an article in The Globe and Mail today about, well...the thread title. It's Canadian but it's a safe bet to relate it to American crime as well:

Should convict serve time or country?

MONTREAL — Before he was convicted of sexual assault, Pier-Olivier Boulet was a bright and well-regarded soldier who was eager to deploy to Afghanistan and start a promising career in uniform.

His superiors described him as “respectful,” “a very good soldier,” and said the young infantryman showed “strong potential” in the military.

Today, the 22-year-old Quebecker is at the heart of a legal controversy. Is he, and society, better off if he serves his country – or serves time behind bars?

Read On

My opinion...depends on the circumstances. How reliable will a convict be, in general?

[I am Legend]

jail der! this is yet again anoither useless waste of peoples time.

so what wtfever his job is, it doesnt matter in the slightest. lock him up, ass rape hime till he cant see straight, then go out and kill his mother for good measure and kick his dad in the nutz.

oh wait its canada.......................they will probably set him up as a general or some shit.

[brokenandtwisted]

I meant 'yes' for serving the country and 'no' to be convicted...:erf:

[gprime]

I think that providing a military option instead of jail is an absurd idea. When in battle, you want to be able to count on the soldiers around you. One of the positives of a volunteer army is that, as your peers opted to join freely, they are presumably, on average, more dedicated and reliable. Those drafted into service, or who opt to go there to avoid jail, will put themselves above their unit, and can thereby become more of a liability than anything else. Usefulness is not the issue. If it were, we could make all prisoners work 16 hour days at no wage, producing products that could be sold to help pay down the national debt, while keeping down the tax burden of imprisonment. Truth be told, what we ought to do is cut inappropriate expenses such as prison libraries and gyms, instead putting them to work.

[swivel]

I meant 'yes' for serving the country and 'no' to be convicted...:erf:

Fixed.

[Alphonsus di Ligouri]

I'm suprised no one's brought this up but, IF we allow criminals to serve country instead of time, (and I'm talking about the real bad asses,) all we're doing is making them better, stronger, faster, more skilled criminals. A lot of these gangbangers go into the forces for the money, and when they come out the haven't changed a bit. I say we take them, chain them together and use them as mine detectors. They find a mine their family gets a certain cash amt. and the gov't buries what's left for free. Or better yet, makes them into ground round and serves it to the bleeding heart liberals who set the idiots free in the first place. Now that's poetic justice.:666:

[Athena]

Or better yet, makes them into ground round and serves it to the bleeding heart liberals who set the idiots free in the first place. Now that's poetic justice.:666:

You may also be referring to the finance-driven conservatives who reduce the sentences of rapists and murderers to make room for victimless drug offenders and drunk drivers.

Both sides are responsible for the pathetic state of our justice system. Yes, liberals are responsible for the (in my opinion) flawed concept of rehabilitation and reintegration for violent offenders, but what good is harsh sentencing if conservative wardens choose not to abide by it for the sake of the bottom line?

[Alphonsus di Ligouri]

A good question.:erf:

[gprime]

Yes, liberals are responsible for the (in my opinion) flawed concept of rehabilitation and reintegration for violent offenders, but what good is harsh sentencing if conservative wardens choose not to abide by it for the sake of the bottom line?

Wardens aren't the ones who control this. The courts issue the sentences, and parole boards determine whether or not they are let out early. The warden just oversees and manages the prison's operations. The issue you should then take is either with judges that issue weak sentences, parole boards that let off too many people, or our government for passing weak laws.

[Athena]

Wardens aren't the ones who control this. The courts issue the sentences, and parole boards determine whether or not they are let out early. The warden just oversees and manages the prison's operations. The issue you should then take is either with judges that issue weak sentences, parole boards that let off too many people, or our government for passing weak laws.

Wardens have more control than you seem to think, but that's secondary. Either way, it was simply one character I chose to illustrate my point, that point being that liberals are certainly not the only ones that contribute to the issue of light sentencing. Yes, there are many people to blame.