Our justice system has become more permissive as our culture has gone full force in that direction. As the age of juveniles who have committed serious crimes such as murder, rape, and assault has decreased, the usual consequences for their transgressions should have become more severe. It has not.
Just like in public school, where a student strikes another student or even a teacher, the punishment is no longer compulsory expulsion from the school or even criminal charges. More commonly in today’s wake culture, no one wants to be seen as a “bad person” but rather as a nice person who gives infinite chances to engage in obnoxious or physically destructive behavior.
This was the beginning of permissiveness that overlooked the crime. When modern parents stopped being strong parents, it led to the near elimination of significant punishment. Discipline should have prevented children from going down the road to future arrogance and justifying indefensible behavior.
Permissiveness has even invaded our court system. A person sentenced to prison for nine years for attempted murder of a police officer often is released on the streets after serving less than a year. When this criminal commits the same violence against another victim, he could be released again back on the street to probably commit yet another similar crime.
The “in-jail-quickly-released policy” has shown itself not to be an effective deterrent. It is a procedure that increases, not discourages, acting out. It has been an utter policy failure.
Just like parents who talk tough but do not follow through on their punishment, the child’s behavior worsens. Instead, the child realizes the parents are “full of hot air” and disregards their pronouncements of punishment. The child is encouraged to “push the envelope” because they know they will not receive a significant consequence. The child is emboldened to do greater episodes of misbehavior.
Lenient district attorneys and judges are going down the same path as modern parents. The malpractice by both needs to be reversed. DAs and/or judges need to receive negative consequences if they release a criminal with a long history of committing crimes such as murder, rape, or other serious crimes. The DAs and judges who release criminals prematurely without punishment should be fined or dismissed from their positions. This would discourage the legal official from only considering the perpetrator’s future life. The DAs or judges need to consider the criminal less and the community more because that is what they are elected to do.
A Texas school shooter who shot two students was not arrested but released and not charged. He went home to a party that his family threw for him. He has reason to believe he was not going to be punished for his outrageous behavior and had every right to celebrate living in a totally permissive criminal system. The present pathetic justice system is terrific for law-breaking criminals but has become a disaster for law-abiding citizens. Our justice system is broken, and law-abiding citizens are the ones to suffer. There is no justice in ignoring the criminals who harm, abuse, or even kill someone who is in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Without fear of serious consequences, the criminals will be more brazen, causing more grief to innocent bystanders. Our protection of innocent people is collapsing. Our justice system will only improve when citizens stand up “en masse” to demand the protection of our citizens, police, and court system to provide strong leadership. This will only occur when citizens stand up together with one single voice to demand justice from our entire justice system. Things will only change for the better when we unite and challenge what is happening.
Domenick Maglio, PhD. is a columnist carried by various newspapers and blogs, an author of several books and owner/director of Wider Horizons School, a college prep program. Dr. Maglio is an author of weekly newspaper articles, INVASION WITHIN and the latest book entitled, IN CHARGE PARENTING In a PC World. You can see many of Dr. Maglio’s articles at www.drmaglioblogspot.com.
