Rapist gets 60 days?!

[Libaax]

Heh thats my point im not interested other things right now.

These kind of things get to me and when there is no punishment it gets to me even more.

[Loeviz]

I agree with Libaax on this.
Us Swedish people are really lame when it comes to punishments.
We even had a polish (or hungarian) trucker ram a mother and her two infant children when he was drunk like a mule.
And he gets 2 years in jail for killing them, I think the mother survived though.
And the worst of it all is that the trucker got ahold of that you can apply to be retired due to the incident in question (stress or something else). So he gets a shitload of cash from the Swedish government for the rest of his life so he can live as a king in Poland/hungary.
think it´s tragic how he even can get money from a country he doesn't even have citizenship in.
What signal does that send out really? If I was a poor polish/hungarian I would drive my truck drunk in Sweden and ram the first person I would meet on the sidewalk and then cash in my lottery ticket, bah.

A little off topic but it explains just how good the Swedish justice system works. No wait, it doesn´t

[isse-pisse-päron-pung]

Ignorance is a bliss!!

[Skullkracker]

I understand Killfile's reasons, but is it true in everyone's case?

some are not so much socially aware, and can only be warned about what to do by the aspects of punishment

I would say that any form of child avuse is so serious, that if I were a judge I would rather deliver the message through my verdicts:
HANDS OFF, ASSHOLE!

[Killfile]

Not to Necro the thread, but there's a follow-up here.

The judge in question gave our favorite sex offender the light sentence because the state refused to provide treatment while he was in prison. Feeling that it was more important that the child-molesting-asshat enter therapy (in hopes of making into something other than a child-molesting-asshat) than prison, the judge gave him a (really) light sentence.

Well the state has decided that, perhaps treatment in prison isn't such a bad idea. In light of this reversal (and massive public outcry) the aforementioned judge has altered the sentence to between 3 and 10 years in prison and a lifelong parole probation period to follow.

Read more here.

[Loeviz]

Perhaps the judge got his head out off the bong here atlast.

[Tempest]

I'd say he realized his error, but if the state hadn't changed their stance on rehibilitation I doubt he would have changed the sentnece. It seems wierd that I actually agree with Bill O'Reilly on something. (He was quoted saying "You may be looking at the worst judge in the USA.") Feels almost......dirty.

[Eldo]

I'm curious, how could you rehabiliate a rapist? How does the therapy work? Giving them pictures of old women in swimsuits?

[Tempest]

I'm curious, how could you rehabiliate a rapist? How does the therapy work? Giving them pictures of old women in swimsuits?

I would assume that it works on the presumption that a rapist (like any other criminal) is not born, but made through their environment and subsequent physical and mental abuse through their lifetime, specifically through the formative years of their personality. If this is the case the therapy would work to treat them by looking at these issues and dealing with them in a safe manner, hopefully eliminating that person's "need" to rape.

Keep in mind I have no expertise in the field of Psychology or Criminal Behavior by any stretch of the imagination. Most of that is based off of personal opinion, the little bit of psych and CB teaching I have seen and many, many episodes of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.

[Laik]

I'm curious, how could you rehabiliate a rapist? How does the therapy work? Giving them pictures of old women in swimsuits?

Oh, don't forget 'chemically rehabilating' them. While it will, of course, deter them from doing more serious damage if you know what I mean they still would need to undergo some form of therepy of some sort to get it into them that rape/molesting is a very bad thing to do to anyone. Not to forget that sexual offenders are pretty much marked for the rest of their lives. Flyers and stuff are sent to everyone around his present location when he chooses to live something, his picture is permently posted on the internet, and lots of other stuff.

Still, it's not like it is extremly rare for someone to go back to his old habits no matter what kind of help they've recieved.

Edit: Oops, forgot to mention that this is only from what I understand. I could probably ask my mother about it later.

[Eldo]

Yes, but most rapists in Law and Order end up in prison - far from rehabiliated. That is judging from the 3 episodes I watched last year.

I'm suddenly thinking Clockwork Orange.

[Tempest]

Yes, but most rapists in Law and Order end up in prison - far from rehabiliated. That is judging from the 3 episodes I watched last year.

Keep in mind many of those stories are one-time rapists, not one who repeatedly does it, like the defendant in question.

[grimStar]

yeah I've been hearing about this. much better sentence. still a bit leniient though.

And some have argued the whole eye for and eye deal, it is very dangerous for a culture to adopt that viewpoint into there legal system. In many middle eastern countries, if a man does harm to another man, it is actually socially ok to hurt a family member in return. Many woman in africa get dripped with battery acid because someone finds it necessary for revenge.

But I also feel murderers and rapists crossed the line, they should rot in prison for a VERY long time.

[Sortep]

I feel that rehabilitating a rapist is almost a ridiculous expenditure, unless as Eldo mentioned A Clockwork Orange style. I feel like any cancerous flesh, it should be cut away from the body and destroyed. Period.

[Balor645]

This is a hoax. Federal government mandates certain minimum year sentences. Minimum for rape is 25 I believe. I know this particularly because it is used in junction with the drug war. growing pot for example is a minimum of a year, and various states add to that minimum.

[Killfile]

Uhhh... the story was widly reported in hundreds of major media outlets from Drudge (wack-o fringe) to CNN (main stream) to Slate and Salon (left leaning cognesenti).

I'm going to have to assume that it's more likely that they're right and that you're confused than that the entire media machine of the United States was hoodwinked not once, but twice on a high profile news story.

[Balor645]

It was on every major media outlet? well, I never saw it but I'll take your word for it I guess. I'm positive there is a mandatory minimum for drugs. I suppose judges can get around it somehow I guess. I do remember hearing about Michael Dukakis' furlough for murders thing in the 80's, but I think the manditory minimum was implemented after that.

Oh well. As for the subject, I'm personally more for a rehabilitation or at least death penalty. I think caging a human being for more than a few years is inhumane. I was in jail for just a month last year, and being in there for more than that I couldn't even imagine. Time goes by at an incredibly slow speed in there. One month seemed literally like a year of my life(I'm not exadgerating)

Think of it this way, if a dog has rabbies and acts violently you do the humane thing and put it down. You dont put it in a cage and rape and torture it for the rest of its life. I dont see why we should have a different standard with human beings.

[Killfile]

The right of an individual to choose death over imprisonment is something that hasn't really been explored fully. Having the state select death for fairly minor offenses (even those that would justify 10+ years) however, would be seen by many as cruel and unusual.

The rape aspect of prisons is another can of worms entirely. While there are those that seem to revel in the fact that this goes on, this remains a failing of rather than a policy of the judicial process.

The biggest argument against death as a sentence is its finality. A wrongly imprisoned man may be released at a later date - and while traumatized by the experience, may still heal. A dead man -- well -- you can send a nice card to his kids. Maybe some flowers.

As for mandatory minimums, the legal system assumes that the judge wants to enforce them. Technically speaking, all that can really happen if a judge refuses to impose the minimum is an appeal in which the decision will be remanded back to the judge in question for review (i.e. "change it buck-o"). If the judge in question remains steadfast, little more can happen.

Moreover, mandatory minimums are generally regarded with disdain amongst judges, who consider them a legislative intrusion into the sovereign domain of the judicial branch.

Just FYI.

[Shaka Zulu]

What signal does that send out really? If I was a poor polish/hungarian I would drive my truck drunk in Sweden and ram the first person I would meet on the sidewalk and then cash in my lottery ticket, bah.

A

Actually, a similar thing happend. You may remember a case of an Estonian guy who paid for one-way ticket boat ride from Estonia to Sweden. He was dirt poor(Not because Estonia is, but he is), became homeless, and ran out of options of how to survive.

Not your typical criminal type, was pretty ordinary. But he came to a solution. He heard of how great the acommodations in the swedish prisons are(they get alot better food then the schools food), where you get access to TV, a fridge(basically a mini-kitchen), computer and other things which arent standard prison stuff around the world, in your little dorm, where you share it with 2-3 inmates.

And to what he did....do you know what he did? The first second he got off the boat, he wacked(with an hard object) an old man in the head(dont remember if he killed him...think he did) and waited for to be arrested...

And yes people, this was for real...

It's not like this in the maximum security prisons though. Which btw, are a joke too. They escape weekly(is a bit of a soap-opera here, people reading about yet another group of major criminals escaping), because the prison-guards are poorly trained and paid(and too few), and get this...not even allowed to be armed!

And I'm not being bitter or uncaring, they are humans too, who are locked in a cage. Getting a little more humane inviroment is not that bad, but its a huge joke anyways. Because its quite screwed up, how they prioritize so badly(getting better food then kids get at school?), and there are alot of other things this taxmoney could be spent on(better security in prisons, for one).


Sorry for going off-topic, rant over.

[Killfile]

Taken another way - as a society we feel compelled to provide a minimum standard of living to those that we have removed from society as a whole. In short, as human beings, even when we send someone to prison to punish them, we consider anything below a given level inhumane.

The question should then be - why don't we seem to care enough to provide that standard of living across the board? I'm against luxaries in prisons - but three squares a day and a clean, warm, dry place to sleep isn't too much to ask. Many law abiding citizens don't have that.

If prison is a better place to be than homeless in your country, your country needs to get its priorities in line. I should know, my country doesn't have it's even close to in line.

[Shaka Zulu]

True that. I'm not complaining because its good that they want to make the prisons humane, but you have to wonder, where is the limit?

Making sure the basic needs and necessities are taken care of, creating a healthy and sound inviroment is allways a good thing. But, they went beyond that, waaaay beyond that. Somewhat pampering them sends very very wrong signals. Even though its still better then treating them like animals(Not to signal out america, but its strikes me to be one of those countries), which is counterproductive.


Btw, I would think that, even though I agree with you on the whole, that to some degrees, being homeless can be sometimes worse then being in prison.

If we presume not all homeless people gets access to shelter centers or the occassional food(another weird effect of bereucracy here in sweden, homeless people have access people shelter centers and so on, on weekdays, but are thrown out in weekends because the place closes), its safe to say that its a hard knock life, to sleep wherever and go starving, lacking many of the basic necessities the prisoners get(food, bed to sleep in, shower and so on).

Though ofcourse, they have want we humans want to most, which is

[MrFelony]

I dont think prisons should have cable. I never grew up with cable so why should prisoners receive it . as for the whole judge side, I would disagree with a lot ofpeople saying he is a terrible judge. for all we know, he could have given such a light sentence because he knew there would be public outcry and in the end he would be able to force to state to give him treatment while in prison in exchange for a longer sentence. I have to stand pretty close with Mystic on this issue.

[TheDarkness]

I dont think prisons should have cable. I never grew up with cable so why should prisoners receive it . as for the whole judge side, I would disagree with a lot ofpeople saying he is a terrible judge. for all we know, he could have given such a light sentence because he knew there would be public outcry and in the end he would be able to force to state to give him treatment while in prison in exchange for a longer sentence. I have to stand pretty close with Mystic on this issue.

a man who rapes a 7 year old girl should not be treated.... he should be hung from the highest tree...

[Shaka Zulu]

The sentiments one gets for a case like this is obvious, no need to mention it.

We all are obviously angry of hearing of a such a thing. But its a court of law, and one must differentiate your feelings from to the actual sentence the crime requires. Thankfully its not judged on emotions or a sense of revenge at all.

[panasonic]

ok, but a court of law is suppose to provide justice, in this is certainly not justice