bitter clinging swiftie
VIP Member
I know it sounds counterintuitive, but in my estimation, giving first time offenders non-custiodial sentences(IE, probation) is more cruel than locking them up. Look at it like this, a young man has shown he cant follow rules; so rather than confine him to a place that MAKES him follow rules, you let him back out into society and not only expect him to follow the law, but also to follow a bunch of extra rules, pay money, etc.....most of these guys are lacking in structure and discipline at home, have never had a job, etc......all you are doing is putting a prison sentence on lay a way. I strongly feel that almost everybody is redeemable, and doubly so if you catch them young, and i think locking up first time youthful offenders for at least a year will stick with them and go further toward that than all this BS probation.