Chris Cuilla
05-26-2006, 04:51 PM
This is an interesting judicial decision:
http://www.cnn.com/2006/LAW/05/26/judge.flap.ap/index.html
Seems Richard W. Thompson at 5'1" tall, has escaped what would be a normal prison sentence (10 years in jail) for his conviction (molesting a 12-year old girl) due to his height.
Seems rather odd.
Seems that other remedies (the stated purpose was for his protection) might have been possible (don't they generally have special "wards" for higher risk inmates?
What is especially interesting (given the stated reasoning) is that it is rumored that child sex offenders are often at risk in the general prison population anyway (something about "honor among criminals" and child molesters being the "bottom of the bucket" or what-not)...if this is true, and the goal (apparently) is to protect the prisoner from harm, why not probabtion anyone that might be at such risk, regardless of height?
Another question is whether this sets up a precedent for "reverse discrimination" (based on height)...that is taller people get prison while shorter people get probation and/or house arrest.
Thoughts on this?
http://www.cnn.com/2006/LAW/05/26/judge.flap.ap/index.html
Seems Richard W. Thompson at 5'1" tall, has escaped what would be a normal prison sentence (10 years in jail) for his conviction (molesting a 12-year old girl) due to his height.
Seems rather odd.
Seems that other remedies (the stated purpose was for his protection) might have been possible (don't they generally have special "wards" for higher risk inmates?
What is especially interesting (given the stated reasoning) is that it is rumored that child sex offenders are often at risk in the general prison population anyway (something about "honor among criminals" and child molesters being the "bottom of the bucket" or what-not)...if this is true, and the goal (apparently) is to protect the prisoner from harm, why not probabtion anyone that might be at such risk, regardless of height?
Another question is whether this sets up a precedent for "reverse discrimination" (based on height)...that is taller people get prison while shorter people get probation and/or house arrest.
Thoughts on this?