Child pornography is beyond wrong and those who share and use it should be punished to the full extent of the law.
That said, if we can send a first-time offender to jail for almost nine years why are convicted thieves, armed robbers, and attempted murderers still running the streets and committing more crimes every day?
Jerry Hickey
Ooltewah
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Federal justice is vastly different from state justice. It's almost impossible to get locked up on the first offence in state court.
Burglaries, robberies, all traffic offences, and most assault charges will take at least a year to come to trial in Hamilton County criminal court, where state offences are tried. During that time the really bad people run up a litany of charges and are all tried at once. Normally the bad guy cuts a deal to drop all but one charge in exchange for a suspended sentence. Even when he is a repeat offender, he will get a longer suspended sentence again and again. We are all to blame for what happens. Nobody complains very loudly, we complain about building new jails ( not in my back yard), and so many people don't show up to press charges or testify. We have 25,000 inmates in Tennessee and don't have room for any more.
Now for the federal court system. They are not swamped with 100 cases a day. They usually have more investigators per case than state courts. They concentrate on the most serious crimes and have a high conviction rate. Federal judges don't concern themselves with the budget constraints placed upon state judges. The federal court system has a well defined range of prison time for each offence. If convicted the bad guy will usually serve 85 to 90% of the sentence. The cost of federal prisons are part of a gigantic money fund known as The United States of America.
A pound of marijuana might get you a six month suspended in state court, but could be 10 years in federal court.
How bad do you want to even out the justice? Because it will cost a ton of money that the state just doesn't have available.
Harry Presley
Chattanooga
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Mr. Hickey,
This only further proves your point.
http://chattanoogan.com/2013/5/1/250223/Pair-On-Bond-On-Armed-Robbery-Arrested.aspx
Ridiculous...
Nathan Jones
Chattanooga