Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Cruel and Unusual Punishment
There's been a case here in Utah I've been following a little bit over the past year. Last July, it was uncovered that a seminary prinicipal in Utah (I think Provo area) at a high-school had been engaged in a consensual sexual relationship with a 16 year old female student (for a synopsis of the story, go to Anyways I'm not sure if this is totally correct, but it says he faces 6 years to life in prison. Now I really doubt this guy is gonna go to prison for life, but even 6 years seems a little steep. I don't want to minimize the severity of what he did, it was pretty horrible. But I don't know that it warrants a multi-year jail sentence. I had a companion who's father had a consensual sexual relationship with the neighbor's 17 year old daughter and he got slapped with a 30 day prison sentence and so many years of probation. Granted he wasn't a teacher, but does being a teacher warrant extending the prison time by 72 times? What do you guys think should happen to this guy?
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4 comments:
A life sentence is ridiculous, but I think a couple of years in prison is warranted.
I'm of the belief that the American people in general are a very vengeance-thirsty bunch, and would probably want to castrate him and then kill him. I'm not on board with that. At 16, she's pretty much an adult if you look at it biologically. And we don't know how much of a hand she had in it, such as manipulating the guy or what have you.
However, the man was in a position of authority, a position of trust, and the principal of an educational establishment where she was a student. Since she is not legally an adult, the rights of the parents were grossly violated. He committed a very serious crime, so I don't think a couple years behind bars is too harsh.
Interesting note on this case, I had the guy as a seminary teacher when I went to Viewmont, he was a good teacher. When I learned of it I was sick. He had a wife and kids. Stupid is the best word I can think of in relation to his actions.
Based on the facts as I've read them I say throw him in the slammer for at least 6 years. I agree that they may both have dirty hands but the unique nature of this case makes him much more culpable than your run of the mill older guy with a sixteen year old. I agree with Nic that he was in a position of authority and trust and he grossly violated that position and trust and the punishment should be extensive. It's gotta be strong enough to deter this type of behavior. His actions not only messed up that girl's life but injured a whole community and the ability to trust.
Ditto to Nic and Publius. Tragic is the word that comes to my mind. And yes, I think being in a position of authority is an aggravating factor that warrants a multi-year jail sentence. Life in prison is too much, but I don't have a problem with a 6 yr sentence. I like Publius' point about deterrence. Our criminal justice system needs to send the message that taking advantage of a minor by way of using your position of authority is not just a slap on the wrist, 30 day sentence type of crime.
His actions, aside from destroying that girl's life, also tragically destroyed the lives of his wife and kids. Reminds me of Jacob 2:
" ... it grieveth me that I must use so much boldness of speech concerning you, before your wives and children, many of whose feelings are exceedingly tender and chaste and delicate before God ...
... it burdeneth my soul ... to admonish you according to your crimes, to enlarge the wounds of those who are already wounded, instead of consoling and healing their wounds ...
... I, the Lord, have seen the sorrow, and heard the mourning of the daughters of my people ... because of the wickedness and abominations of their husbands."
It works best for me to limit my comments to generalities.
I accept that humans are involved in earthly justice systems. With that as a given, there will be no absolutes, there will be seemingly bright but imaginary lines between innocent and guilty, and wild inconsistencies in punishment from one defendant to the next.
A friend of mine suggested a more efficient and fair (consistent) system for sentencing: Death would be the only punishment. Chance would determine whether a particular convict would be put to death. Odds of death would increase in proportion to the seriousness of the crime.
Until such a system is implemented, or Christ is crowned King after the Second Coming, we will have to tolerate a range of possible outcomes/sentences along with some anomolies well outside the standard deviation.
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