Illinois seeks to eliminate court supervision for driver-murderers

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Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on September 26, 2012 at 8:38pm

I am of two minds regarding this.

While I don't like people getting away with killing and seriously injuring folks due to negligent use of motor vehicles or other dangerous killing/maiming  machines,  I don't see how putting more folks behind bars is going to help those killed, much less do much good as a deterrence.  Jail doesn't seem to do much deterring.  What helps for deterrence is hitting these folks in the pocketbooks, and that was what the court-supervision was supposed to do.

Sitting in a box or getting a "black mark" on your permanent record doesn't do the victim or his/her family any good.   "Paying a debt" to the victim implies more than a graybar time-out or a mark on your files.   Make them PAY huge fines and attach their wages for decades to come -if not forever.   Money can't bring back lost lives, limbs, and loved-ones.  But it is really the only thing that's going to effect people's behavior going forward.

And if you jail someone, or make them a felon then squeezing blood out of them later when they get out isn't going to do much good either.   Their earning (and thus repayment) potential has gone down to minimal levels. 

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Permalink Reply by Michael A on September 26, 2012 at 9:58pm

And the death penalty will reduce the murder rate.......  I doubt this law will be enforced in all but the most extreme cases, drunk drivers and such.

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