[Buddahaid]

Originally Posted by Bubblehead1980

Well, your senses are off then.There is a huge difference between a US citizen, a teenager at that, making a stupid decision vast majority of us have made at one point or another, to drive after consuming alcohol.Unfortunately, his stupid decision resulted in the tragedy of four people losing their lives.Now, the kid was 16 at time of incident and this specific case leads into the big picture issue of our flawed and failed justice/corrections(prison) system.Our system is focused on punishment and satisfying the human need for revenge in lieu of punishment and rehabilitation.Sure, some violent offenders are beyond help but the US has 2 million plus people in prison and an extremely high recidivism rate.People usually learn how to be "better" criminals in prison and once out, due to the stigma, are excluded from society in many ways and end up right back in prison.I am certainly no bleeding heart but I am for what works here, and how things are now, do not work.I believe that was part of the judge's thinking, prison is no place for a 16 year old kid who simply made an idiotic mistake that lead to tragedy.Dislike him all you want because is wealthy(seems a lot of hate, kid can't help if he is wealthy anymore than a kid who is poor can) but he is still a kid who made a stupid mistake, he deserves punishment sure but being removed from society and put in prison for many years? Ten years of felony probation is not a slap on the wrist, eps if he ends up with a hard nosed Probation Officer.Imagine trying to finish high school with all these special restrictions? Imagine trying to go to college? Imagine having to ask permission to leave the county, the state, the country? This kid is under the thumb of the government for ten years and I find it highly likely if he does not obey the terms, he will end up in prison........

A valid point I'll agree. That view, however, doesn't fit with the defense of "Afluenza" which reads something like "I never had to be responsible ever before so what's the problem".