25 MAY 2015 :: Sentencing of a 14-year-old girl

I am in the process of entering several blog posts under different topics and I wanted to add a short message here about the 40 year sentence given to a 14-year-old girl who was jealous over a new baby in the house and drowned it  --  in a fit of rage, I suppose. 

I don't agree with the crime, but a 40-year sentence for a child!  We need to set limits on juvenile crimes, and try to rehabilitate young inmates instead of trying to put them out of our sight for unreasonable amounts of years.

Think about it...

• A temporary insanity plea would at least get her to a doctor that would work with her insecurities, and help her to better deal with life...which, I hope, would not take 40 years.
• Some people commit worse crimes and get a lot less time, as adults.
• Children simply cannot process events like adults and MUST NOT be treated as though they can.

We should have a prison system that will help her to recover her life and return to society.  Sticking her in our prison systems isn't going to help her, it will make her even worse.  Maybe they hope someone will kill her before the 40 years are over so she won't be back in society at all.

I cannot believe this sentence.  It is outrageous.  I cannot understand the logic, or the purpose.

Mandatory sentencing is not any better.  Each person's life, and crime, and potential for recovery, is different.  They need to be treated individually...in courts, in prisons, in rehabilitation efforts.

What kind of prison system do you want America to have?

I would like to see America lead the way in prison reforms that help inmates to change into the people they want to be, educated to achieve their better dreams, and able to earn money while in prison that will help them to change their futures on release.