Why do the courts seem to just send people to jail instead of trying some other options?

Question

People are always giving out about how much it costs to keep people in jail and what we get for 'free' while you're in there - why don't they keep the jails for violent crimes and for other thinks like drugs, DUI, theft - get people to do community service, pay fines or something like that.

I've been in jail twice - robbery/stolen goods and DUI - and I was surprised how many people were in for minor stuff like me - people like me deserved to be punished I suppose but we didn't need to be in jail.

Answer 1

Jail is big business.
(I guess it beats having your hands cut off though.)

Answer 2

Since you've been in jail twice then I guess jail didn't work the first time. And you want to be walking the streets??? To you robbery may be minor but to the people that work for the things they have, it's not minor. DUI may be minor to you, but talk to some person that has lost an innocent loved one because of a drunk driver and the will tell you it is life long pain. If you got a second chance after being in jail once, then you didn't learn. If you get out again you'll just end up back in jail. Why take the risks. Stay in jail where you belong. You're nothing but a low life scum bag.

Answer 3

Only adults go to jail. As an adult you are expected to obey the rules of society. If you choose not to obey the rules of society, you have made a conscious decision as an adult to be punished by the means society has set, one of which is jail. Do you really consider robbery as minor offense? You victimized another member of society. You should be sent to jail to protect other members of society from being robbed again. Almost all of us makes mistakes such as DUI, but how else can you keep a drunk person from driving again while he is still drunk? People who choose to break laws need to realize the world does not revolve around them and it is not the rest of societies responsibility to "rehabilitate" or correct your behavioral deficiencies.

Answer 4

Normally they are trying to make a point. You were suppose to learn from it. DUI is a serious offence, what if you had killed someone while driving? Most generally community service doesn't work, they use it for teens mostly. Fines people blow off. Yes, I do agree there should be other options but unless you have a creative judge you won't find it.

Answer 5

ok so you have been in jail twice , so i guess the first time you went to jail you didn't learn your lesson ?

your correct jail is not the answer , if it was up to me ,

for robbery / reciving stolen goods , you would of paid the victim
of your crime 1,000 times the cost of the property stolen , even if he got it all back , pluss court cost . loss of drivers license untill fine is paid in full , caught driving while license suspended 50 years in jail no parole


dui - first offense , 25,000 fine loss of license for 5 years and non return of license until fine is paid in full , if caught driving while license suspended for dui , then it's off to jail 50 years no probation ,

i guess you can tell i do not tolerate breaking the law

Answer 6

I think it depends on the judge, and possibly the place.

There are alternatives, and they are used -- just not where you are: drug programs, violence prevention programs, and such.

For property crimes it would make more sense for the person to have to pay the victim and then a penalty on top of that.

Answer 7

If they didnt send people to jail, we might have child molesters actually getting out after a short prison term and preying on more innocent children, oh wait.....

Answer 8

...Because thinking up a more complicated, more effective punishment would take too much effort for those lazy morons! Also, because our gov't utilizing 'common sense' is practically against the law anymore!

Answer 9

It's too bad, but we seem to breed a species of Hannibal Lecters.