If my Dad was a meth addict, my Mom was a prostitute and I wind up in jail?

Question

should I have to do the same sentence as someone who had all the advantages in life and committed the same crime?

What I am getting at is if I didn't have any morals or guidelines growing up, should I be punished the same as those who grew up being taught at an early age what is right and wrong?

Are the scales of justice just another way to show those who pay enough to weigh down their side win?

Answer 1

Ideally, the answer should be "no" and we should judge each case by the conditions of existence for each person; however, that is a near impossibility.

So, the answer is "yes" because justice is blind (if you have ever seen the statues of the woman holding the scales of justice, she has a blindfold on). The problem with your conditions is that the rich person could also make similar claims--'my dad was always at work' and 'my mom was so in love with money that she forgot me multiple times at the bank' so 'I didn't feel loved and...'

Part of your question goes to the idea that life is or should be fair...maybe it should be...but lived experience always reminds us that it isn't, and we must adapt and adjust to it.

Answer 2

You sound like you are suprised that life isn't fair.

I saw a news item yesterday about a guy who lost his job due to a chain of events surrounding 9/11. He had no money, a wife, and a small kid. He ended up on the streets living out of his car and one day he got caught stealing a loaf of bread and a can of tuna fish. The judge gave him 18 months in jail -

You are asking if you should have to do the same sentence as someone born with all the advantages - You can only hope you get to do the same sentence as the well off, Paris Hilton did 10 days, O.J. walked away, Lindsey may do some hard time for her 5th DUI in as many weeks.

Life is school (Do you really want to blame your problems on someone else? If you do, you'll have to give them credit for your accomplishments)

Answer 3

If you had terrible parents growing up then the court may have some pity upon you IF you mention something about your parents. For instance, let's say you did have a prostitute for a mother. If she began haveing "it" with somebody everynight, or coming home drunk and you could hear moans and such as a child then you could say it began to affect you such as nightmares. Or if your dad was a meth addict then and as a child and teen he beat you without pity then, of course, the court will consider it.

In the end, you prob. won't have the same sentence as an average person but not by much.

Answer 4

In the eyes of the law, all human beings have free will.

If humans have free will, then they are all equally held responsible for their actions, because everyone has the power to say "no."

a system of law built on deterministic principles would collapse. Think about it; rapists would go free, after all "she was asking for it!". People could so easily abuse the system, inventing sob story after sob story to get away with their crimes.

However, external actions do play a part, and the court of law does not ignore them. That's why sentences are always flexible; to account for the fact that circumstances can be different.

But pity for the guilty is treason to the innocent. To say that the person who commited the crime was not responsible because of things that happened to his life is to basically deny justice to the victim and their families, to tell them the life of the criminal is more important than justice for the innocent.

Answer 5

You should spared the usual punishment that doesn't work anyways.

Seeing your parents in that lifestyle instilled a deep rooted carefree attitude towards life, at a subconscious level. An attitude that screamed that it is OK to break the law.

Or, maybe you were angry at the circumstances you were raised in?

Maybe you were so fed up and sad that you just did not care? May self infliction of pain is your way of numbing the pain that overflows withing every time you see a happy family gathered around a Christmas fire?

Maybe, Maybe.

Answer 6

Actually, you will probably get the book thrown at you and serve the max whereas someone with all the advantages will have a couple of high priced lawyers that will manage to negotiate a plea agreement that will get their client maybe 30 hours of community service if they do not get them off completely. Oh! they will then sue the government for false arrest and collect a million in damages for mental anguish.

Answer 7

I see what you are getting at dude and here is the problem, the guy who is well off can afford a good lawyer. Maybe like the ones OJ Simpson got.

You on the other hand have to make do with a public defender.

To be fair, everyone may get a fair chance and leniency on their first offence, but cross your fingers and pray that you do!

Answer 8

I believe so; I mean, an unstable childhood/family often contributes to many crimes, however people still have an innate sense of what is right, and what is wrong. Therefore, one person should not be penalized for having a more stable life than the next.

Answer 9

It sounds like you want special treatment. Can you say that people who have what you would call all the advantages but still come from highly abusive homes also get special treatment or does it apply only to the poor? The law's the law. What are you in for any way?

Answer 10

If you know right from wrong, yes. Don't blame your upbringing or society. Be a man and accept the fact that you screwed up. I had the same if not worse role models in my life and been in my share of trouble. Never blamed anyone but myself. Because I knew the consequences and still chose to mess up.