why is it you can be sentance to life w/o parole for POT but the average time served for murder is 6 years???

Question

whats worse? possessing pot (many have been in possession of a distributable amount and was sentenced to live in prison without parole but most murders serve an average of 6-8 years?

what is my source you ask? here it is:

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/dope/interviews/schlosser.html

also if you commit murder in California some people get away with as little as 3.3 years but if you are caught growin pot for a medical user by the dea you may be givin life without parole?

Answer 1

Because the recidivism rate for murderer is extremely low.

Whereas the recidivism rate for dope dealers is extremely high.

BTW - I don't make the rules, I just enforced them

Answer 2

As is the usual case, the average time served for MURDER is not six years. Perhaps the average time served for the multitudes of homicides...manslaughter, vehicular homicides and the like is something less. Most "scholars" cant tell the difference between the words murder and homicide. There is a difference and the statistics are never accurate because people simply are not willing to accept this fact. That being said, people who are in prison for pot charges may or may not outnumber violent crime victims, but the vast majority of people caught with pot do NOT end up getting arrested. They get tickets or warnings. Cultivation and intent to sell are different charges.

No matter what your opinion of pot, and I'm not going to debate it one way or another, the fact is that people tend to make arguments on sensitive issues like this without understanding the sources and realities of their information. Even your question doesnt address the facts in the article. It talks about all violent crime statistics, not just murder as your title would indicate. You can make stats say anything you want to. And someone else can use those same stats to make an argument in opposition. Most importantly, you can pick and choose your articles to side with your argument while ignoring the ones that do not agree with you.

Bottom line, there is no way that murderers average six years in prison. Most get 25-life. MANY have no possibility of parole. All lesser homicides are not murders and the stats are not properly mixed.

Answer 3

There may be an interesting discussion to be had, but NOT on these facts. Schlosser says that "killers" (not "murderers") average 3.3 years in prison in California. I have no idea what he is talking about. The LOWEST sentence for murder in California is 15 years to life (second degree murder), and NOBODY has gotten out after 15 years, at least in the past 25 years or more. Even if you factored in things like vehicular manslaughter, where somebody might get probation, it is impossible that this would bring the average down to 3.3 years.

There is no such sentence as "life without parole" in federal law, because there is no parole in federal law.

Given the errors which are easy to identify, I would not take anything else in Schlosser's comments seriously.

Answer 4

It serves no purpose re: rehabilitation whatsoever. there are various diverse reasons to imprison somebody. listed under are some: a million. Rehabilitation 2. Deterrence of the guy who committed the crime from doing it back while they get out. 3. Deterrence of alternative persons from committing that crime. 4. Retribution (some philosophers in basic terms think of that, in some type of Karmic balancing act, that this is in basic terms "authentic" to punish the responsible and that there is not any different reason necessary). 5. Warehousing criminals (putting criminals some place, a minimum of for a rapid collectively as, the place they are able to't do any harm to society). Serving a existence sentence needless to say serves no rehabilitative purpose. Nor does it deter the guy who has a existence sentence from doing it back, by using fact, as they'll by no potential get out, they are able to't do it back (a minimum of, not on the exterior). whether, existence sentences do warehouse criminals so as that society is secure from them, it probably deters others from committing the comparable crime, and it ensures retribution.

Answer 5

Because of mandatory sentencing laws.

These laws were intended to take drug traffickers and producers, those who normally are not associated with the violence of the drug trade, off the street permanently, hence life without parole.

The idea was to make any part of the drug trade too costly for anyone to consider as a trade. Especially since those that grow the drugs are usually insulated from the violence of it.

The laws were put in place prior to the wave of medical marijuana growers, and the DEA doesn't recognize the state laws saying that medical use and growth is OK.

Answer 6

Yes it is rather hypocritical, but when was the last time you heard someone getting a life sentence for Pot Possession or even dealing. Yes I do not agree with our drug policy, but this is the extreme case that someone can get sentenced for and not the norm. Did you happen to mention the average sentence for a drug possesion charge I think it will make more sense. Actually according to Cannibusnews.com the average sentance for marijuana possesion is just under 4 months in County lock up.

Answer 7

It really has to do with the state and the circumstances. Premeditation can serve up a Life W/O Parole... My source you ask? My friend's son was shot in cold blood in broad daylight. It was premeditated... the guy will never be a free man. He is trying to appeal, but they pretty much have no interest in letting him out.

I'm with one of the first responders - don't break the law and you don't have anything to worry about *duh*

Answer 8

Hmmm good question.
Here's another.
Why is it drug addicts always want to use extreme ridiculous examples to justify their own drug usage.
What's worse. Trying to convince people,who already can think for themselves, how wonderful smoking marijuana is or trying to convince yourself.
How about this Einstein.
NOT possessing pot and living a drug free life will get you NO jail time.
Ever thought of that one?
WOW...What a concept.

Answer 9

That's BS, no one gets life w/ out parole for POT...8th amendment, cruel and unusual punishment. Time has to fit the crime.

Answer 10

Because the American War on Drugs is so huge, it skews the judicial system's perspective.

Answer 11

Because pot would interfere with sales of other drugs. They always sentence higher for monetary things vs people. It shows what this society values more!