CJUS 550 Discussion3-reply2

CJUS 550 Discussion3-reply2

The below assignment has been written by another student. Please
read it very carefully and reply to it by providing 200 words, apa
format, at least 2 or 3 citations in addition to course textbook
Schmalleger, F. (2011). Criminal justice today: An introductory
text for the 21th Century (11th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ:
Prentice Hall. Your work should be original work. Thanks (joseph)
There are many factors that are attributed to the sentencing of a
defendant when they are guilty. Policies, criminal record, the
severity of the crime, the judge, plea deals, the jury, public
opinion, the quality of the lawyer the defendant has, and
overcrowding of jails and prisons. Alternative and innovative
solutions of sentencing have been and are being used substantially
more. “There is considerable support in criminal justice literature
as a crime-reduction strategy (Schmalleger, 2011, p. 387).” The
public and the jurors need to be more informed about the way
judges’ sentence defendants. Most people would like to see sex,
drug, and violent offenders sentenced more harshly than those who
commit property crime. Warner and Davis explain further in their
introduction that, “First, it has been shown that respondents who
think sentences are too lenient were likely to be thinking of
sentences for violent offenders. Second, perceptions of leniency
are linked with misperceptions about crime rates and sentencing
patterns. Survey results show that the less-informed are more
likely to think courts are soft on crime (Warner & Davis, 2012,
p. 93).” It is important to for the public to be more informed
about the sentencing process and the case that is currently on the
docket. The news channels also use sensationalism to get higher
television rates and sometimes misconstrue the crime rate and
violence that is actually happening in the community. Citizens have
to use other outlets besides what the news reports to come to a
more informed decision if the sentencing too lenient, too harsh, or
just right. Alternative sentencing might be an option for those who
commit minor, nonviolent crimes, but not an option for murders,
rapes, and other heinous crimes. Prisons in the Unites States are
extremely being over used and alternative sentencing and solutions
to sentencing need to be addressed. Nagin states that, “Taking into
account jail populations, approximately 1% of the adult population
in the United States is behind bars…the United States accounts for
25% of the world’s prison population (Nagin, 2014, p. 499).” The
policy makers for criminal justice need to realize that there needs
to be other options for criminal offenders besides jail, because
citizens are paying for the room and board of criminals in prisons.
“Faced with prison overcrowding, high incarceration costs, and
public calls for retribution, other judges have used shaming
strategies to deter wrong doers (Schmalleger, 2011, p. 386).” At
least for the minor property crime, drug possession crimes, traffic
offenses and other minor crimes shaming tactics would be a viable
option instead of incarceration. There should be a criminal justice
policy that outlines what types of shaming sentences judges can
demand to remove ambiguity and increase the fairness in the system.
In Biblical times an eye for an eye was perceived literally in that
society. If there was some type of criminal justice policy that the
offender can experience what they did do the offended, then it
might be feasible that would deter crime. For minor crimes such as
vandalism, and theft this could be a viable option. Violent
offenders also would probably think twice about committing crimes
if they knew what they do to someone else will be done to them if
they get caught. This is highly unlikely in our present society,
but it is a reality in some Middle East countries that abide by
their religious statutes in a fundamental manner.

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