It seems like there are more laws protecting the criminal's rights, then for the victims. It's pretty sick when these people get off on some minor paper mistake (search warrant wasn't signed, key witness isn't notified in time for the trial, ect...). If there is significant proof that the individual commited the crime, they should be locked up. Plea deals are abused as well. And prison... cable TV, stereos, weight machines (full gym)... They should be working, not working out. If the prison were 60-70% self-sufficient, I think most of these criminals would learn many useful skill. They should grow most of they're own food (better they do it, the better they eat). Make and maintain their own clothing and bedding, gets cold in the winter. They can even build and maintain their own buildings. Escape? Shoot them. If they know the rules, and decide to run, doesn't sound like somebody that needs to be running around the neighborhood. Prison should be hard and scary, not resort living. Let them beat each other up and sodomize one another. Should put up pay-per-view web cams. Your kids getting a little out of control, make them sit and watch what they can look forward to.
Most victims stay pissed off for years, many stay scared and paranoid the rest of their lives, is that justice? Sure, go easy on the first time offenders, but after that it should hard punishment after that. Career criminals shouldn't exist.
I use to walk my dog twice a day, before he died. I use to see some ****, and wonder how this could be going on everyday. I've seen drug dealers busted, and back on the street corner two weeks later. I've talked to the police, point out the main guys, the the ones that hang out on each streetcorner with the cell phones, and what days and times they are most active. Months later, it's still business as usually. Its a small town, been almost a year since the dog died, and still have people asking me how he's doing. All the police officers knew about me and my dog (very large and always off the leash), never a ticket for that. But you'd figure they could trust what I was telling them about the drugs and stuff.