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Is our court system too soft?

Is our court system too soft?

Submitted by michael.dewitt on Fri, 11/11/2011 - 11:56am.

Within the past two weeks I have received two letters, and a couple of phone calls, from concerned citizens expressing the opinion that our court system in Hampton County is too lenient, that the same offenders keep coming back before the courts over and over again, only to be slapped on the wrist.

A review of General Sessions court dispositions from the past couple of years show that the majority of offenders appearing before our courts plead guilty and receive reduced sentences, suspended sentences, or probation, or time served, etc. Why is this? Is the system flawed? Is prison overcrowding still an issue? What's being done to stop repeat offenders? How can we do a better job to deter crime?

The Guardian will attempt to answer some of these questions in an upcoming story. Meanwhile, what are your thoughts? Leave your comments here, and if you post your real name we may publish your comments as part of the story in The Guardian.

 

Michael DeWitt, Jr.

Editor, The Hampton County Guardian

"Strong Newspapers Build Strong Communities"


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Crime v/s the System

Submitted by AllTiredOut on Fri, 11/11/2011 - 12:52pm.

Michael,

This is a question that has been asked by so many communities. The criminals are very much aware of the system and they know how to work the system. This tells me that the system is broke and needs to be fixed but where do you start. Do you start with the police, the judge, the lawyers, or with the criminals themselves. They say jails are overcrowded well them lets figure a new way of punishment. Remember when young criminals did something wrong they were placed on a chaingang, well maybe this is one way to punish these children that are starting out in their life of crime. Half of these children are not getting the proper punishment at home because we have a society that has made the family values fly right out the window. Education in the schools should be apart of this element of teaching these children the difference between right and wrong and it needs to start early but do we have teachers that care or do they just check the arrest in the paper and say "yes I knew he/she would be arrested when they got older". When I was in school we had a "Scared Straight" program; where prisoners would come to the schools and talk to the teens. I also think that parents should be hold some of the responsibility in way their children behave - lack of respect in the home will lead to lack of repect in the community. 

 So proper education, punishment, and a since of responsibility of their own actions should be factor in any part of fixing the system. But the police, judges, lawyers and political powers should be held accountable for the system being broke and they should do their part in correcting the errors. Remember it is not your job to help out your friends but to punish the criminals. If they were good friends they would not put you in this situation in the first place so why put your name on the line. Just do your job!

Maybe this does not make since to some but to some it make perfect since!

 

Crime/Punishment

Submitted by footballmom10 on Fri, 11/11/2011 - 4:18pm.

I have to say it must start in the home.  Lack of respect is a vicious cycle.  These days KIDS are birthing KIDS and moms are getting younger and younger.  We can't expect kids that have no respect for themselves or others to teach it to their kids... what we are seeing today is the result of the last 10 years of parenting (or lack of parenting) and it's truly sad. 

Surely harsher penalties for crimes would be a way to stop a lot of it.  But until that happens we must live with things the way they are.  I do think that Hampton County is an exception to many rules... crimes committed in other places would be handled differently elsewhere.  I often wonder why Hampton County's rules seem different and more lenient.

 

It's funny that you mention that.....

Submitted by cbh1961 on Sat, 11/12/2011 - 7:51am.

It's funny that you mention that "Hampton County's rules seem different and more lenient." If you go to the Friday edition of the State Newspaper's website and read the story entitled "Man arrested 5 times while awaiting murder trial" The guy, Freddie Simpkins, was charged in 2009 with murder in drug related shooting. He was released on a $150,000 bond. Since then he has been arrested and charged with Grand Larceny in Feb. 2010, simple possession of marijuna in April 2010, 2nd Degree Burglary in July 2010, and for violating the conditions of his bond back in Oct. His latest arrest came on Tuesday again for 2nd Degree Burglary. This was in Aiken County. I can't believe that this guy is out on bond awaiting a MURDER TRIAL. We can say what we want about Hampton County and its "different" and "more lenient" rules but I haven't seen something like this happen here yet. When it comes to crime and punishment, we are no worse than anyone else about criminals getting off easier. It happens everywhere everyday. When laws are changed to protect the innocent instead of the guilty, then maybe it will get better. I wholeheartedly agree with you that a lot of this does begin at home. Maybe when the government stops paying people to have kids some of that will change as well.

Reply

Submitted by footballmom10 on Mon, 11/14/2011 - 12:46pm.

I agree with your statement about the government paying people to have kids... it's a vicious, terrible cycle.  Hampton County just seems so backwards.  Taxes are incredibly high yet we have no nice schools (or strong academic achievements) to show for it.  We also have no recreation for our kids... just the little volunteer programs that some our kids are a part of with no County support whatsoever.  The County seems so concerned about things that are holding us back...  so much money is going to the Sheriff's Dept. and DHEC (which in my opinion are so active because of limited things for our youth to do - other than commit crimes and have babies) and the library... do people even go to libraries anymore?  With technology these days, most people (including our kids) get what they need from the internet on their cell phones. 

You have to admit that harsher punishment for criminals (even first time offenders) would have a positive effect on those deciding whether or not to commit crimes.  Getting someone that really punishes these offenders would have to scare them at least a little.

When thinking about the degrees of and frequency of crimes these days, the old system of "paddling" in schools may not have been such a bad idea.

 

Paddling..

Submitted by jconder on Tue, 11/15/2011 - 9:27am.

Amen to that....I know I got more than my fair share of those. Not to say they were what sets one in the right direction, but they sure made me think about the concequinces of my actions. Schools and teachers dont have the authority they need to deal with the delinquents at hand. It all starts at home. The saying "It takes a village to raise a child" my be true but it takes parents to lay the foundation. Without it they will fall. We can teach our children right from wrong and establish punishments for breaking the rules but some are going to walk their own path. Thats when the "Villlage" comes in. Our children are exposed to technology and culture way before they are ready and if we dont teach them how to deal with it early enough they will find it and explore whether we want them to or not. It's up to us to change this cycle.