What is a “tough” criminal sentence? How do you measure “tough”?
Of course, it’s easy to know what “tougher” is– that’s more than we have now. But how do you measure the toughness of now? What factors go into it? How do you calculate it?
It’s all just feeling, isn’t it?
Even judges — who should be experts on what “tough” is– admit that they simply sentence convicted criminals to a time that is longer or shorter than something else. But I doubt they could make a case for any particular time being “fair” or “just”.
Why not? Why is there no work being done in this area? Have you ever seen a study, based on real research, of what an optimal sentence is for a convicted criminal?
How things have changed: General Eisenhower, according to Andy Rooney, refused to censor the official magazine of the armed forces, “Stars and Stripes”.