(07-26-2021, 10:37 PM)ijmorlan Wrote: Either way, yes, I agree that a permanent irrevocable license cancellation is in order. If he’s caught driving, ever, 10 years in prison, minimum. Longer if there is any whining about it whatsoever. Enough already.
No, I don’t know how to square what I just said with the idea that we should try not to incarcerate people too much.
I get the sentiment but ten years in prison is absolutely too much - even for bypassing a license restriction. Really so is a permanent license cancellation unless there is additional context to be considered. One reason we incarcerate people too much is because it’s the hammer we throw at all problems.
License cancellation measured in years - definitely. Prison sentence measured in months - seems good to me. Permanent driving restrictions like a speed limited car or additional speed/gps tracking - great. Escalating prison sentences / consequences for repeat offences / bypassing restrictions - great.
And so on.
But people make stupid mistakes and poor decisions and really long prison sentences are rarely the answer to the best way society should deal with it. Particularly as our technology advances to the point where we have all sorts of better and more targeted punishments / measures.