Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Crime and Punishment: Who is Nuttier, Norway or California?


By Tom Kando

This Fall, Californians will vote on Proposition 36. This would change the state’s 1994 Three-Strikes Law.   Currently, the law stipulates 25–to-life prison terms for offenders who commit any third crime after having already committed two previous serious or violent felonies. The third crime can be ANY minor crime defined as a felony.

The Sacramento Bee (September 24, 2012) provides two examples:


Ronald Koroush’s recent third strike was to receive stolen property, namely a used mirror. His female neighbor is accusing him of having stolen the mirror, whereas Koroush claims that he found the mirror  leaning against a telephone pole next to his trash cans. In any event, his  bail has been set at $1 million  and he now qualifies for a  25-to-life sentence. 

Aaron Collins’ third strike  was  possession of marijuana  in his prison cell, in 1995. For this, he has remained in prison for the past 17 years, with no end in sight.

Compare this to what happened to Anders Breivik, in Norway: He murdered 77 children last year, to preserve Norway’s racial purity. His victims were Norwegians, but they were  attending a camp which  belonged to a political party disliked by Breivik.  For this, the man  received a maximum sentence of 21 years, but he may only have to serve a minimum of 10.

Who is nuttier here, Norway or California?  leave comment here