Judge Sentences Man to Public Humiliation
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The United States is known as the “incarceration nation.” We have 25% of the world’s prison population behind bars, making America the country with the most people behind bars. There are any number of reasons for this, three strikes law, ridiculous drug sentencing guidelines, and etc. In addition, more than half of those released will return within 3 years. The fact is incarceration doesn’t always work, and it’s time we employ more effective, innovative punishments, like the one described in the story below:
A Texas judge sentenced a convicted drunk driver who killed another man in a car crash to revisit the scene of the crash in Houston for the next four Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. while wearing a sign admitting his guilt.
Harris County Judge Mike Fields ordered Michael Giacona, 38, to wear the sign that says he killed Aaron Pennywell, 20. Fields is also forcing Giacona to keep a picture of the June 2011 crash in his living room as part of the punishment.
“Maybe we should try shaming people more often,” retired Travis County Judge Jon Wisser, said. “The law permits a judge to use any reasonable means of punishment.”
Wisser mentioned how in the “old days” guilty individuals were placed in stocks for public humiliation.
Although this wasn’t the victim’s family’s idea, according to the local Mothers Against Drunk Driving chapter they are pleased.
“The mother said she loved the idea because it makes this person, maybe it will help them think twice before they get behind the wheel because it’s my understanding it was this man’s second DWI,” John McNamee, MADD Southeast Texas Affiliate executive director, said.
Not everyone thinks wearing a sign is appropriate.
“I think it’s a little barbaric. I feel like I’m re-reading the Scarlett letter,” said Austinite Keana Culjak-Reif.
According to the judge, a probation officer will visit the crash site to check on Giacona and a probation officer will also be doing random home visits to look for the wrecked car picture.
Giacona was also sentenced to two years and must attend Alcoholics Anonymous meetings.
What do you think? Do you think it’s long past time for such innovative sentencing?
Many thanks to FoxNews for their contributions to this story.
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The constitution makes it clear that a punishment like this is unconstitutional. While I am not against finding new ways to punish evil, we must be careful of how we do it. We set a system up for failure if we don’t respect the rights of the guilty as well as the innocent. Why was rehab not part of the program? 6 months in patient, 6 months in a halfway home, 2 years probation, plus volunteering to speak at high schools about what happened, and weekends in jail for 6 months once in halfway house should have been enough.
While I am not sure this will correct the behavior of a lot of people, it may well correct the behavior of this one person. I am not a big fan of some of these “thought up” punishments the defendant could refuse. Of course, then he could go to prison. In Alabama he would be on trial for manslaughter and would be heading for prison.