AIBU to think the American justice system is spot on!

[babyno5]

I'm not a big fan of things American but reading this sentence I think UK should have far tougher sentencing for serious crimes
www.bbc.co.uk/news/amp/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-48036512

I was amazed to discover how many people in the US believe that all Europeans want to live there. I dont think I would even visit there at the moment fo all these reasons.

I grew up in American but have had most my adult life in the UK and you couldn't oay me to move back there. I know a lady at work who goes to Florida and has the same Orlando holiday every year. She goes on about how amazing it is and how much she wants to live there she seems to think the "Florida holiday" is what life in America actually is....

Sorry OP, but the American justice system is seriously fucked up. Just because it hands out heavy prison sentences for some crimes does not mean it's fair. As PP mentions, there are serious inconsistencies between sentences/crimes where you can get out in a year for certain violent crimes, but be put away for decades for non-violent property/drug offences. The system allows serious offenders to plea bargain their way out of charges (including paedophiles and rapists) whilst at the same forcing more vulnerable offenders to enter guilty pleas at the risk of ridiculously heavy sentences. In a lot of countries there is no such thing as plea bargaining (if you're guilty, you're guilty and if you're not guilty, you're not guilty- to be able to negotiate is absurd). The system favours the rich, allowing them to buy their way to freedom with expensive lawyers and stacks the deck against poorer offenders. Not to mention capital punishment, institutionalised racism etc etc. The legacy of the "War on Drugs" (which was a blind doggedness zero-tolerance approach to any drug related activity) is a system which hands out grossly unfair sentences and perpetuates socio-economic inequalities and reoffending (think grannies getting 5 years because they allowed their weed dealer grandson to stay with them or other first time offenders given lengthy sentences for minor drug offences and then lost to a cycle of reoffending and a life of crime). A fairly easy read is Orange is the New Black (the book that the show is based on) - it's the lady's real story and she speaks about these issues and the need for prison reform.

Three strikes and you're out in the US means you can get a life sentence for shoplifting a loaf of bread. So no, I don't think it's a better system.

Brock Turner is just one of many examples of what is wrong with our justice system at home (I’m originally from the States).

American here, born and raised and you couldn’t pay me enough to move back to the US.

The justice system needs a massive overhaul and I wouldn’t be surprised if it was charged with serious human rights violations, especially with the police response and treatment towards non-whites, treatment of women in domestic cases and rapes (including the likely million plus untested rape kits sitting in storage) and the bail system.

@GreytExpectations I am happy to admit I got it wrong! I do think in this case they got it right. Maybe if 40 years was the norm in this country less crimes would be committed?

I've heard the American justice system called a lot of things, but 'spot on' has not been one of them!

@GreytExpectations I've been to Florida too and no thanks! No desire to move there based on that

Length of sentence has very little to do with rates of recidivism, or lack thereof. For example, the US has ferocious sentences, and very high rates of recidivism.

And generally when people are committing a crime, they 1. aren't thinking that they'll get caught, or 2. don't think they'll get caught.

Or even, 3. are so desperate, they are prepared to run a high risk of being caught.

YABU

John Oliver has done some great shows on the US justice system and the sheer level of inequality. IWatch When they see us on Netflix to see just how shit it is to be young, male and black. It's staggering.

In this specific case, I can see reason to be pleased after so many stories of people doing similar crimes getting away with no punishment and no protection for wider society -- though we should need to also recognize Scotland's part in this.

But yeah, much of the US and UK systems regularly fuck up and there is strong evidence of racial issues in both countries. As many have already pointed out the American ones, at least back in 2017, there is also the issue that young Black people are 9 times more likely than their White counter parts and a larger portion of Black people in England and Wales in comparison to the population are in jail than the US. Apple doesn't fall far from the tree and a lack of will on any side for the changes really needed to have a justice system that people can have faith in and makes enough of a difference.

I do wonder what happened with Brock Turner. I know his family is no living in the same area - there was a protest when they moved and an article from one of the other Oakwood high school alumni on how the bubble the area is part of the problem which was interesting (and, coming from the area, I agree) but that's behind a Washington Post paywall it seems.