‘Lock ‘Em crowd’ at it again with Burke, Hunter sentencing

 

‘Lock ‘Em crowd’ at it again with Burke, Hunter sentencing

 

The United States is incarceration crazy, containing 4.3% of the world's population, but housing 20% of the world's prisoners. We have the sixth highest incarceration rate at 531 per 100,000, meaning America trails 188 countries in that dubious category. At $35,000 per inmate, total annual cost exceeds $60 billion.

 

 

It hasn't always been this way. Beginning under Nixon in 70's and Reagan in the 80's, the US became incarceration obsessed. Nixon, through aide John Haldeman, admitted he used draconian drug violation sentencing to jail minorities and leftists in massive numbers for political gain. Reagan followed suit, resulting in a seven fold increase in state prisoners since then. This reprehensible increase helped spawn the private prison industry with a vested interest in more customers known as inmates.

 

 

 

That brings us to former Chicago aldermanic powerhouse Ed Burke and presidential son Hunter Biden. Burke faces 10 years for corrupt governance to enrich himself and legal partners. Hunter Biden fibbed that he wasn’t a drug addict to get a gun license. That fib carriers a maximum sentence of 25 years.

 

 

Both deserve being brought to justice. But neither needs a long sentence to serve the 3 main sentencing purposes: punish the wrongdoer, deter potential lawbreakers and protect the public.

How bout 10 weeks for Burke instead of 10 years, besides losing his pension, law license and reputation. He’s in declining health at 80 and is finished as a public servant.

Hunter should get even less, say 25 days or even probation instead of potential 25 years. He’s been clean for 4 years and poses no likely threat to society. He should be allowed to quickly get on with his personal rehabilitation.

 

 

As far as deterrence goes, did Gov. Blagojevic’s 14 year sentence, of which he served 8, have any impact on Burke’s corrupt streak or any of the other public servants charged since Blago went away? As for Hunter’s fellow addicts fibbing to get a gun permit, do they even know what planet they’re on much less the perils of repeating the Hunter Biden saga?

 

 

One bright spot promoting lower incarceration is the movement to eliminate cash bail for people charged who are neither a flight risk nor a danger to the public. After 8 months in Illinois, Cook County jail population is down 13% with no crime wave predicted by opponents occurring. Jail population decreases are occurring statewide.

 

 

Sane sentencing policies must be promoted thruout the judicial system to reduce the scourge of unnecessary incarceration gobbling up public treasure needed for more important crime fighting functions like mental health and addiction treatment. The Ed Burke and Hunter Biden sentencing should be at the forefront of this agenda to capitalize on their public notoriety.