Feelings on Time Served

[blackPHOGmoan]

Let's say a criminal committed a crime against you and/or your family. The criminal was charged and sentenced to a certain number of years in prison. After completion of the sentence, that criminal is released. What would your feelings toward the criminal be? I'm sure it depends on the crime committed but just looking for some opinions.

Is all forgiven?
Vigilante manhunt ensues?

I'm curious because I've been lucky enough to avoid these situations and not sure how I would react.

[RandytheHelpfulPineapple]

Re: Serving

[quote author=blackPHOGmoan link=topic=674.msg7966#msg7966 date=1282830587]
Let's say a criminal committed a crime against you and/or your family. The criminal was charged and sentenced to a certain number of years in prison. After completion of the sentence, that criminal is released. What would your feelings toward the criminal be? I'm sure it depends on the crime committed but just looking for some opinions.

Is all forgiven?
Vigilante manhunt ensues?

I'm curious because I've been lucky enough to avoid these situations and not sure how I would react.
[/quote]

YOU'D BETTER HOPE I NEVER GET OUT. You really thought you could turn State's evidence against me and get away with it?

[blackPHOGmoan]

Re: Feelings on Time Served

[quote author=RandytheHelpfulPineapple link=topic=674.msg7968#msg7968 date=1282831147]
[quote author=blackPHOGmoan link=topic=674.msg7966#msg7966 date=1282830587]
Let's say a criminal committed a crime against you and/or your family. The criminal was charged and sentenced to a certain number of years in prison. After completion of the sentence, that criminal is released. What would your feelings toward the criminal be? I'm sure it depends on the crime committed but just looking for some opinions.

Is all forgiven?
Vigilante manhunt ensues?

I'm curious because I've been lucky enough to avoid these situations and not sure how I would react.
[/quote]

YOU'D BETTER HOPE I NEVER GET OUT. You really thought you could turn State's evidence against me and get away with it?
[/quote]

MY NAME IS MY NAME!

[JackLord]

Re: Feelings on Time Served

[sweaterbydarwin]

Re: Feelings on Time Served

[pieces of eight]

Re: Feelings on Time Served

Depends on the nature of the crime, I suppose, and how deeply affected we all are by it.

I'd like to think that I can forgive someone if they've paid for their crime against me, mainly if I felt the punishment fit the crime.

Problem is, some crimes do not feel like they have punishments that are possible to fit them, i.e. the murder/rape of a child. I would hate to be in that situation, because I'm afraid of what I would become.

[blackPHOGmoan]

Re: Feelings on Time Served

[quote author=pieces of eight link=topic=674.msg7974#msg7974 date=1282834042]
Depends on the nature of the crime, I suppose, and how deeply affected we all are by it.

I'd like to think that I can forgive someone if they've paid for their crime against me, mainly if I felt the punishment fit the crime.

Problem is, some crimes do not feel like they have punishments that are possible to fit them, i.e. the murder/rape of a child. I would hate to be in that situation, because I'm afraid of what I would become.
[/quote]

I was thinking the same. Say someone gets 25 years for killing a member of your family. The sentence is paid in full. Understanding that 25 years is a long time, I still wouldn't be convinced I could let it go.

If someone broke into my car and swiped my cd case full of Hootie & The Blowfish, Candlebox, and the Twister Soundtrack, maybe I would handle the completion of their sentence better. However, those were some good jams and not easily replaceable and I'd still probably go full on vigilante in search of my mid 90's classics.

[Milo]

Re: Feelings on Time Served

It depends on the crime. If this criminal did something to my child or wife I'd be pissed. If he stole my car stereo I would move on with life. it definately depends on the underlying crime.

[blackPHOGmoan]

Re: Feelings on Time Served

[quote author=Jhawk2001 link=topic=674.msg7979#msg7979 date=1282834596]
It depends on the crime. If this criminal did something to my child or wife I'd be pissed. If he stole my car stereo I would move on with life. it definately depends on the underlying crime.
[/quote]

You would be pissed he/she was getting out of jail? Still pissed at the actions?

Do you think living with that anger following the criminal's release would be healthier than attempting to let it go, knowing there was nothing you could do and the punishment had been fulfilled?

[pieces of eight]

Re: Feelings on Time Served

[quote author=blackPHOGmoan link=topic=674.msg7980#msg7980 date=1282834822]
[quote author=Jhawk2001 link=topic=674.msg7979#msg7979 date=1282834596]
It depends on the crime. If this criminal did something to my child or wife I'd be pissed. If he stole my car stereo I would move on with life. it definately depends on the underlying crime.
[/quote]

You would be pissed he/she was getting out of jail? Still pissed at the actions?

Do you think living with that anger following the criminal's release would be healthier than attempting to let it go, knowing there was nothing you could do and the punishment had been fulfilled?
[/quote]

I doubt there is an "either or" for most people. I think there are stages that time makes you go through, assuming you have no personal contact with the criminal.

One complicating factor might be thinking you know for sure that the person actually did it, when maybe they didn't and they were wrongly imprisoned for it.

[illinijhawk]

Re: Feelings on Time Served

[quote author=blackPHOGmoan link=topic=674.msg7977#msg7977 date=1282834490]
[quote author=pieces of eight link=topic=674.msg7974#msg7974 date=1282834042]
Depends on the nature of the crime, I suppose, and how deeply affected we all are by it.

I'd like to think that I can forgive someone if they've paid for their crime against me, mainly if I felt the punishment fit the crime.

Problem is, some crimes do not feel like they have punishments that are possible to fit them, i.e. the murder/rape of a child. I would hate to be in that situation, because I'm afraid of what I would become.
[/quote]

I was thinking the same. Say someone gets 25 years for killing a member of your family. The sentence is paid in full. Understanding that 25 years is a long time, I still wouldn't be convinced I could let it go.

If someone broke into my car and swiped my cd case full of Hootie & The Blowfish, Candlebox, and the Twister Soundtrack, maybe I would handle the completion of their sentence better. However, those were some good jams and not easily replaceable and I'd still probably go full on vigilante in search of my mid 90's classics.
[/quote]

Yup, if someone killed or raped my child tomorrow and got 25 years, I'd have a hard time NOT gunning the person down as he exited the jail. Hell, by then I'd be 64 and ready to go off to pasture anyway. Perhaps time would soften the blow, but I don't know.

[Milo]

Re: Re: Feelings on Time Served

[quote author=blackPHOGmoan link=topic=674.msg7980#msg7980 date=1282834822]
[quote author=Jhawk2001 link=topic=674.msg7979#msg7979 date=1282834596]
It depends on the crime. If this criminal did something to my child or wife I'd be pissed. If he stole my car stereo I would move on with life. it definately depends on the underlying crime.
[/quote]

You would be pissed he/she was getting out of jail? Still pissed at the actions?

Do you think living with that anger following the criminal's release would be healthier than attempting to let it go, knowing there was nothing you could do and the punishment had been fulfilled?
[/quote]

If the person raped my child and then got seven years and released and I had to deal with the shockwaves of that horrible action for the rest of my child's life, I'd have a hard time letting go. I can't let go little things. I am a stubborn person. I know it isn't healthy to live with anger and resentment, but I just don't turn that off.

Punishment for some crimes will never be fulfilled in the eyes of some victims. Some crimes have ramifications to the victim that never go away despite what happens to the criminal.

Simple propery crimes can be made whole. Crimes against a person may linger for a long time.

[Hoopo]

Re: Feelings on Time Served

I have two stories. Generally I feel that once the sentence is complete, the offender has paid his or her debt to society and deserves freedom from incarceration, BUT the debt to me can never be repaid.

My sister was raped. The rapist was never caught. Even if he'd been caught and did 25 years, I'd still want to put a bullet through his skull, then another as his corpse laid on the ground. Maybe two more bullets.

I was held up at gunpoint as I worked the night audit shift at Days Inn, 23rd and Iowa, in 1993. Three punks, two of whom were juveniles, the 19 year old had a Ruger pistol, which I saw the business end of up close as he took the cash drawer ($200).

I testified against him in court, wrote a lengthy spiel about sleep problems and treatment caused by the crime. The judge used my testimony and statement to impose the maximum sentence of 7.5 years in prison. You can bet I was a bit apprehensive when he was released in 2001. Thankfully he never hunted me down, as he promised me in court he would do.

But I am okay with him still being out there free, since he did his time.

[pitinoslibido]

Re: Feelings on Time Served

[quote author=blackPHOGmoan link=topic=674.msg7977#msg7977 date=1282834490]
[quote author=pieces of eight link=topic=674.msg7974#msg7974 date=1282834042]
Depends on the nature of the crime, I suppose, and how deeply affected we all are by it.

I'd like to think that I can forgive someone if they've paid for their crime against me, mainly if I felt the punishment fit the crime.

Problem is, some crimes do not feel like they have punishments that are possible to fit them, i.e. the murder/rape of a child. I would hate to be in that situation, because I'm afraid of what I would become.
[/quote]

I was thinking the same. Say someone gets 25 years for killing a member of your family. The sentence is paid in full. Understanding that 25 years is a long time, I still wouldn't be convinced I could let it go.

If someone broke into my car and swiped my cd case full of Hootie & The Blowfish, Candlebox, and the Twister Soundtrack, maybe I would handle the completion of their sentence better. However, those were some good jams and not easily replaceable and I'd still probably go full on vigilante in search of my mid 90's classics.
[/quote]


if they get that carver mixtape then