Drunk Drivers or Dangerous Offenders!
by Taking a look at whether or not chronic drunk drivers should be treated as dangerous offenders and be sentenced as such.
In his article Chronic Drunk Drivers are Dangerous Offenders Too, Matt Gurney looks at whether or not chronic drunk drivers (those who have offended more then twice) should be treated as dangerous offenders. Although this designation is usually used in cases of repeat sex offenders or killers, it does make some sense when you really analyze the situation of a chronic drunk driver. Instead of sex and/or violence to cause harm or death he/she is using a 2000 pound vehicle to put other lives in jeopardy for his/her own satisfaction. It seems as though there are many who are becoming tired of letting repeat impaired drivers off with a slap on the wrist so that they can go out and repeat the same offence again.In the case where a drunk driving charge (or impaired driving) is the first offence maybe we can use a little bit of discretion as in the case of Jack Tobin, the son of former Newfoundland Premier Brian Tobin. Jack Tobin plead guilty in May to impaired driving causing death. The Crown will seek substantial jail time for this offence. Jack Tobin has stated that he did indeed drink, drive, and then someone ended up dead.
There are those who believe that having to live with this event each day should be enough punishment for Jack. Then there are still others who believe that he should be punished by spending the rest of his life in jail. I fall somewhere in between. Jack Tobin did in fact drive drunk (consumed more than twice the legal limit of alcohol) and then someone (his friend) ended up dead. This is a tragic event to have to live with and remember each day of his life, but then Jack Tobin was the one who was driving and he should have to suffer some other consequence for these actions. The consequences should be grave enough to leave a lasting impression so that young Jack Tobin does not get out of jail in a few months and repeat the actions of this fateful Christmas Eve 2010. I am not sure if the consequences should be life in prison. What do you believe?
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Post CommentChristine Ramsay
On August 5, 2011 at 2:46 am
I agree that there should be punishment. After all he killed someone which is manslaughter at at least and it deserves an appropriate prison term.
Socorro Lawas
On August 5, 2011 at 4:33 am
I’m not a legal mind, but I found the article informative and educational.