The policy topic I researched for this class was student violence safety. School violence is defined as any activity that can create physical or psychological harm to another student, school, or community. It includes verbal and physical altercations. It is also bullying through electronic means or social media, threats, weapon use, or gang activity. I specifically focused on sexual assault pertaining to students and college campuses. My policy issue is the lack of adequate punishments when it comes to people convicted of sexual assault. Especially for students who are in a place of high standing with the school or community, like athletes and honor students.
To address this problem, the government needs to implement stricter laws for the judicial school and court systems. There needs to be a minimum sentence/punishment for offenders that cannot be avoided. For example, a minimum number of years a person convicted of rape has to spend in jail no matter who they are.
This is a perfectly achievable solution to the problem. My solution is possible because there are already policies in place for punishments for these offences. The problem is that they are not strictly enforced. Certain people slip through the cracks and are not given the same punishments as others because they have a better social standing in the school. This solution is desirable because mandatory minimum sentences reflect a societal judgment that certain offenses demand a specified minimum punishment. They ensure that anyone who commits that crime cannot avoid a just punishment. Mandatory minimum sentences also address two widely acknowledged problems with the criminal justice system: sentencing disparity and lenient sentences. Mandatory minimums guarantee that sentences are uniform throughout the federal system. They also ensure that individuals are punished in proportion with their moral responsibility by attaching the sentence to the crime, not the person. (Larkin, Paul) (Grinberg, Janette Gagnon and Emanuella)
There are arguments in opposition of my solution that state that longer sentencing does not result in the change we are looking for. One argument is that certain circumstances call for lighter sentences. Senators Patrick Leahy (Democrat–Vermont) and Rand Paul (Republican–Kentucky) introduced the Justice Safety Valve Act of 2013, which would apply to all federal mandatory minimums. The bill would allow courts to impose criminal penalties below the statutory minimum sentences under certain circumstances. (Cleave, Chad Van)
This is not desirable because people want to see offenders punished. No one who commits a crime should walk free because they are a “good person”. There needs to be a minimum sentence in place, and from there it can be decided whether someone serves that minimum or an increased sentence.
Work Cited
Cleave, Chad Van. “Van Cleave Law Firm, PC.” Nationwide Federal Criminal Defense Attorney. N.p., 14 Mar. 2015. – http://drugandgunlawyer.com/the-justice-safety-valve-act-of-2013/
Grinberg, Janette Gagnon and Emanuella. “Mad about Brock Turner’s Sentence? It’s Not Uncommon.” CNN. Cable News Network, 04 Sept. 2016. – http://www.cnn.com/2016/09/02/us/brock-turner-college-athletes-sentence/
Larkin, Paul. “Reconsidering Mandatory Minimum Sentences: The Arguments for and Against Potential Reforms.” The Heritage Foundation. N.p., 10 Feb. 2014. – http://www.heritage.org/crime-and-justice/report/reconsidering-mandatory-minimum-sentences-the-arguments-and-against
Student Violence Safety Policy 