A drunk driver crashes and kills a person. What should be their punishment?

[ChrisJSY]

The biggest issue is assuming just because they were intoxicated they still did not have the decision whether to drive or not.
Plenty of people even completely shit-faced, ask for a ride home like my colleagues do, walk home, take public transport if able etc.

There's also the level of intoxication, because I think there is a point where someone while obviously drunk can still make a rational decision and then not make a rational decision. Amazingly enough, people can go their entire lives drinking a lot and not driving at the same time.

It's a tough one I'm glad I won't ever have to make the call on and I can't quite come to a decision with so many known and unknown variables.

 

[ibyea]

Holy shit at the poll results. It's utter insanity. Not even the US punish vehicular manslaughter that harshly. And furthermore, there are easier and more humane preventative and deterrent measures they could do other than locking people away for an absurd number of years.

 

[Books]

how long is a light sentence?

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I don't know. But whatever is a light sentence, I'd throw in monitoring for a year, at least a year of working with organizations of victims of drunk driving (not MADD though), perhaps going to schools to be the face of drunk driving, maybe restitution for the victim's family.

Revenge or rehabilitation. Gotta pick one.

 

[dragonbane]

At least 8-25. If there is a history or no remorse, make it life

 

[Wag]

Jail and then lots of years of community service. Maybe even community service while in prison as well.

 

[Deleted member 11413]

Holy shit at the poll results. It's utter insanity. Not even the US punish vehicular manslaughter that harshly. And furthermore, there are easier and more humane preventative and deterrent measures they could do other than locking people away for an absurd number of years.

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Yes the opinions on this site are fucked when it comes to criminal justice. It's the worst thing about this place by far.

 

[AkumaNiko]

Yes the opinions on this site are fucked when it comes to criminal justice. It's the worst thing about this place by far.

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its a touchy subject, but honestly i look at it like this.

You chose to drink
You chose to drive
You killed someone, took a father/mother/brother/sister/Daughter/Son from a family and they will never see that person again. Throw the book at them.

Or let the family of the person you killed decide

 

[Deleted member 8860]

Holy shit at the poll results. It's utter insanity. Not even the US punish vehicular manslaughter that harshly. And furthermore, there are easier and more humane preventative and deterrent measures they could do other than locking people away for an absurd number of years.

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Those aren't options available in the poll. There are plenty of people who've expressed more nuance in the discussion itself. Perhaps, like me, they chose "heavy punishment, 8-25 years" because they believe the perpetrator should be on probation or community service or in AA/sober for that long (but not imprisoned for that long).

 

[jakncoke]

I would say a medium level sentence of around 4-6 years per victim followed by post release of heavy drug and alcohol counseling and community service. Perhaps lifetime interlock and if they cant afford the monthly fee, can do community service to maintain their ILL

 

[Keikaku]

Life sentence. Knowingly driving while drunk is same as murder imo.

 

[ReplacementPelican]

Or let the family of the person you killed decide

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This is one of the worst ideas I've ever heard, the legal system doesn't work this way on purpose. It's a justice system, not a revenge system.

 

[Kayotix]

Should be serious jail/prison time. Everyone knows not to do it so when u do, Fuck you and rot.

 

[R8tedm3]

"Eye for eye" no mercy!

Especially in this day of age where we have Uber & Lyft!

Don't drink and drive! Simple as that, and if you do be responsible, and throw the keys away!!!

 

[Avitus]

I don't know how people still do it with ridesharing available. Everyone knows it's wrong and dangerous yet people still do it and kill others. Given that, the sentence should be harsh. Harsher than it is now.

 

[floridaguy954]

A drunk driver killing someone would most likely be classified as vehicular manslaughter so the penalty will be heavy regardless.

I vote for a revoked privilege to drive, and mandatory rehabilitation in a jail/prison setting (because I believe they do need a punishment for poor decision making).

Failure to comply with the rehab will result in further jail time and/or community service to help pay fines.

 

[AkumaNiko]

This is one of the worst ideas I've ever heard, the legal system doesn't work this way on purpose. It's a justice system, not a revenge system.

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That was my point in the response. I think a lot of people are going too light on the punishment.

10-15 years, community service for another 10-15 years including speaking about what you did to young people in a hope to make sure they dont make the same mistake

 

[Books]

That was my point in the response. I think a lot of people are going too light on the punishment.

10-15 years, community service for another 10-15 years including speaking about what you did to young people in a hope to make sure they dont make the same mistake

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If they make it through the hypothetical 10-15 years in a federal prison, I'd guess the first thing they're going to do is grab a drink.

Also, one drink at dinner and you can technically be considered drunk.

 

[Jeffolation]

It's manslaughter and whatever sentencing guildlines go along with such a charge should be applied.

 

[Sumio Mondo]

Heavy punishment. Don't drink and drive, people.

Was out for work do last week and one of the guys drank like 10 beers and 1 Jack Daniels and still drove home afterwards and was joking at work about it today along with another colleague. Pricks. Won't be so funny if they ran over a kid.

 

[Deleted member 11413]

its a touchy subject, but honestly i look at it like this.

You chose to drink
You chose to drive
You killed someone, took a father/mother/brother/sister/Daughter/Son from a family and they will never see that person again. Throw the book at them.

Or let the family of the person you killed decide

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Letting victims or their relatives choose punishments has no place in a fair or equitable justice system

 

[AkumaNiko]

If they make it through the hypothetical 10-15 years in a federal prison, I'd guess the first thing they're going to do is grab a drink.

Also, one drink at dinner and you can technically be considered drunk.

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Pretty sure that would violate the terms of their release and parole, thus sending them back to jail

 

[Commedieu]

If they are wealthy,

probation.

if they are poor?

Execution.

Thats the precedent in america at least.

 

[Devilgunman]

Sometime I just glad there is justice system. Some comments here are strait up barbaric.

 

[Aaronrules380]

What the fuck is wrong with those of you that voted for the no prison option?

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I didn't vote for the no prison option myself, but given that most people voting for it are likely envisioning other consequences beyond a fine or jail time such as mandatory rehab and requiring a breathalyser to start up a car and stuff like that, I'd be down with supporting them a million time more than the sick fucks voting for heavy punishment or above. I chose medium (with the assumption it'd be on the lower end of that range, and with a hypothetical vastly improved prison system focused on rehabilitation) and even then I'm concerned over whether it might not still be too harsh a penalty to be merited for the crime and whether I'm letting the influence of growing up in a culture that places way too much value in retributive justice systems cloud my mind on what an appropriate and effective punishment should look like

 

[ibyea]

Those aren't options available in the poll. There are plenty of people who've expressed more nuance in the discussion itself. Perhaps, like me, they chose "heavy punishment, 8-25 years" because they believe the perpetrator should be on probation or community service or in AA/sober for that long (but not imprisoned for that long).

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Okay, that's fair. I chose light sentencing, but in my mind it came with a bunch of caveats like community services, rehab, and getting license revoked for a long time.

 

[Lant_War]

its a touchy subject, but honestly i look at it like this.

You chose to drink
You chose to drive
You killed someone, took a father/mother/brother/sister/Daughter/Son from a family and they will never see that person again. Throw the book at them.

Or let the family of the person you killed decide

Click to shrink...

The relatives of a person who passed away for negligence / manslaughter / murder should never be asked what to do with the culprit. That's why the whole legal system is in place

 

[Deleted member 12833]

Any lesson taught would be taught in a medium sentence...closer to 5 years. No sense throwing two lives away

 

[Pwnz]

Holy shit at the poll results. It's utter insanity. Not even the US punish vehicular manslaughter that harshly. And furthermore, there are easier and more humane preventative and deterrent measures they could do other than locking people away for an absurd number of years.

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Yeah, even as a a 2 to 8 year proponent, I see harsh punishment 20+ years as shocking as a few months. Such a crazy across the board stance. Drunk driving deaths include people that think they're sober enough but are borderline and get in a wreck where it's not 100% clear who is at fault. It's not equivalent someone with 5 DUIs that blew .30 after driving the wrong direction at 80mph and killed a family of 5.

 

[adj_noun]

Looked up my state's law:

Vehicular homicide is a class A felony in Washington. Convicted motorists face up to life in prison and/or a maximum $50,000 in fines.

And if a motorist is convicted of vehicular homicide involving driving under the influence, the judge must add two years to the sentence for each of the motorist's prior DUI convictions.

A vehicular homicide conviction also results in a two-year license revocation, starting when the driver gets out of jail.

 

[Siggy-P]

The biggest issue is assuming just because they were intoxicated they still did not have the decision whether to drive or not.
Plenty of people even completely shit-faced, ask for a ride home like my colleagues do, walk home, take public transport if able etc.

There's also the level of intoxication, because I think there is a point where someone while obviously drunk can still make a rational decision and then not make a rational decision. Amazingly enough, people can go their entire lives drinking a lot and not driving at the same time.

It's a tough one I'm glad I won't ever have to make the call on and I can't quite come to a decision with so many known and unknown variables.

Click to shrink...

I wanna add on here that people who drive drunk had to have known that they would be driving home before they start drinking. After all, if you got to the pub by car, how else would you probbaly be going home? That's why you have designated drivers.