3 ms·

The shocking thing isn't how this case is treated, it's how other cases with similar or lesser harms are. It's the social construction of crime thing. Stealing

The shocking thing isn't how this case is treated, it's how other cases with similar or lesser harms are. It's the social construction of crime thing. Stealing $140k is egregious. But because it's an employer stealing from their employees it's being treated as more of an administrative error than a great crime. Where like, we know that people are in prison on decades long sentences for thefts orders of magnitude smaller, or simple drug possession, or spitting on a cop.

Volundr 3y ago
Put another way, try working at Walmart. If you pop open the safe and walk out with $140k, do you really think the outcome will only be a $5k fine?
NoMoreNicksLeft 3y ago
> It's the social construction of crime thing. Stealing $140k is egregious. But because it's an employer stealing from their employees it's being treated as more of an administrative error than a great crime. It's not as if someone subtracted $140k off of one guy's single paycheck. This was nickeled-and-dimed, likely for years. And while I have no inclination to give the benefit of the doubt to a place that hires a fake priest to give confession about skimming the till, it's not that difficult for such a thing to be an administrative error. Rhonda in payroll keys in a wrong number somewhere, and you're getting the $8/month deduction for hemorrhoid insurance without actually getting that insurance. Or the punch on the mechanical time clock is bent, and shaving 5 minutes from the start of everyone's shift. Or a hundred other things. Hell, maybe that's even an excuse, and it was always deliberate. But good luck proving it. There are tradeoffs here, and if punitive justice is something you absolutely must have, then go for it. But don't start whining when the other stuff gets worse.
- giraffe_lady 3y ago
  You're reading me upside down. I'm not arguing for retributive justice, I'm point out how our state and society are capable of a restorative approach when they want to be. People are often saying that such an approach is naive or idealistic, when in fact we already have it. But only for certain relationships between criminal and victim.
emaginniss 3y ago
Wait! Someone is in jail for a decade for just spitting on a cop? We need to protest this case. Who is it?
- giraffe_lady 3y ago
  https://www.ksat.com/news/local/2023/04/14/texas-man-sentenced-to-70-years-in-prison-for-spitting-on-police-officers-reports-say/ https://www.ksat.com/news/local/2023/04/14/texas-man-sentenc...
  - emaginniss 3y ago
    Fair enough, although his sentence seemed to be based on being a habitual offender with armed robbery and domestic violence convictions. It's similar to how people in this thread think that repeat violators of wage theft should face higher penalties.
    - giraffe_lady 3y ago
      ok lol sure

Volundr 3y ago

Put another way, try working at Walmart. If you pop open the safe and walk out with $140k, do you really think the outcome will only be a $5k fine?

NoMoreNicksLeft 3y ago

> It's the social construction of crime thing. Stealing $140k is egregious. But because it's an employer stealing from their employees it's being treated as more of an administrative error than a great crime. It's not as if someone subtracted $140k off of one guy's single paycheck. This was nickeled-and-dimed, likely for years. And while I have no inclination to give the benefit of the doubt to a place that hires a fake priest to give confession about skimming the till, it's not that difficult for such a thing to be an administrative error. Rhonda in payroll keys in a wrong number somewhere, and you're getting the $8/month deduction for hemorrhoid insurance without actually getting that insurance. Or the punch on the mechanical time clock is bent, and shaving 5 minutes from the start of everyone's shift. Or a hundred other things. Hell, maybe that's even an excuse, and it was always deliberate. But good luck proving it. There are tradeoffs here, and if punitive justice is something you absolutely must have, then go for it. But don't start whining when the other stuff gets worse.

giraffe_lady 3y ago
You're reading me upside down. I'm not arguing for retributive justice, I'm point out how our state and society are capable of a restorative approach when they want to be. People are often saying that such an approach is naive or idealistic, when in fact we already have it. But only for certain relationships between criminal and victim.

emaginniss 3y ago

Wait! Someone is in jail for a decade for just spitting on a cop? We need to protest this case. Who is it?

giraffe_lady 3y ago
https://www.ksat.com/news/local/2023/04/14/texas-man-sentenced-to-70-years-in-prison-for-spitting-on-police-officers-reports-say/ https://www.ksat.com/news/local/2023/04/14/texas-man-sentenc...
- emaginniss 3y ago
  Fair enough, although his sentence seemed to be based on being a habitual offender with armed robbery and domestic violence convictions. It's similar to how people in this thread think that repeat violators of wage theft should face higher penalties.
  - giraffe_lady 3y ago
    ok lol sure