Pubdate: Mon, 08 Mar 2004 Source: Richmond News (CN BC) Copyright: 2004, Lower Mainland Publishing Group Inc. Contact: http://www.richmond-news.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1244 Author: J. Lee WE NEED A U.S.-STYLE APPROACH TO JUSTICE Dear Editor, I could not suppress a sarcastic laugh over the article that I read in your Choice Words, called "Court justice a joke," by M.A. Marshall (News, Feb. 11) Not only do I concur that the youth criminal justice act is a joke, but I also believe there is something wrong with the way the courts dispense justice towards certain criminals. Justice seems to be overly lenient when it comes to certain crimes such as drugs or drunk driving. Not only are the courts setting precedents, but the trend is also further calling for repeat offenders. How many times have we read news about apprehended-then-released criminals being caught committing the same crime again and again. In the U.S., I am told, for every full-grown marijuana plant that is seized, the minimum sentence is two years. For reckless or drunk driving resulting in injury or death, the person responsible is sure to get jail time, not to mention huge fines and monetary penalties. In our case, the penalty is like "penance," and instead of sinning no more, it's here we go again. If ever the victim was one of the judge's or government official's family or relative, would making the one's responsible stand in the corner be enough? I rest my case. J. Lee Richmond - --- MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin