No matter how hard we try, society just can’t avoid Lindsay Lohan! She is back in the news again, only this time it’s to pay the piper, figuratively of course. This past Wednesday, she was sentenced to thirty days behind bars at the Lynwood Jail in Los Angeles. The sad truth is that everybody knows she won’t have to serve the full sentence, just like Paris Hilton, Nicole Richie, and Khloe Kardashian before her. This is really upsetting because with celebrity crimes seemingly on the rise within the past ten years, judges are missing their opportunities to make an example out of them.
Paris was given a sentence of more than three weeks for violating her probation in a DUI related case…she served 3 days in LA county jail and served the rest of her “hard time”/house arrest in her luxurious LA mansion. I wonder if the inmates in Lynwood have assistants to bring them dinner from The Ivy and Starbucks every morning too…You may also recall my second post in which Nicole Richie’s freeway exploits were detailed. She had pot and Vicodin in her system and drove on the wrong side of the freeway. An ordinary person might think she has officially lost her mind. Apparently the judge in that case felt differently because he put her through eighty-two minutes of hell. I mean, she got out of jail in less time than it takes to watch Titanic!
Back in 2007, HecklerSpray.com posted an eerily prophetic statement about the freckled-felon Lindsay Lohan, stating “Any minute now we'll tell you that Lindsay Lohan will spend one day in jail for repeatedly failing to realize that shoving cocaine into her pockets and driving around drunk isn't really all that legal.” The fact that someone was able to predict that this would in fact happen, and it pretty much will, is either indicative of the celebrities’ lack of awareness or the judges’ lack of awareness. Situations like these make a mockery of the criminal justice system. Call it overcrowding, call it special treatment; I call it ridiculous. For years we have been taught in our criminal justice classes that the goal of incarcerating someone is to not only hold them accountable, but to attempt to rehabilitate them. How exactly is that being exhibited here? L.A. sherriff’s spokesman Steve Whitmore was quoted this past Wednesday on PeopleMagazine.com saying, “[Lindsay] probably won’t be serving the full 30 days. She’s subject to early release for good behavior and overcrowding.” If there are criminals already incarcerated that are dealing with the effects of prison overcrowding why are Paris, Nicole, and most likely Lindsay, not forced to get in the trenches with the rest of them? This is just too similar to when parents threaten to spank their children and then after years of never being hit, the children learn that their parents are just full of empty threats.
http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20541943,00.html
http://www.hecklerspray.com/nicole-richie-my-82-minute-jail-sentence-hell/20079796.php
This is very upsetting to hear because this lets society know that you can get away with anything if your famous. I believe that these celebrities should be accountable for what they do no matter what their social status is. Unfortunatly if you have money, you will not get in trouble.
ReplyDeleteAs much as I enjoy reading your posts,I am going to have to respectfully disagree with you. I do not think they are getting off because of their social status in life, they are getting off because of overcrowding. We have to make room for the more dangerous criminals. It is unfortunate that they are not serving there full time, but who is nowadays? I find it funny though that Lohan keeps getting into trouble. It is becoming a regular topic in the news that it is becoming normal for society.
ReplyDelete@ Jonathan: While the prisons are overcrowded, I do believe that their social status is helping to speed up the amount of time they serve. I know people who have received DUIs and have had to turn themselves in for a week, and they have had to serve that amount of time. If overcrowding is the problem, then why wouldn't they just change some of the statutes around and make it so DUIs and certain drug offenses are no longer punishable with jail time?
ReplyDeleteInteresting how Hollywood celebs get off easily, while sport celebs end being up being punished harshly for their crimes for instance Michael Vick and his dog fighting charges.
ReplyDeleteCelebrities getting off easy after committing a crime is nothing new it's the fact that, like you said, they are making a mockery of the criminial justice system. It is very embarrassing for all these judges who have let these celebrities off easy, and I believe they should be re-evaluated on whether or not they should be judges anymore. Celeberities should be just as accountable as regular people if not more because some of them are considered role models. Just goes to show you that having money and being famous can get you out of doing any kind of hard time.
ReplyDeleteMoney buys freedom....Well at least for the celebs. Seems kind of unfair, what about those people that do not have the money to "buy their freedom." I love reading ur blogs, keep it up. =)
ReplyDeleteIt's hard to believe that in this day and age we still don't hold people accountable. Regardless of these peoples social status, they are clearly breaking the law. I believe that no one should be above the law. Everyone needs to be held accountable for their actions whether your a singer, actor, athlete. If we don't hold them accountable it will only get worse and our legal system will look like a complete joke.
ReplyDeleteI could not agree more on the above comment that money buys freedom. That has been the truth in way too many cases and it seems to be getting worse. Have you ever noticed that some cases just randomly get dropped due to the level of fame someone has and it is a horrible example for the younger generation who looks up to these people. I guess if you want to commit a crime and get away with it just become a celebrity! This makes a joke out of our criminal justice system for sure.
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