Restitution

I've long and often wondered why restitution doesn't figure more heavily in our criminal justice system.

I suppose that one reason is that it simply can't -- some crimes can't be restituted for. Here's a case in point.

To summarize, a woman name of Catherine McKay got loaded, ran a stop sign and caused the death of a family of four. How does one ever make restitution for such a crime? -- one can't.

And yet, and yet, I still can't see what a ten-year prison sentence accomplishes, aside from presenting the taxpayer with a huge bill for food and shelter for the convict.

Even though I can't propose a better way, the thought won't leave me that there has to be one.

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