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I'm of two minds about this. Part of me wants to say that regardless of his age, he needs to go to jail. Justice demands that we treat people equally regardless of health.
Another part says that because of his age and health, it's unnecessary to accomplish any of the goals that we have for sending someone away.
The general purpose of any punishment is to prevent reoccurrances of the behavior, either by the same person or by others through the deterrent effect. Taking away this guy's license and car accomplishes the first, and I doubt many people who aren't deterred by the thought of possibly killing people will take the ensuing jail time into account as a reason not to drive.
And really, is there going to be much difference between a prison hospital ward and a highly restricted state run nursing home? Keep him away from the public through either method and he can't hurt anybody else.
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I'm against ending blackness. I believe that everyone has a right to be black, it's a choice, and I support that.
~Steven Colbert
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