Recently, Snohomish County Prosecutor Janice Ellis’ letter to the editor described Initiative 861 (“one strike” for some sex offenders) as an idea that would not work. The criminal justice system isn’t perfect by a long ways. More measures can be put into place to assure that victims’ tragic stories and recommendations to judges are heard loud and clear.
However, Initiative 861 will needlessly limit the power of judges and even worse, it will undermine victims’ power. Think of the boy or girl who doesn’t want his/her coach, teacher, scout leader or pastor to go to prison for life, but instead wants him to “get help.” Under 861, the judge would have to say to that child, “Sorry. You don’t have any say in this. The Initiative 861 law doesn’t care about you and how you feel. I’m sending this person to prison for life.” And that’s just what Initiative 861 will do. We should ask ourselves – what kind of justice for victims is that?
Eric Leberg
Everett
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