Graffiti Writer Imprisoned Eight Years for Under $8,000 of Damage

What is the fastest way to fuck up a teenagers life? Send him to prison for eight years for some juvenile ass shit! State District Judge Marisela Saldaña (TX) doled out an emotional lecture and the maximum possible sentence for what amounted to roughly $7,300 in graffiti damage This kid will serve eight years in prison, has been denied possibility of parole and will most likely come out of prison a real criminal. He plead guilty to the three vandalism charges, and the possession of a small amount of marijuana. Even though the defendant promised to clean up graffiti, enroll in a community service program and finish high school, he was still thrown this sentence. I understand from a legal stand point that graffiti causes damage, people get punished when they “devalue” or cause “damage” to someone’s property, makes sense to most of us. Right? Eight years though is a total abuse of power and I don’t see how this woman can sleep at night knowing that she just destroyed a young man’s life. You have to be responsible for your own actions, understood, but there is a difference between a fair punishment and imprisoning someone for a year for every one thousand dollars of damage they caused. What is your take? [via]