Okay, see if this makes sense to you.

I was reading the local newspaper and came across the section where it lists crimes committed and sentences served to local offenders. One of the stories is about this middle-aged man who was charged with 5th degree gross misdemeanor domestic assault for throwing the woman he was living with down a flight of stairs. He was fined $190 and sentenced to one year of probation, which he could serve by doing community service instead.

The second story was about a 20-something guy who was charged with a gross misdemeanor count of DWI. He didn’t hit anyone or cause any damage; he was just pulled over for swerving, and he had a high BAC (Blood Alcohol Concentration). He was fined $695 and sentenced to two years of probation, which he could serve out by doing community service.

So why is the fine so much higher for a crime that didn’t result in any injuries or psychological damage?

The first dude THREW A WOMAN DOWN A FLIGHT OF STAIRS. That could definitely be considered attempted murder, as I don’t think this situation could be interpreted as accidental. And he’s only fined an amount which is less than what your cell phone bill is per month on a family plan, whereas the drunk dude (though he could have killed or injured someone, but didn’t) gets fined three times as much???

Think of what domestic abuse does to a person. Think of all the mental health issues that can result from it, or can be severely aggravated by it. Domestic abuse is no joke, yet the justice system in my community seems to treat it like it is by giving him a laughable sentence.

He has to do community service. Oh wow. Pick up some trash on the highway or dig a few holes, and he’s Scot-free. $190 fine? That’s nothing. That’s a speeding ticket. It’s a slap on the wrist, a “don’t do that again” warning. I’m seriously just trying to wrap my head around it.

Now let me make it perfectly clear: I do not support drinking and driving. I do not think the guy with the DWI should have gotten a lighter sentence. What I do think is that the guy who abused the woman should have had a much higher sentence than he got. He’s not going to be discouraged by the fee or the community service. If someone is a complete jerk like that, they’re going to continue abusing.

I’m just incredibly angry about it all. Does anyone understand the logic in punishing abuse crimes less than alcohol-related crimes? I just want to know what you guys think about this because, quite frankly, it’s out of my scope of understanding.

Do you think this guy’s punishment was fair, or do you think he should have had a harsher sentence? What would be a fair sentence for this abuse-related crime?