Yes, sometimes.

LA man, 89 gets probation in crash that kills 10

Said the judge:
Sending Mr. Weller to jail or prison would be a burden on prison authorities. It would require taxpayers to pay the substantial costs of Mr. Weller’s medical care and it would likely kill Mr. Weller. None of that is right and it makes no sense, so I will place Mr. Weller on probation.

Don’t all prisoners place a burden on taxpayers? Don’t a lot of prisoners require medical care? Had the old man expressed remorse, I might agree with the probational sentence, but his lack of remorse demands a harsher punishment. What about house arrest? Confine him to this home for a year or two with the exception of medically required outings?

Perhaps remorse is a not a factor that plays into sentencing in California. This is the state of “three strikes, and you’re out” after all. So perhaps if a vehicular manslaughter is your first offense, you get probation. But my impression is that the man’s age and health were the reasons for his light sentence.

And I’m usually “soft” on crime, weak liberal that I am…