zlacker

>>fortra+(OP)
Maximum sentence is 10 years, she's unlikely to get that, but _minimum_ is 5 years IIRC. That's a _long_ time. And then you're a felon and you can't find a decent job. What was the calculus there, I wonder? Under what circumstances would a person rationally consider torching a police cruiser to be worth the risk of 5 years in the slammer?

>>m0zg+Wc
Apparently she picked up an already burning piece of wood and threw it in. So it's less likely that she left the house that morning with the intent of torching cars.

In the moment, with everyone and everthing going on around her, I doubt she was thinking rationally or even knew that torching a car would be a long prison sentence. (if someone asked me before reading this article, I would have assumed a large fine + some community service maybe; then again I am not American so I have no idea how sentences compare).

>>koyote+5e
In the moment, with everyone and everthing going on around her, I doubt she was thinking rationally or even knew that torching a car would be a long prison sentence

"Everyone else was doing it" didn't fly with my mom, and probably won't get a pass from Judge Wapner, either.

>>reaper+Ve
Herd mentality is a thing though and I would not be surprised if a judge took that into account when sentencing.

>>koyote+Eh
It's much more likely you will be made the example, because you were the only person caught torching two police cars. I realize these things are symbolic and all but anybody who's actually been to a prison would never recklessly endanger their freedom wasting it on burning taxpayer money which is infinite in supply. Those cars will be replaced tomorrow while you go to prison for years. If you want to bring down the system get a majority of people to stop paying taxes then you get the Bernie Madoff club fed don't arson a cruiser you're just playing into the state's hands and getting a violent offender custody status now you have to fend for yourself against experienced violent criminals constantly trying to steal your commissary or provoke you into doing more time. It's not just that you go to prison, it's that you get more time added as a 'normal' non career criminal who now has to deal with prof criminals daily or getting crossed out from work assignments by guards who are constantly on your ass and decide to increase your time or worse send you to a more high security prison where you are almost guaranteed to do more time.

Anybody thinking of going outside and playing anarchist should know what they're getting themselves into, wait until your cellmate tells you that they're getting out in 2 months and you have to hold their contraband and weapons or the guards decide to put you in a high security yard because you're in there for something ridiculous like 'terroristic threats and arson'. You don't ever get out on schedule