Should families of victims be allowed to decide the punishment of those who commit crimes?
Is this a philosophical question or are you asking if this is how it works in our system. Well the answer is victims do not decide the terms of punishment one receives. A victim is able to address the court and give a victim impact statement but the truth is by the time a victim gives that statement the sentence has already been agreed upon by the judge and the prosecutor. Most crimes have a standard range and the facts of the case will determine where the sentence falls on that range.
