FIU Law awards JD to convicted felon Forum

[shifty_eyed]

It makes sense that someone like him would want to go to law school. He has a much better reason for attending than most law students. He has passion for a cause and direct experience with the legal profession.

[brazleton]

.

[CoffeeIsLife]

I got into FIU and after reading this article I won't go because I don't want my school to be associating with convicted felons (although I already had my mind made up that I wasn't going to FIU). That just looks bad on the school's part.

This is a garbage attitude. It looks bad only on your part. Actually, giving someone a chance to turn their life around may be the most positive thing I've ever heard about FIU Law. Good for them.

I second the bolded

[jkhalfa]

There's absolutely no empirical evidence that disenfranchisement laws have a deterrent effect. To believe otherwise greatly overestimates the forethought of most criminal behavior.

I know. It's easy to point to recidivism rates and say the justice system is broken, and it's a lot harder to identify the millions of people who didn't commit crimes because they were afraid of the consequences. Now of course, punishment doesn't deter irrational people from crime (look up the percentage of prison inmates who have personality disorders... it's huge). I admit that. But they need to be punished regardless to set an example for us normal people, who are 99% of the population. I'm totally convinced that letting criminals off the hook with some cuddly treatment would increase crime, since you and I are just as capable of atrocities as the average convict, even if we're afraid to act that out.

Applying that to this case, they shouldn't admit this guy to the bar; instead they should make him an example for all the potential felons out there who are weighing the risks and benefits of committing crimes.

[kevgogators]

I'm from the Miami area and I can pretty much tell you that this doesn't even matter....FIU is a TTT.

Either way, Florida doesn't permit felons to practice law. I'd be willing to bet my left nut that he'd go straight into criminal defense if given the opportunity.

[A. Nony Mouse]

There's absolutely no empirical evidence that disenfranchisement laws have a deterrent effect. To believe otherwise greatly overestimates the forethought of most criminal behavior.

I know. It's easy to point to recidivism rates and say the justice system is broken, and it's a lot harder to identify the millions of people who didn't commit crimes because they were afraid of the consequences. Now of course, punishment doesn't deter irrational people from crime (look up the percentage of prison inmates who have personality disorders... it's huge). I admit that. But they need to be punished regardless to set an example for us normal people, who are 99% of the population. I'm totally convinced that letting criminals off the hook with some cuddly treatment would increase crime, since you and I are just as capable of atrocities as the average convict, even if we're afraid to act that out.

Applying that to this case, they shouldn't admit this guy to the bar; instead they should make him an example for all the potential felons out there who are weighing the risks and benefits of committing crimes.

Yes, I'm sure that when people are considering committing a crime, they sit down and draw up a list of the possible pros and cons, and "not being able to practice law" is way up there on the "con" list.