Quote from: Blackbird0 on July 08, 2015, 02:43:50 PM

Quote from: JJB on July 08, 2015, 02:42:37 PM

Quote from: jeffthebaker on July 07, 2015, 07:09:23 AM

Quote from: bryant.coleman on July 06, 2015, 06:38:05 AM

There is not even a 0.0000001% chance that his sentence will be reduced. The FBI want to make an example out of him. They want to scare other possible future dark market admins using his example. Accept it. Ross Ullbricht will remain imprisoned for the rest of his life, unless he manages to escape from the prison.

Came here exactly to say this. From the view point of the government, his actions are nothing in comparison to the value of him being locked behind bars. It doesn't matter how little or how much Ross did, as long as Ross's imprisonment puts out a message to the public, he will remain behind bars.

Prison or the threat of it does little to deter criminals, just like the death penalty does nothing to deter murderers. Do you really think darknet drug kingpins are going to think twice or abandon their activities just because Ross got fucked for life? Doubt it. All it really tells them is they better step up their game and protect themselves better.

Uh ... that's not true.

General and specific deterrence are very well studied in criminal law and sociology, and they do have an effect on behavior. Perhaps not as pronounced as some of its proponents would like, but it's there.

Umm... sources? In my country I think 50% of inmates who leave prison end back in there. Doesn't seem like much of a deterrent, then there's plenty of evidence to suggest death penalty does nothing at all:

http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/facts-about-deterrence-and-death-penalty
http://nccadp.org/issues/deterrence/
http://www.amnestyusa.org/our-work/issues/death-penalty/us-death-penalty-facts/the-death-penalty-and-deterrence