On Violent Crime in Springfield, MA

 

If you want to look at why Springfield has one of the highest violent crime rates in America, you can start by looking at the DA's office. One thing, for sure, they do not send a strong message to criminals by prosecuting to the "full extent of the law". Just the opposite. Criminals in Springfield know they can get off easy. Criminal defense lawyers know this, as well, and play it to the fullest in defense of their client, however guilty they may be or how heinous the crime. The approach by the DA's office seems to be to not make waves as they use their prosecutorial position as a stepping stone, as they polish their resume toward their next appointed or elected job. They seem to be oblivious to the fact that if they did their job in helping to clean up crime in Springfield, people would stand up and cheer and their future career opportunities would be nothing short of excellent.

 

The DA's office makes a mockery out of the Massachusetts General (Criminal) Law prescribed sentencing, and takes the easy road of plea bargaining as much as possible. It is easier. For them and the criminals, that is...NOT the victims. If you look up the prescribed sentencing for crimes and what the actual plea bargain sentencing is, it is nothing short of shocking. How they get away with this is beyond belief.

There are plenty of specific examples of this as proof. The most recent (and there are MANY more) example is the jewelry store robbery in Chicopee approximately one year ago. It was a case of violent armed robbery, $100,000 in jewelry was stolen, and the store owner was severely assaulted / beaten. You will note in the Springfield Republican article (Jewelry store robbery puts brothers in prison, October 11, 2013) that the words "accepted a guilty plea" were used, avoiding the words plea bargain, but that is what it was. It also appears that some of the charges were dropped (that enables even leaner sentencing). What about assault and battery on the store owner with a dangerous weapon? That charge alone calls for 10 years in state prison according to Massachusetts General (Criminal) Law, Chapter 265, Section 15A (b). So the PLEA BARGAIN sentence put together by the DA's office was 3 to 4 years. Oh yes, we will knock off a year for time served. And, Oh yes, again, we will allow the criminals to keep the $100,000 in jewelry that they have stashed WITHOUT paying the store owner restitution, or returning the jewelry.

The victims, the store owner and his daughter, are in a state of shock, as they well should be. You can add all the extra police that you want in Springfield and that will not reduce violent crime. Until the City of Springfield puts a stake in the ground and does both...arrests and prosecutes violent criminals to the full extent of the law, violent crime will continue at a very high rate.

What we need in Springfield is a hard charging DA who is not only committed to reduce violent crime, but one who by his leadership and actions demonstrates that it will no longer be accepted. No more easy plea bargains and easy sentencing for violent crime. Only then will we see a reduction.