This wasn’t my argument. My argument was that the actual sentencing was not proportional to the actual crime.
As far as prison costs, it’s an economic cost that is shared by the taxpayers. The cost of probation + $250,000 fine vs. the cost of incarceration +$250,000: which costs the taxpayers more?
Judges often have a discretionary window for sentencing and they ask for sentencing recommendations. In this particular instance (if you read the linked story), the L.A.Times/Tribune Co. is claiming that the cost of doing what should have been their due diligence is on Keys. That is, they had to actually update their security protocol as they should have done when Keys left, but they were squeezing every bit of profit out of their company for their shareholders and decided IT wasn’t cost effective. (I’m very familiar with this company as I had a spouse who used to work for them and friends who still work for them.)
By the way, do you know what it takes to change a federal statute? An act of Congress. And since we currently have an unresponsive Congress, I know I not holding my breath in trying to change laws.
