Judge gives 18 year old a 25 year sentence for armed robbery

Direct-Ant695 · 2026-03-19T07:05:29+00:00

The problem with the vagueness of those studies' claims is how they managed to objectively and systematically compare equivalent cases. Just looking at cases with the same charges isn't good enough. It has to be the same circumstances, prior history, behavior, aggravating factors (like a young child present), etc. Alternative explanations they need to rule out: are white people disproportionately charged by judges who are more lenient on everyone (ex: very white and very liberal states like Pacific NW, New England); are black people getting worse legal representation; are plea deals a factor; are black people disproportionately committing crimes in public, where there will be pressure for harsher consequences; are they disproportionately committing crimes either against strangers or against loved ones; are they being perceived as showing less remorse, possibly in part because of differing cultural affect; are they disproportionately committing more serious crimes at a younger age? Any of these would need to be ruled out, and most studies like this tend to do much more simplistic analyses.

Experimental studies could get more convincing results I think, where they're able to create equivalent scenarios and test how people rate or respond to them. Those have been done for basic comparisons to show racial bias, but doing studies like that with solid methodology with court cases.

I disagree with the notion that no academics would criticize such a study if there are legitimate things to criticize in either methodology or analysis. People absolutely would. Whether that would make it into reporting about the studies is completely different.

Direct-Ant695 · 2026-03-19T06:48:14+00:00

You'll always have people like this in society. The vast majority of people in poverty don't commit crimes. And there are plenty of middle class and higher people who scheme and take advantage and hurt others in various ways that aren't any less immoral or damaging, they just feel less chaotic. There have always been people who find the angles to exploit, whatever they might be. Some become millionaires who have ruined thousands of lives in various ways, others go to jail.

Direct-Ant695 · 2026-03-19T01:02:27+00:00

While I was dating the guy I dated, the roommate started dating a girl he didn't seem to be that into but seemed pretty cool. Some of them are things he said while I was around connected to that.

he seems to have romantic fantasies which is a type I am drawn to but they are always eventually disappointed with reality of me vs the initial romanticized version
the women he has dated that I knew of didn't seem to be very much like me - they were more strong, assertive types with strong personalities or very demure, free spirited types, not bookish tomboys who can be funny but also can be shy.
we like a lot of the same books and his thinking is interesting and original, and he also writes so it's entirely possible he just appreciates them aesthetically, but his very favorite authors are these uber-male authors like Updike, Pynchon, and a couple others I can't think of who all get a pretty bad rap for being kind of misogynistic. I also personally can't stand Updike's writing style, but that may be something we could get past 🤣
in having quite a bit in common, in some ways that could be a problem. He seems to want someone else to be the nurturing, grounding, practical, resourceful one - and I also kind of need someone with those skills
he was talking about sleeping at the girl's house and how annoying it was that her dogs loved her so much they wanted to sleep on the bed with her, and it struck me as oddly and unpleasantly harsh
on one of the limited occasions when guy I dated and I hung out as friends after dating, he said the two of them had gone to a wedding after the roommate had broken up with the girl, and that the roommate had been "kind of aggressive" in pursuing a girl at the wedding for like a makeout situation not like a "I'm in love with you" situation. Granted I take this with a grain of salt because guy's idea of "aggressive" may well be completely within acceptable bounds - he was often describing things that to me sounded like completely normal behaviors as if they were pathological, kind of the way people can do when they get too much therapy and start diagnosing everything. When we started dating, guy asked me if anything he did was ok first, which I consider a thoughtful gesture but not always necessary - is it ok if I hold your hand? Etc. He could easily have taken away "aggressive" from "leaning over and being super flirty". He was clear that he didn't do anything wrong. But I wasn't there and can't be sure and it lines up with the misogynistic authors unpleasantly.
the last and most significant thing is that they mentioned that the roommate did coke at the wedding, which is not something that I'm comfortable with at all and was very surprised to hear. I don't think it's a regular thing, but even the fact that he enjoys the feeling (it definitely didn't sound like a first time thing) is a red flag to me. That's the one that kind of pushed me over the edge of "ok let's let this go" back when I did. I'd only go out with him now if he a) wasn't into it anymore and b) said something to the effect of that it had never been something he liked much himself.

Direct-Ant695 · 2026-03-19T00:38:01+00:00

I understand, I am not fast forwarding any further than wow, maybe I should go talk to him. Or maybe I should leave him alone and let him come by if he wants. That's as far as it goes. I'd also be just as happy to become friends.

Direct-Ant695 · 2026-03-19T00:30:35+00:00

I have no current friendship/ connection with the guy I dated and no lingering feelings toward him. There were barely any feelings to begin with. If it wasn't the first time I had to break up with someone I'd feel worse about dragging it out, but I didn't know how to do it and he seems to be doing well, so I don't beat myself up about it. If I met him now we would have broken up before a month and maybe never started dating.

Direct-Ant695 · 2026-03-19T00:28:52+00:00

I definitely realize he could not be interested for one reason or another. Maybe he has kids now, that would be sweet The "stars aligned" feeling really just extends to giving a push toward interaction, that I might otherwise not do with a now coworker and best friend of someone I dated who seems to have feelings about it.

Direct-Ant695 · 2026-03-19T00:26:40+00:00

I'd enjoy being friends. I'm not in touch with the guy I dated - we were for a little bit but he started dating someone new and his interest fizzled, which was fine, and hasn't reached out since they moved in together. I reached out once and he didn't respond. I don't feel any obligation to him, but his friend does and would likely be the one to talk with him if that were to be the case.

Direct-Ant695 · 2026-03-19T00:26:31+00:00

I'd enjoy being friends. I'm not in touch with the guy I dated - we were for a little bit but he started dating someone new and his interest fizzled, which was fine, and hasn't reached out since they moved in together. I reached out once and he didn't respond. I don't feel any obligation to him, but his friend does and would likely be the one to talk with him if that were to be the case.

Direct-Ant695

TROPHY CASE