[speeder]

Originally Posted by Jeff Higgins

One of my oldest friends, a guy I grew up with, has a son who went completely off the rails. We're talking heroin addiction and everything that goes with it, culminating in a life of crime to support his habit. He eventually worked his way up to bank robbery.

In his first conviction, for multiple robberies, he wound up getting out in two years for "good behavior", being a "model prisoner" and all. This was a multiple count federal rap.

He stayed clean for a couple of years, looking like he was back on track. Then he fell back in with his old "friends" and resumed his old habits. Robbed a few more banks, this time while visibly armed. He has been in prison for about three years now, once again on a multi-count rap, this time adding the "armed" component to all of it.

He will be getting out next summer, after about four years. From his second multi-count bank robbery conviction, this time armed. His sentence was something like twelve years.

So, what I'm getting at, is that my experiences with a young man who I know personally seem to differ a good deal from what your prosecutor friend told you. Granted, I really wish it were more like you describe, and that this young man would be facing something a bit stiffer than he has, but that is not what I've seen play out.

Yeah, that's news to me. Ive always heard that bank robbery is a 10 year sentence and not much flexibility for judges w sentencing guidelines. Federal parole policy must have changed dramatically since my dad was trying cases, he's the one who told me about the 85% rule, IIRC.