Thread by @DrRJKavanagh

Some context on the college cheating scandal, in 2011 in CT, Tonya McDowell was convicted of larceny & sentenced to 5 years in prison for sending her child to what prosecutors said was an out-of-district school, while she was homeless. nbcconnecticut.com/news/local/Cop…

The larceny was stealing $15,000 - the cost of her son's public elementary school education.

And my point is not that anyone caught up in the college cheating scandal should go to prison for 5 years b/c that would be "justice," it is that Tonya McDowell should NEVER have been charged, convicted or sentenced to prison.

I think it's also telling that people try now (and did then) to discredit the argument that Ms. McDowell received an unjust sentence by pointing to the fact that she served a 5 year concurrent sentence for a drug charge.

She was arrested on that charge subsequent to this case & sentenced on it subsequent to being sentenced to 5 years in prison on this case.

She received 5 years in prison for sending her child to an out of district school (whatever that means when you are homeless).

That's not up for debate.

But here's the thing. Who thinks selling a small amount of drugs to an undercover police officer when you are homeless is worthy of a 5 year prison sentence?

Because that is the assumption behind that argument. And just further evidence as to why we have to have a major discussion about sentencing people to prison and mass incarceration and this whole mess we call a criminal justice system in this country.

Ms. McDowell didn't deserve to go to prison in either case. She should be seen as just as sympathetic in either case. That's the thinking we need to change to move towards real criminal justice reform.