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Getting tough?
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Published: September 15, 2009
During election season, it's tough to find candidates for state or federal office who don't make public safety a cornerstone of their campaign.
They promise to get tough on crime, lock up dangerous criminals for good and support the efforts of local law enforcement agencies.
Once the votes are tallied, the victory speeches are made and fundraising for the next election cycle are under way, the Jesse Foldoes of the world still get minimal time behind bars for major offenses.
Foldoe, 26, was sentenced last week to 60-72 months of prison after being convicted of molesting a 5-year-old girl two years ago. With credit for the time he has already served, Foldoe could be a free man before his victim's 10th birthday.
Is that justice? We don't think so.
And it doesn't sound like the sentencing judge, Joe Crosswhite, believed that to be the case.
"This is absolutely as much as I can give you," under the state's sentencing laws, Crosswhite told Foldoe during his court hearing last week.
The next time you hear a politician promising to get tough on crime, ask him or her if sexual predators should be allowed back on the street in less time than it takes their victims to finish grade school.
Now that the N.C. General Assembly has completed its work for the year, it's a good time to ask your elected representatives in Raleigh what they actually did this year to protect your children from the likes of Jesse Foldoe.
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