I suggest a ‘sentence multiplier’
You get sentenced to the mandatory minimum TIMES the number of times you’ve been convicted.
Traffic ticket? $50. 5th traffic ticket? 5 time $50.
Simple Assault? 1 year. 2nd assault? 2 years... etc.
I would be OK with lowering some first time offender sentences- everyone can make a mistake. But do it again? clearly you didn’t learn a lesson.
LOVE IT!
Variation on that concept — I think people should serve a maximum of 5 years in jail in their lifetime.
If your jail sentences put you over 5 years total over your lifetime, or if you have committed a crime for which 5 years seems inadequate, I would go straight to execution. I do not believe in warehousing people, I don’t like repeat offenders, and I think a great many people have no place in decent society.
You can get that to work if you allow automatic death sentences under certain circumstances.
Example:
A number of years ago a little girl was raped and murdered walking home from school. They got the guy.
He had dozens of priors - but his first was smashing in a woman’s head with a rock and dragging her into the woods to rape her. She didn’t die, and she escaped.
Because he was a “first offender”, and the vic was unraped and undead, he got six months, as time served, and he walked.
Now, under your system, what would you do when he does it again?
Under my system, unprovoked stranger assault with intent to rape or murder = death. Then, you don’t have to worry about next time.