Did US judges really once offer convicted defendants the choice between jail or the Army?

I don't know if it's true but I guess in times of war and need of soldiers, you would want more people in the army than wasting away in jail. Also, the army is a good place to set your mind straight and get your record clean, many youth that have misconducted laws go into the army to straighten themselves out.

Twas quite true. But, with the phase out of the military draft and the advent of the all-volunteer Army, beginning in 1973, the armed services began to bar such enlistments and even banned recruiters from appearing in court on behalf of recruits facing a criminal prosecution.

Now, enlisting in the armed services requires a waiver for a felony conviction, for more than one misdemeanor, or a bunch (ten or more) of traffic tickets.

A good question to our politicians in power to make it a compulsory choice to all the judges in our country by passing a law.

It has happened in the past and I'm sure it is happening now.

I know that it has happened in the past. It's not a bad idea, it gets people to follow instructions, learn some basic work ethics, take some of the stress off the prison system, and keep them away from prisoners that would lead them astray.

My husband is in the Montana Army National Guard and he knows several people that were offered that choice. Officially, Judges aren't allowed to offer this as an alternative. It sounds like the common line is "if you were to show me that you had matured enough to make a commitment like joining the military, I might be willing to offer you a lighter sentence (i.e.

Probation).

To onegoodwoman: as the wife of someone who chose to serve his country as a combat medic and nearly died of heat stroke - I resent the assumption that people enlist because they can't qualify for another job.

Yes..........and the fact of the matter, is that "most" of our armed services , "joined" because they could not either qualify or decide on another career path.

As I understand things, it is a bit more dfficult to " sign up " or "enlist" today, than it was 20 years ago.....

I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.