Now here’s some hard labor we can get behind. Judge Thomas Willmore of 1st District Court in Logan, Utah, says that he sometimes orders convicted defendants to read Victor Hugo’s 19th-century novel, Les Misérables (and write him a short book report about the work, no less) as part of their sentence. In the novel, a desperate Jean Valjean steals from M. Beinvenue, a bishop who shelters him, and when he is dragged back by the police, the bishop pardons him without any motive other than goodness. Valjean decides that for this act of charity and kindness, he must devote his life to helping others. The entirety of the novel is occupied with dissecting the ideas of guilt, right and wrong, and the criminal justice system, as Valjean struggles against the idea that if he was a criminal once, he must be so forever. Willmore considers the book to be a useful method of rehabilitation, and “hopes it helps people understand not all is lost simply because they have committed a crime, and he uses it most for first-time offenders — especially those who seem to have given up hope.” We think this is a wonderful way to broaden the minds of convicted criminals (or anyone, for that matter), and love that Judge Willmore cares enough to read book reports in his spare time. What do you think? Let us know in the comments!
[via the Daily Herald]
Comments (13)
I think it’s borderline unconstitutional. Les Miserables is more blatantly about Christianity than AA is, and sending people with DUIs to AA as part of a sentance has been deemed unconstitutional.
This is a step up from how this condition is usually imposed (meaning mandating a straight-up religious book). It’s such a slippery slope but I can appreciate being creative with sentencing alternatives for the right defendants.
A novel idea! (sorry) It certainly wouldn’t hurt.
Love it. I like the way this judge thinks.
I agree with it. Having read the book, it’s a great sentence and the judge seems wise.
As a retired police officer, (over 35 years ago!) and now an academic, I am thrilled to hear about a judge who both beleives that it is possible for someone to change his life trajectory, and has wittnessed that. It is rare, very rare, for people to truly desire change. It is very difficult for many to learn new ways to live. I salute both the judge’s orientation, and his eforts. If more people could actually change, we would need fewer jails. Interestingly, the recidivism rate in America is about the same today as it was in the days of the Yuma Territorial Prison (1870-1890 or so)…that rate, now about 67% has not declined–even with the rehabilitation programs we spend so much money on. If the judge, by making some people read and report on a liturature classic, can influence even one–I salute him.
In Belgium just recently a judge sentenced a traffic violator to read a novel by a dutch author who wrote about the loss of his son in a traffic incident.
It’s a larger format (“trade”) paperback. This 1976 translation is by Norman Denny, and I love it. It’s warm and readable, and he spells out place names instead of keeping to the old convention of calling Myriel the “Bishop of D—-.” I highly recommend this edition.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0217229867/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=emjay2d-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0217229867
It is a great idea. Alot of people can read books and they get diffrent things from them. This book is a good one. And reading a book is not much to ask.
I think the Judge needs to be sentenced for being a pompous jackass.
…and if they don’t read the book or complete the book report, just hit them over the head with the book.
has a little whiff of condescension – “if only criminals could read books, THEN they’d understand how crime is wrong!”. even without much knowledge on the subject, I’d say serious crime has a little more to do with societal problems/local culture than with morality
I think it’s a great idea. I wish more people were willing to use creative solutions like this.
And for the person who stated that AA is blatantly Christian, you are completely wrong. I have many friends in AA and attend meetings regularly as a guest. AA has no affiliations with outside enterprises, PERIOD. Each group is autonomous, so some may not follow the format prescribed by AA, but that will only be an occasional individual group. I am a non-Christian, btw.
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