Pollard, like many repeat offenders, has struggled with alcohol addiction and dependency for decades. Prosecutors brought forward evidence showing that the man had been convicted of drunk driving offenses seven times before. The first of the charges dated back as far as 1981, revealing years of struggle to overcome his alcoholism.
Prosecutors urged jurors and the judge to find Pollard guilty of the felony DWI charges so that he could be put away for life. They argued that Pollard’s irresponsible behaviors had endangered the lives of innocent motorists for years and that his own liberty was a serious potential risk for other drivers in the same communities.
Though an urge to punish those whose bad behavior puts others in danger is understandable, critics of such stiff sentences point out that Pollard himself is a victim of a terrible addiction to alcohol. Many alcoholics struggle for years trying to get control over a dangerous problem. Sadly, criminal laws are far more likely to dish out jail time rather than rehabilitation, something that only pushes problems further down the road, rather than tackling the underlying issue.
Source: “Habitual DWI Offender Sentenced to Life in Prison,” published at LlanoNews.com.