In a time where the sports media is in a feeding frenzy over the whole Tiger -can’t keep it in his pants- Woods saga, I noticed a little nugget about Plaxico Burress and a possible early release from jail. Specifically a chance to get a furlough that would allow him to work (presumably for an NFL franchise) and then come straight home and stay there till it’s time for work again. It would be like house arrest with benefits. Of course there are people already opposed to this idea, like Manhattan DA Robert Morgenthau and an editor for the NY Post. In a case such as Plaxico’s, I don’t think that’s such a bad idea. We know good and well that he won’t be out on the streets committing armed robberies if he were to be released. We also know that he most certainly would find work for some NFL franchise that needs a player with his skill set, or just needs some press.

The mandatory minimum sentence for the charges against Burress has already been compromised by the prosecution’s acceptance of a plea bargain knocking it down to 2 years instead of 3. Why not put him on a work release program when he’s eligible? What harm would it do to the justice system? He’d still be monitored, he was still made an example of and his celebrity actually hurt him in this case much like Michael Vick’s celebrity hurt him. Their names and notoriety were used by the respective DA’s to try to further their own careers. Okay, I won’t assume, but it sure would be a strategy used before by many others.

Now, why do I think it would be a good idea to let Plaxico have a work release? For one thing, I strongly believe that as much of an idiot as he MAY have been for going to that club with a weapon in very loose fitting sweats he won’t be a threat to society. He won’t be a threat to anyone but himself wherever he ends up finding work. I believe he’ll be low key, and keep to himself. I even believe he’ll be a better teammate. Getting caught doing something perceived as ridiculous as well as stupid and immature does something to a man. It changes him. It usually matures him. It lets him know that he’s accountable, and when he loses contact with his family, especially his children, he wants to never go through that again. There are those who can’t be rehabilitated, but most of them were out to commit a crime before they were caught. Burress was not out to commit a crime that night other than to be stingy with him money while being generous to his stomach.

Is it fair to say that he’s paid his debt to society? I think so simply because most of society thought he paid enough by taking a self-inflicted bullet wound. I’m sure his pride is not going to be an issue either when he’s released. If he’s learned anything from being in jail or seeing his peers in similar situations he will come out humble, soft-spoken, and blue-collar in his work ethic. Burress isn’t a criminal. He made an unfortunate, stupid mistake that happened to be a criminal act. What’s the worst thing that can happen if he’s granted this furlough? Nothing I can think of. People will be mad that he’s back out on the field making a lot of money. That’s never going to change. Some people will think that another criminal is loose out on the streets. You can’t change their minds either, even if he were to serve his entire sentence. The criminal justice system isn’t perfect, and I do believe that there are lots of cases where it needs to be stricter. This isn’t one of those cases simply because the man didn’t carry the weapon with intent to harm, rob, or kill anyone. In fact, he harmed himself, his reputation, his team, and his family. His celebrity worked against him, and now it can help him and just maybe help someone else avoid a similar situation.