In 2014, the nation watched with horror and fascination as Snobford University’s own golf star Brad Taylor was sentenced to only two months in prison for rape. High profile cases such as these have spotlighted the debate over the justice, or lack thereof, of the U.S. court system. Unfortunately, Brad Taylor’s case has been a recurring pattern in American history. Many cases of violent crime are punished with only a few years in prison, and even when a life sentence is given, the culprit is not likely to spend more than a few decades behind bars. Contrast this to those who spend most of their life behind bars for a third strike, victimless drug offense. Why should a low-level drug dealer receive hundreds of years — far longer than a life sentence — in prison, while a rapist or murderer receives a slap on the wrist? The solution to this issue is simple: punish every criminal offense with more than a life sentence.

Imagine being able to walk across town at night without fearing for one’s safety. Children would play carefreely in the streets. Banks and shops would leave their doors unlocked. Families, or what is left of them, would take strolls, laugh, and enjoy the fresh city air without fear. The community’s safety would be secure. Why will sentencing every crime to hundreds of years in prison yield these results? Prison is a functional deterrent to crime. Few would risk their freedom over the most trivial of actions, and those that do will be off the streets forever. No more murder. No more rape. No more theft. No more drugs. No more jaywalking or speeding.

Now, enforcing this proposal may be difficult. Many people will be arrested and there may be some who will not take the new punishment seriously. However, far more will be deterred after the initial majority are arrested. One may wonder how prisons will handle the dramatic influx of inmates, especially with overpopulation already being a problem in this country. Fear not. The privatization of prisons will reduce any strain caused by this influx, while being economically efficient. With a majority of the population incarcerated, the law-abiding citizens will be safe, and prisoners will perform most of the hard labor, paying for their own internment. Legal members of society get the highest paying jobs, and businesses profit because prisoners do their work for next to nothing.

Is mass incarceration achievable? Studies in Detroix, Litchigan show that yes, it is. In an experimental trial, the Detroix City Council agreed to punish any and all crimes in this manner. Detroix Police officer Daniel McKlure speaks up about the study’s results. “I’ve never been in a safer city,” he asserts. “While the population has diminished greatly, car accidents have been reduced, as no one speeds anymore. No jaywalkers have been hit by vehicles, as they have all been arrested, and there are few cars on the road anymore to begin with. I was a bit apprehensive when my toddler was arrested for stealing a candy bar, but the diminished crime rate is worth it.” McKlure’s thoughts are correct. While the population has been cut by 99.9 percent, Detroix’s crime rate is almost nonexistent. As expected, jobs are readily available, the cost of living has gone down, and all the menial work is done by convicts.

What about criminals who are accused of crimes but are acquitted? This is often seen in celebrity trials. Many recall the case of famous horse jockey P.J. Sympton, in which the accused was acquitted of murder, despite evidence of the contrary. What if he was guilty? The community would be much safer if all those accused of crimes were incarcerated as well. Imprisoning those with even the slightest possibility of guilt is a necessary preventive measure against crime. Sadie Copenhagen, the head of the Research and Statistical Department of Crime and Wrongdoings, predicts that these measures will reduce crime by 76.22 percent. The U.S. will be one step closer to a society like N. Iceland’s, where babies can sleep outside without fear of harm. It is time for people to ask themselves what they are willing to do for their country.

Shana DelGrosso, a victim of clown mugging, shares her support for this proposal. In an interview, she stated, “Being mugged ruined my life. I can never walk the streets without fearing that a clown will jump me. I found out that years ago, this very clown was accused of theft. If only that clown had gone to prison, as this proposal would require, I would be able to enjoy the circus today.”

Many like Shana and the citizens of Detroix consider this proposal necessary for change. If the U.S. no longer wants violent crime in its midst, lesser laws must be enforced. Consequences of all law-breaking will be diminished, even the unintended ones, and the economy will boom. With all convictions the same, the punishment will always fit the crime. Now, the only people in the free world will be those that matter. Give all criminals more than a life sentence: they deserve it.