I have an internship and I got to sit in on a sentencing. I don’t believe fully everything he said as to why he did it, but I do believe his back story and that he has had a very bad life leading up to what happened.

The judge didn’t take most of his story into account when sentencing. She recognized he had issues, but didn’t let that affect her decision.

If she had, would she be making her decision based on the excuse the guy gave, or because he gave a legitimate reason (in the judges eyes).

Can you recognize that someone may have had a reason to do something, and while that reason doesn’t excuse the behavior, maybe it should change the outcome? Or would changing the outcome be accepting that reason as an excuse?