Giving 16 years prison sentence to a man who had consensual relations   with his wife when she was almost 16 year old,  but not hearing witnesses or acknowledging what they have said about circumstances that surround this incident it is preposterous. That is when State calls its own violence law, but that of the individual crime.
The Judge must have been sleeping on the bench if he didn't hear what Steven has done for Tiffany and his son from early pregnancy.
She was " victimized " long before Steven arrived in her life and not as portrayed by Judge Larry Schack. Steven in fact was a positive influence in her life. He encouraged her to get her life back on track and when she was with him she was on her way to a normal life. When Trent was born  no one cared except one man who realized that mistakes had been made and he accepted the responsibility of this from early pregnancy. He took Tiff to the doctor for checkups, he was at the hospital for the birth, he cut the umbilical cord. He put his name on the birth certificate without any proof at the time that he was the father.  He was helping and care for the boy until all came crashing down once the state got into it.  

This man went  through hell the past 4 years and has already served 4 1/2 years in jail.  After all, he is not just a number in the penal system,  he is a husband, a father of a 6 year old,  a brother and son to someone.  He will be the first to admit that he made a mistake and he did everything in his power to try and make things right afterwards. 

We realize that the penal system was setup to be punitive in nature and not remedial. But 16 years sentence is extremely excessive for the nature of the offense committed.

The disparity of treatment in these cases  as compared to the sixteen year sentence that Steven  received is blatant and very obvious.  How can this be explained with any cohesiveness and reason?  How can some people "walk" and some serve a good part of their lives behind bars?  Why is the judicial system not accountable for such disparity of sentencing and why isn't there more transparency in the system?

The individual state's need to revise their statutory rape laws to reflect what is going on in the twenty-first century and the sexual behavior of teen's and young people today.  Until that time comes,  sex education classes should be more all-inclusive in  explaining the legal consequences of premarital sex by teenagers not just the caveat to "use condoms".  There are many more legal consequences to teenage sex than just STD's and unwanted pregnancies.

Aside from the above consequences, spending many years in prison is one very big failure of the system.  IT SERVES  NO PURPOSE.  Few teenagers and their parents are aware that serious jail time is a very real possibility in underage sex.    Rather than changing the law in the failed system, the system is further punishing the offender.     In addition to jail time, as things presently stand, the offender, once released is put on a Sex Offender Registry and in a very real sense, this "sentence" lasts a  lifetime and its repercussions follow the individual for all of his life.    True pedophiles need to be put on such a list, not young people who are behaving in the norm for their age bracket by today's way of life. 

16-year sentence for consensual  sex.
 THE KINGS OF HYPOCRISY US JUSTICE SYSTEM

The State of Florida is a creator of social problems,  Tiffany for example, having her own problems,  she can't take care of  their child by herself she needs help from her parents who are presently taking care of their son.     And at the end Steven?  He worked hard full time, attend college at night and was attempting to start up his own business was taken away from all this. Hi will be 41 years old when he'll get out of prison. No education, no work experience. Label of pedophile on his forehead that will have to carry for life. What will happen to him? Probably another social problem because it is a good  chance that he will not be able to get  a job.  His parents  probably not going to be around anymore to guide him or help him.
Changes in sentencing law and policy, not increases in crime rates, explain most of the six-fold increase in the national prison population.  And “one size fits all" mandatory minimum sentences that allow little or no consideration for individual characteristics as in case above.   How many prisoners have been victimized with maximum or near maximum sentencing just for a prosecutor's career ambition to be furthered, mostly to become judges? They rack up convictions like scalps on an Indian's belt just to secure their career goals. The prosecutor in this case, Kathy Roberts of Martin County, has achieved her crowning goal and became judge shortly after she charge and prosecute Steven. Keri Smith took Roberts job so Stevens conviction become trophy on his belt and soon he will be joining the club of judges.

Is that how we solving a problems. Is that right thing to do?  All the wrong choices. How can we be the leader to the world if we are becoming a laughing stock of the world.

We need to take a good look at the our own back yard our own living room our kids room. What do they see and read on the internet? They are watching nip/tuck for breakfast, lunch and diner. The most sexual TV series I have ever watch on TV. And then we are sending them to 16 years in prison for having consensual sex? 

State Department also have the nerve to send out complaints every year to 180 nations abut human rights violation?  Mr. President, House of Representatives, Senators, the People of The United States,  take a good look in to our prisons and you will never again complain about human right violations. How sad!

An 8-year-old boy from Arizona has been charged with the premeditated murder of his father     and his friend.  Police are pushing to have the boy tried as an adult even as they investigate possible abuse.  Since when an 8 year old can premeditate murder? And then be tried as an adult,  but 15 year old can't consent to have sex?

It is a fact that 70-80% of US prisoners within one year are back in prison. In Europe for example the number is reversed, 80% of them get job and become normal law abiding citizens. Why is that?  And why is crime rate in Europe 3 times les per capita. Crime within the prisons is almost non existing.  They give prisoners some dignity, something to look forward when they get out.  Prisoners in Europe work in every prison, making furniture, sheet metal work, farming, teaching etc.  They feel productive, they are productive.  They learn new skills, develop working habit.
What comes out of US prisons?   Vast majority come out as poorly educated criminals, street fighters, drug traffickers and even murderers and they are back in prison within 6 to 8 months.
Spending many years in prison is one very big failure of the system. It serves no purpose.

The United States is a nation of laws badly written and randomly enforced.

Remember Genarlow Wilson case?
http://www.creators.com/opinion/matthew-towery/inside-the-genarlow-wilson-case.html

Wilson released after two years behind bars for teen sex conviction.
The judge courageously wrote:

If this court or any court cannot recognize the injustice of what has occurred here, then our court system has lost sight of the goal our judicial system has always strived to accomplish ... justice being served in a fair and equal manner.

Steven’s punishment was excessive to,  and should be reduced just like Vilson's,  just like the prison sentence for  former White House aide I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby, which was commuted  by President Bush.

Unfortunately, we cannot get the attention of civil rights activists as Al Sharpton or Jesse Jackson or Attorney like B.J. Bernstein,  and it appears that without high-profile help, situations like this remain unknown and out of the public eye and without media attention people stay in prisons. 

As  Al Sharpton said  in Genarlow Willsons case.

“If he had a different complexion and a different connection, we wouldn’t be here,” 

 Neither would Steven. And he doesn't have Al Sharpton on his side.
 All he has, is this website and you!  

The state calls its own violence law,  but that of the individual crime.

 And, lastly, why is it believed by a state that a fifteen year old is not mature enough to enter into consensual sexual relationship but yet in the same state is able to stand trial as an adult in a murder case as was the case of the thirteen year old boy who killed a neighbor friend in Florida? The state cannot have it both ways!  

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Editors note.   Jan. 10. 2009 
All of the above I wrote about 3 years ago is now coming to light.

NEW YORK   States budgets in crisis, governors, legislators and prison officials across the nation are making or considering policy changes that will likely remove tens of thousands of offenders from prisons and parole supervision.
Collectively, the pending and proposed initiatives could add up to one of biggest shifts ever in corrections policy, putting into place cost-saving reforms that have struggled to win political support in the tough-on-crime climate of recent decades.
"Prior to this fiscal crisis, legislators could tinker around the edges — but we're now well past the tinkering stage," said Marc Mauer, executive director of the Sentencing Project, which advocates alternatives to incarceration.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28592088/

Probation & Parole supervisions are waste of time, waste of taxpayer's money as they DO NOT  function as intended and do not protect the community in anyway.  States where people on probation have to pay $30 to $60 in probation fees, makes it even more difficult for them to stay clean as the jobs they get as ex- cons pay minimum wages and the state takes almost half of their salary. In most cases they can't leave the area or state to look for a better job,  so 80 % of them are back in prison within 8 months average.
 
In many countries around the world where inmates on probation or out on parole are not monitored at all. In fact they have a simple process; if the parolees commit a crime or any offense during that period, they will be charged with the new crime plus violation of probation or parole and will serve time for both. This method does not cost anything and saves millions of taxpayers’ money. Ex-inmates find jobs much easier than their counterparts in the US because only the police and justice system know about their criminal record, unlike in the US where you can easily find a person's criminal record by just pulling their credit history. Best of all, the foreign system works; eighty percent of ex-offenders become good, law-abiding citizens. So wake up America; it is time to change our judicial system and reintegrate the nonviolent, ex-offenders back into society by giving them equal opportunities to succeed like other citizens--not the
second class citizenship that they currently have.

People of the United State think deferent:

MtMike-571674.newsvine.com
When did facts matter to a populace so brainwashed into thinking their government can do no wrong. This is America, use scare tactics.
When one is speaking of releasing prisoners early, it is the non-violent that heads the list to be released, not murders, rapists or robbers.
Law enforcement and the "penal system" operating in the manner they do, is just another government welfare program for those employed in these branches. A way to have a job that is not needed.
These people employed in law enforcement are not serving America, but are operating under a false sense of self importance. The real criminals are the DRUG WAR PROFITEERS who are fighting the war on crime/drugs, but not doing anything to win the war, just collecting their pay checks and inventing new criminals/crimes so they will stay employed.
Government is not a cure for all. Locking people up, forcing these people to behave as you think they should, will not save society from its own stupidity.

Linda Frazzetto commenting on to the TCPalm news paper article.
Another thing that really sticks in my craw is the labeling of Steven by the judge as a "child abuser" and "pedophile". Anyone reading what has been said about Steven by the Judge would jump to some pretty wrong conclusions without knowing all the facts, especially when the child was at the center of all of this when he was accidentally hurt. One would surmise from this that Steven abused his child rather than what we assume is the judge's assumption of Steven being a child abuser/pedophile for having sex with the child's underage mother. This is really over the top and a very bad disconnect in this case. And then the Judge ends his sentencing of Steven with "causing permanent damage to your son". What is one to assume from all of this? The words used by the Judge and not explained in the context of what he is saying is really a gross injustice to Steven. And then the newspapers pickup pieces of the story and without the whole reference of the case, cause even more confusion for the readers.

Needless to say, this is a very difficult time for all of us. It is pretty sad when a sixteen year sentence is given out so lightly, with little concern for the ramifications of such a sentence on all the lives involved.