Crime in Sports

Criminals in Collegiate and Professional Sports These days, professional and collegiate athletes get away with varying criminal acts with minimal consequences. There has been an increase in criminal activity among collegiate and professional sporting organizations with no let-up in the near future. Many of these athletes believe that their money and fame can get them out of anything. Society as a whole needs to start getting tougher on these criminals to show our young people that absolutely no one is above the law. After all, didn’t god create everyone equal? The athletes of this era and their criminal histories seem never-ending. Even the most popular and beloved athletes of this age have been caught up in some sort of nonsense. These violations vary from petty theft to first-degree murder. While many of these cases are highly-publicized, their convictions usually don’t amount to more than a slap on the wrist. Michael Vick, the former quarterback of the Atlanta Falcons was recently released from prison on convictions of dog fighting. He was found to have raised and fought pit bulls on his property at his million dollar home in Virginia. These dogs fought until death while gamblers bet high stakes on the survivors. The maximum sentence for this type of crime is five years in a federal penitentiary for an average citizen. Instead, Vick made a public apology for his crimes and was only sentenced to 23 months in prison, less than half the maximum sentence. Vick’s sentence was later reduced to 12 to 18 months when he agreed to take classes that amplified his wrong-doing. “We 've given athletes the impression that they 're awful, awful special," says Art Taylor of Northeastern University 's Center for the Study of Sport in Society. "We 've given them no limits." Michael Vick is currently on house arrest and awaiting his possible return to the National Football League. Perhaps the most well known case in sports history was that of O.J. Simpson, who was

Cited: “Crime and College Athletes over the Edge or over reported?” The Seattle Times. Seattle, WA ( March 2, 1997): Student Resource Center - gold. Gale LNOCA Mentor High School 31 Mar. 2009 http://find.galegroup.com/ips/start.do?prodld=IPS. Jacko, Ed. "College Football: Crime and...Non-Punishment? | Bleacher Report." The Web 's best destination for sports community, news, opinion, photos, and more | Bleacher Report. 04 June 2009 . Loury, Glen, C. “The New Untouchables: Crime, Punishment, and Race in America (racial disparity in prison and offenders.)” UN Chronicle 44.3 (sept 2007): 53(3) Student Resource Center - Gold. Gale LNOCA Mentor High School 31 Mar. 2009 http://find.galegroup.com/ips/start.do?prodld=IPS. Young, Cathy. “Kobe’s rights; rape, justice, and double standards.” reason 35.8 ( Jan 2004): 22(2) Student Resource Center - Gold. Gale LNOCA - Mentor High School 31 Mar. 09 http://find.galegroup.com/ips/start.do?prodld=IPS7.