Type Lindsay Lohan’s name into a Google search and you’ll find your request yielding more than 160 million results. The has-been child star has been in the media for an astounding number of things, whether it be family turmoil, substance abuse issues or her relationship with Samantha Ronson.
In recent years, it’s been Lohan’s numerous run-ins with the law that have made her the brunt of late-night talk show comedy, and the laughter doesn’t stop there — LiLo, with her frequent visits to the pen, also manages to make our criminal justice system look like a joke in itself.
Recently, after violating conditions of her probation by failing a random drug test, Lohan was sentenced to jail time yet again. Less than 24 hours of her sentence underway, she was released from prison, having met the $300,000 bail, another get-out-of-jail-almost- free-card in a deck full of lucky hands for the actress.
It seems that most of the time, when Lohan is reprimanded for her disorderly behavior, the consequences aren’t nearly as dramatic as they would be for someone who lacks celebrity status. By placing terms of bail at $300,000, the judge knew Lohan would have no problem coming up with the sum and would quickly be released from jail just in time to prepare for another night on the town. By being so lenient in the case of Lohan, the judge is only surrounding the judicial branch of our government with questionable motives and a lack of efficiency in its attempts to crack down on disgraceful behavior that traverses all areas of class.
Celebrities are not above the law and it’s about time this is reflected in our current court system. Although it is nearly impossible to set bail at a price a celebrity like Lohan is unable to meet, there needs to be a new standard to keep social elites behind bars just like their more common, under-fortuned counterparts.
Were someone of less social status caught in similar situations as Lohan, they could guarantee themselves a significant jail sentence and frequent drug tests, as law enforcement would be chomping at the bit to put them back behind bars. On the basis of equal rights, everyone should be given the same treatment, whether it be in good times or bad. By making exceptions to the law for people who are exceedingly affluent, the system bestows upon itself a less than favorable light.
Growing up in such a society where celebrities could hypothetically get away with murder is by no means an environment in which children should be raised. Each time you turn on the news, you are bombarded with stories like Lohan’s, where crime comes off as rendering little consequence. It is important for every individual to be held accountable for their actions, but it is highly unlikely the average citizen is going to take such responsibility when they see others getting away with crime so casually.
Yet again, this is an occasion where our criminal justice system could step up and make a difference. By holding celebrities accountable for their offenses, it would be sending forth a message to citizens that it is wrong to commit such crimes and by doing so, there are prices to pay no matter how often your mug appears on the big screen.
As Americans, we sometimes wonder why substance abuse and other issues became the problems they are today and how to subsequently amend these problems. Were people to see there are steep consequences to be paid for disobeying the law, I think a decline in drug possession would ensue. Judges and other court officials need to start implementing drastic measures on offenders, especially those of popular standing, so the message of staunch but equal reprimand for all illegal actions by anyone who performs them will be widespread.
We should no longer have to put up with the shenanigans of Lohan and her party girl friends, particularly when she’s got a debt to pay to a justice system too star-struck to uphold American ideals of justice.