Special sentencing

Subject: Special sentencing.

A Parliamentary Committee is wrestling with the vastly different perspective of women and men  when considering jail sentences. 
As functioning human beings we insist these days on men and women having equal rights equal status, not only in the sight of the law but in all aspects of society. Great play is made of leveling the playing field in employment and the old fashioned banter which often distinguished the sexes is now a no go area.
Listening to the distinguished panel who were asked their opinions, the common thread was that prison was a bad thing for women because women often played a duel role in life, that of mother and carer and the issue of the effect on the innocent party, the child or the frail parent weighed heavily in the sentencing. 
Little mention was made of the changing role of the husband/partner in the child's upbringing or of a man's equal concern regarding his frail parent. No mention was made of the added responsibility a women might give before committing the crime, given the torment that the mother was assumed would feel towards being split from their family. 
It was as if the women had this extra feature, of being a mother which through dint of her sex demanded leniency when sentencing. There were even calls to rule out sentencing women, other than for the most serious crime and that other ways should be sort to punish her, in fact the concept of punishment was sidelined in their effort to find new ways to guide 'her' to understand the rules society deemed necessary.
The types of crime that people can be sentenced for and the length of their sentence are continually under review, as the norms in society change. Women now released from housework and entering commerce are in many ways, different creatures than 50 years ago. Is the woman who is prepared to work all hours to succeed in her job, placing her child in the hands of a hired help, is on a par with a mother who stays at home devoting her time to the child. The thorny issue of 'rights' muddies the water but has the rowdy nature of partying and multiple sexual encounters changed our vision of the delicate Austin like female who is now boisterous to the point of being violent and keen to exert her power, not only in the bedroom but in society at large.
Of course the judges main concern is to mitigate a sentence with the other roles she traditionally plays but I suggest that in today's touchy freely world, men are increasingly nudging their way to also qualify for special compensation when it comes to sentencing as they change from bread winner to bottle feeder.