Instructions: Please read the passage and answer the following questions. Please make sure that your response is 200 words or more for each question. You can use outside resources to validate your response. Michael Santos served a very long sentence for his crime of selling drugs. Some say that long sentences such as this are inherently unjust. Others believe that long sentences are necessary to demonstrate public disapproval of serious criminal acts. Still others think that long sentences should be used only when necessary to protect the community.

1. Are sentences that lock people up for decades defensible?

2. If not, why not? If so, under what conditions should they be imposed, and why?