Collateral consequences of criminal conviction Puns

Uncertainty sucks, but we have to deal with it whenever we make important decisions. In the case of Brett Kavanaugh there will likely never be definitive proof that he attempted to rape Dr. Ford 30 years ago as a teenager, and there will likely never be some definitive hole in her story that shows she is lying. It's possible that some perfect piece of evidence will fall from the heavens and prove one person right or wrong, but until then we must figure out how to deal with the inherent uncertainty.

One of the ways we deal with uncertainty systematically is by estimating probabilities and then adopting standards. In a medical study researchers estimate the probability that a drug results in better outcomes than a placebo, and then see if that probability is high enough to pass the relevant statistical standards. Those probabilities can be estimated using statistical methods, but the statistical standards are something people have to decide on collectively.

What statistical standard we want to use changes with the circumstance. If there is only a 20% chance that an expensive drug reduces foot odor better than a placebo, then I'm not going to pay for something that unlikely to work just to solve a minor problem. On the other hand, if someone offers me a drug with only a 20% chance of curing my child's previously incurable fatal illness I'm likely going to try it because the upside is so huge. I don't just pick some arbitrary cut off point and say "any drug with less that a 50% chance of being better than a placebo is worthless", I take the situation into account when deciding what standard I want to apply.

Innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt is a standard developed for the American court system because the consequences of sentencing an innocent person are so bad. We have adopted that principle because we as a society think it's better to error on the side of letting a guilty man go free, than to destroy the life on an innocent man. This is a good moral principle, especially when it comes to state action.

Because "innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt" is a rightly venerated principle in American law, and what Kavanaugh is accused of are criminal actions, many people want to apply that standard to the Kavanaugh hearings. But, **A supreme court confirmation hearing is not a criminal trial, has wildly different possible outcomes for the accused and for the people, and so requires much different standards for dealing wit

I was a victim of second degree assault and I'm being asked to testify in court. I called the state attorney about the case and she said it's up to me if I want to come, depending on how badly I want this person to get convicted.

So in order to decide if I should go (it's a 2 hour drive there now that I've moved and I did already get them suspended from university), I want to know what will happen to this person down the road if I give them a record, besides any immediate fines or jail time they might get. I'm aware that convictions can make it more difficult to get a job or rent an apartment (though I'm not sure how much more difficult). Would this person also face other consequences because of a criminal record?