How did Candon Dahle, accused of sexually abusing a child between the ages of 7 and 12, end up with just 6 months in jail?

Dahle was originally charged in Idaho with lewd conduct with a child under 16 a crime that carries up to life in prison. But through a plea deal, the charges were reduced to a much lighter offense, capping the maximum punishment at only one year. From there, the judge sentenced him to 180 days in county jail, meaning with good behavior he could be out in 90. The deal also meant he avoided the lifelong consequences of being placed on the sex offender registry.

Prosecutors often defend these agreements by saying they want to avoid putting a child victim through the trauma of testifying in court. But the outcome is the same: a serious case of abuse looks like a slap on the wrist. What’s worse is that this pattern is not random. Studies show Republican-appointed judges and prosecutors are especially likely to give light sentences in sexual assault cases when the defendant is white and middle class, justifying it by saying “he has a future.” Meanwhile, Black and Latino men face longer sentences for lesser crimes.

If justice is supposed to be blind, why does race, class, and politics keep tipping the scales?