The Flavor of Mitigation - Cumulative Factors

What are the cumulative mitigating factors? Oh boy, this question promotes a self-aggrandizing fantasy. Can I remain objective and rationally discuss the mitigating factors of my crime and life? It sounds like an impossible task, but if the result will lead to a strengthening of my matrimonial bond then it’s worth the effort.

What are the common mitigating factors I can think of?

1) I have no record of criminal history;

2) I have accepted personal responsibility for my crime and I am sincerely remorseful;

3) No physical harm against another person occurred and no harm was ever

intended;

4) I paid restitution before sentencing;

5) I cooperated with the investigators and prosecution at every stage;

6) I struggle with alcoholism and I am seeking treatment;

7) I will never repeat this crime because under no circumstance will I borrow money

from the federal government again, and the circumstances of my crime are not

likely to reoccur;

8) I am able to contribute to society immediately upon my release if I'm incarcerated;

9) My wife’s parents need assisted living care, and they will suffer an undue hardship

because I will not be able to provide the care they need if I’m incarcerated;

and

10) My crime caused no lasting harm to the federal government, or was committed

in a way that demonstrated there was no intention to cause harm.

I’m beginning to see an argument for mitigating my sentence; as for matrimony, what are the reasons to save it?

1) I have always been faithful;

2) I take pride in leading my household;

3) I have never raised a hand against my loved ones;

4) I believe and practice the marriage liturgy of ‘Till death do us part;’

5) I obey my wife;

6) My wife helps me stay accountable for recovery at Alcoholics Anonymous;

7) I’m deeply in love after twenty-nine years of marriage, and I will make every

sacrifice necessary to preserve this union;

8) I will stay connected with my wife and build a fellowship of married felons using

my blog;

9) I have made amends and said goodbye to my wife’s parents because their health

is failing and I will probably never see them alive again if I’m incarcerated; and

10) My wife has forgiven my misdeeds, and I must begin to repair the lasting harm

my crime has caused to my marriage.

I am extremely motivated to mitigate my sentence and my marriage to a better outcome. What of my specific plans for the future? I would hope a judge is interested in what I plan to do after my release from prison if I'm incarcerated. This will be my third time at bat so to speak. I lost everything during the great recession, and now again during the Coronavirus pandemic. If I go to jail, what will I do when I’m release from prison?

The learning curve was intense and expensive the first time I started a business. I couldn’t afford to make mistakes, and I paid a dear price every time I did. The school of hard knocks is merciless, but it is the fastest way to learn about success. It took me almost a decade to build my business portfolio the first time, and three years to unwind my business after losing everything during the great recession. The second time around it took me just over four years to build my business portfolio, and only six months to unwind everything after the pandemic ravaged my business interests. I needed to raise a lot of capital to pay restitution to the court.

The third time around will take me about two years or less to rebuild my business portfolio. I already understand the business techniques needed to succeed, I have the marketing figured out already, and I know where to find the capital resources to execute my acquisition strategy. It will require massive action, and is completely achievable before I hit retirement. Experience is the key to my future success, and my business plan will produce results. But what about my marriage?

My wife and I have survived both the great recession and now the pandemic. Can we survive incarceration too? In business my experience is tantamount to my business success, and now the question becomes will my marital experience translate into a happy marriage? This will be an intense week of marriage mitigation for us.