Although it took place several months ago and footage was sent to NFL security chief in April, 2014, the video of Baltimore Ravens’ Ray Rice knocking his then-fiancée unconscious and dragging her body out of a casino elevator was released to the public only last month. Initially, Commissioner Roger Goodell gave Rice a two-game suspension, but following loud protests and wide criticism, the Baltimore Ravens released him, and Goodell suspended him indefinitely.

The league’s history of punishing players for conduct [...]

Shoplifting cases may have relatively lower exposure to punishment compared to other criminal offenses, but the legal, social, and personal consequences may impact a person’s life for a long time. Aside from criminal penalties that typically include fines, imprisonment, or both, the offender will get a criminal record that will be stored in the national database and accessed at any time by the police, public institutions, employers, and landlords.  The stigma carried by a shoplifting conviction, which can limit housing, [...]