I know a guy who has seven assaultive convictions (including committing child abuse twice, pepper spraying his sister and trying to stab his brother with a seven inch knife) and the most he's ever gotten was three years (he always gets plea deals). He also has convictions for forgery, tampering with evidence, evading arrest (two convictions), theft (three convictions), trespassing (four convictions), criminal mischief, interfering with an emergency call, etc. He's now facing 25 to 99 years for cutting the same brother with a knife less than six months after his most recent release from prison.