Actually, we put a greater percentage of our population in jail longer than any other developed country. Our crime rate is also no better, and in some ways worse, than any other industrialized nation. So no, "gol dang lib'ral judges" aren't the problem. Neither are "country club prisons" except for the very, very rich who steal more and cause more misery. Neither are "revolving door jails".
The problems are deeper and more structural and would take a much longer discussion with lots of charts, books and beer. I'll just suggest a couple things - the War On Negroes, err, Drugs, yeah Drugs, falling economic expectations and rising income and wealth inequality, the culture of unbridled consumption et cetera.
As to the particular case here...
Thank the gods the trooper is alright and nobody else was hurt. I hope the criminal resisted arrest. Many times.
Is it surprising that someone got shot over a video game? Not really. People have been killed over parking spaces, the dubious and negotiable affections of the terminally skanky, minor jewelry and ten dollar gambling debts. As my Shaykh says, "Always remember Rule #1. People are crazy." It's also wise never to underestimate the human capacity to do something stupid under stress. If he was even thinking past "Now I'll get the video game" the crook expected to get what he wanted and leave. When things started going wahoonie-shaped he panicked and did something terminally dumb.
