Written by Sarah

When I was sixteen and freshly driver-licensed, I hit a parked car in a parking lot. Worse, I went home and lied about it to my parents. Of course my dad called it in to his insurance, and of course it came out that I hit parked car and left the scene (dude I was scared!). So off to the police station we go, to file a report for the insurance, but while we were there a police officer pulled me into an interrogation room and told me all about jail and what happens to people who don’t tell the truth and own their responsibility when they do something wrong. I was scared to death, convinced I was going to jail for hitting a parked car. I don’t have a perfect driving record but I have never since I left the scene of an accident. I learned that lesson.

Lindsay Lohan, on the other hand, has not learned her lesson. At this point, I’m not sure she ever will. Back in court today for failing a drug test while on probation, the judge ordered her to return to rehab (she voluntarily entered the Betty Ford Clinic) until January third. There will be no more jail time.

I think Lindsay Lohan needs to go to jail.

At this point, it isn’t about reviving her career or preserving her celebrity status. It’s about saving her life. Lindsay has been in and out of rehab what—four or five times? And for all that rehabbing, she has never once owned her responsibility, she has never said, “It’s not the world or the media or my parents. It’s me. I have this problem and I will deal with it for the rest of my life.” No, when her Scram anklet goes off it’s because someone poured vodka all over her feet. She only admitted to failing this most recent drug test when the results were made public and she scientifically couldn’t argue with them.

There’s no responsibility here. There is no reason for Lindsay to change her behavior. Because if stints in rehab is the worst that she gets, well hell. Why bother? I believe in the value of rehab. I believe it does save people’s lives. But it isn’t saving Lindsay’s. She isn’t letting it. It’s time for the next step up. Which is jail.

Lindsay has already been to jail, but they didn’t make her stay as long as they said they would. The justice system caved like overindulgent parents. And I know, people get out of jail early for myriad reasons all the time. The justice system isn’t perfect. But in Lindsay’s case it seemed like they just didn’t want to deal with the attention anymore. This time she needs to go and spend the full amount of time. There’s a standard punishment for breaking probation—apply it to Lindsay. Take into account how often she’s voluntarily gone to rehab and how little it helped. It’s time for the exceptions to stop.

Maybe they have. The judge today stipulated that Lindsay has to stay in rehab until January 3rd because he doesn't trust her to remain there if left to her own devices. At least they're learning.

Whether she’s emerging from rehab on January third or exiting a penitentiary for the second time at some point in the future, can we please stop caring about Lindsay Lohan? Can we stop looking at her and listening to her and following her around? Maybe that’s the ultimate punishment. To declare her Over.


Photos from Wenn.com