There are not many careers where someone can be an alleged murderer, thief, or even assemble and take part in a dog fighting ring and have society still put you on a pedestal, but athletes definitely have that going for them.

The amount of professional athletes in society today that have as many convictions as zeroes after the first number in their bank account, is proof that we hold these people to a higher standard, as if they are heroes, although they are truly no such thing.

The worst part of this situation is that many people, especially children, look up to these athletes as idols and role models.

Children may in turn view these indiscretions as acceptable due to the frequency that they happen and the frequency that athletes get away with them.

There have been many cases through the years where professional athletes have set bad examples for fans, from guns being drawn from the result of a player argument in the Washington Wizards locker room to Donte Stallworth only serving 24 days of a 30-day jail sentence for DUI manslaughter charges.

In 1994, Nicole Brown and Ronald Goldman were murdered, and retired NFL player O.J. Simpson was charged. After a testy and controversial trial, he was acquitted of all charges, despite the fact that a lot of people felt that all of the evidence pointed toward a conviction.

Whether or not a conviction occurs, many athletes find themselves walking away free men, avoiding or not serving full jail time, and even receiving fines that are nothing in comparison to the big pay checks they receive.

Most recently, the “blade runner” from South Africa, Oscar Pistorius, allegedly murdered his model girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.

A man who can be seen as a hero in his home country, Pistorius, who had both of his legs amputated when he was 11 months old, was the first amputee runner to compete in the Olympic Games.

Dominating the paralympics in many fields, ranging from the 100 meter sprint to the 400 meter relay, he allegedly shot his girlfriend after mistaking her for an intruder, and has thus been charged.

Many media outlets are now reporting that his story and the evidence are not matching up.

This situation could easily turn ugly once again for justice, especially considering this man is not only a hero by his sports standard but his country’s standard as well.

Although his part in the murder is only alleged at this point in time, if he were to be found guilty this is a real opportunity for it to be made known that athletes can be found just as guilty as anyone else.

They deserve to serve the same punishment as anyone else.

Signing the big contract and wearing the jersey with your name on the back doesn’t make you any less guilty than the family man with the 9-to-5 job. Not only do fans need to realize this, but the law needs to recognize these facts, as well.

The leeway that athletes receive when it comes to convictions, serving time and paying fines needs to end immediately.

Not only does set a bad example, but it also creates this facade that athletes feel that they can “get away with murder.”