The drug lab debacle that engrossed campus in October came to a close last week when D.C.’s U.S. District Court sentenced former Georgetown freshman Charles Smith and his co-defendant John Perrone, a former University of Richmond student, to probation for three years. Considering that jail time was not out of the question, the plea bargain and final ruling was likely a relief to Smith and Perrone. More importantly, it is a sentence that fits both the nature and context of their crime. It will punish them, but not unnecessarily so, leaving room for the two to recover their lives.

Without a doubt, Smith and Perrone broke the law when they set up shop to produce dimethyltryptamine (DMT) in Harbin Hall. But based on their statements at the hearing, they had no intention of selling the hallucinogenic for profit. They were being stupid, but not malicious. All college students can admit to having made a stupid mistake or two that held grave consequences. But for most students, slipping by with little more than a crazy story and a lesson learned is the norm.

In short, these students need a life coach, not an orange jumpsuit. Probation will allow them to seek rehab or therapy — and along the way, they can learn to grow up. Without prison terms, it becomes a whole lot easier for them to start fresh and move beyond a life shaped by a foolish decision.

Smith and Perrone are hardly getting off scot-free — and they shouldn’t be. They will always have arrests branded on their records, and Smith will forever have to explain why his time at Georgetown was cut short. Close to every future job interview they have will be embarrassing, and employers will likely hesitate before hiring them. But because they have the opportunity to seek help rather than serve time behind bars, Smith and Perrone have the chance to get their lives back on track.