The opposite is supposed to be a component of our judicial system, in that during sentencing leniency can be applied for people that have otherwise been good citizens/are actually apologetic about their crime. It has been thoroughly been abused in that aspect, especially when it comes to sentencing for similar crimes when there is simply a difference of race.

But in the case of people being uncooperative and showing no remorse the system was designed to be able to allow the judge to give them the maximum sentence. He did everything possible to ensure that outcome.