I think the trap is that people think it is meant to be a deterrant. It isn't, and never has been. People that are so removed from society that they commit crimes don't think they will ever get caught (regardless of the penalty), or they think it is worth the penalty if they do get caught.
There is no clear answer I don't think. But it's good that people stop and think and discuss it. When people stop talking about things and accept them as they are without question - well, I find that more scary than any of the subjects in focus.
In regards to capital punishment, my own opinion is pretty solid (though as always I reserve the right to change my mind and my thinking at some point in the future). I do run the risk of being misinterpreted but what the heck...
My problem with capital punishment is if a mistake is made, there is no going back. There's no "oops, we messed up, here have some life back and some compesation money". It's too late. It's a horrific error that can never be corrected.
It is not a crime deterrent, for the previously stated reasons. But it IS a way of removing someone from society.
The only instance I would support capital punishment is if there is absolutely no doubt of guilt, and no chance of that person being rehabilitated.
Somewhere along the way the correctional system worldwide has lost its way. It should never be there for revenge. It must be for removing a threat from society. Justice should be blind, not waving pitchforks from gutter-media generated hype.
Prison should always be a two part approach; punishment and rehabilitation. Instead it's just punishment. In fact it's not even that. It's just a rug to sweep things under until their time is up.
Plenty of petty crims get caught, go into the big house, meet much harder and smarter crims and learn from their peers. They then exit the system with exactly the wrong knowledge and concept of society. It's no surprise these people then escalate their crimes.
Instead, there should be some system of separating out the ones that have hope from the ones that will never reintegrate. The ones that can be taught should be put into some sort of social re-education (yeah, fine, Re-Neducation). Most end up there due to socio-economic reasons such as poor or no family upbringing. What hope do they have in the current system? They are taught to hold their hand out and to take it if no-one puts it there for them.
In regards to capital punishment itself, I feel that the following questions needs to be asked:
Can they be re-habilitated? Have they protested innocence? Have they shown remorse? Is the evidence flawed or suspect in any way?
Unless all of those can be answered "no", then capital punishment MUST not occur.
This is of course only my opinion. In regards to the person that departed today, from all I have read and understood of the case I shed no tear for him. It seems to me he met the criteria for permanent removal from society. In view of the fact they have given him the sleepy needle, I hope it is the case.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2009-11-11 07:01 am (UTC)There is no clear answer I don't think. But it's good that people stop and think and discuss it. When people stop talking about things and accept them as they are without question - well, I find that more scary than any of the subjects in focus.
In regards to capital punishment, my own opinion is pretty solid (though as always I reserve the right to change my mind and my thinking at some point in the future). I do run the risk of being misinterpreted but what the heck...
My problem with capital punishment is if a mistake is made, there is no going back. There's no "oops, we messed up, here have some life back and some compesation money". It's too late. It's a horrific error that can never be corrected.
It is not a crime deterrent, for the previously stated reasons. But it IS a way of removing someone from society.
The only instance I would support capital punishment is if there is absolutely no doubt of guilt, and no chance of that person being rehabilitated.
Somewhere along the way the correctional system worldwide has lost its way. It should never be there for revenge. It must be for removing a threat from society. Justice should be blind, not waving pitchforks from gutter-media generated hype.
Prison should always be a two part approach; punishment and rehabilitation. Instead it's just punishment. In fact it's not even that. It's just a rug to sweep things under until their time is up.
Plenty of petty crims get caught, go into the big house, meet much harder and smarter crims and learn from their peers. They then exit the system with exactly the wrong knowledge and concept of society. It's no surprise these people then escalate their crimes.
Instead, there should be some system of separating out the ones that have hope from the ones that will never reintegrate. The ones that can be taught should be put into some sort of social re-education (yeah, fine, Re-Neducation). Most end up there due to socio-economic reasons such as poor or no family upbringing. What hope do they have in the current system? They are taught to hold their hand out and to take it if no-one puts it there for them.
In regards to capital punishment itself, I feel that the following questions needs to be asked:
Can they be re-habilitated?
Have they protested innocence?
Have they shown remorse?
Is the evidence flawed or suspect in any way?
Unless all of those can be answered "no", then capital punishment MUST not occur.
This is of course only my opinion. In regards to the person that departed today, from all I have read and understood of the case I shed no tear for him. It seems to me he met the criteria for permanent removal from society. In view of the fact they have given him the sleepy needle, I hope it is the case.