Is there a place for capital punishment in modern society? - Page 2

Matth · Feb 12, 2008, 10:45 AM

What DO you do, for a crime so abhorrent, and a criminal so far beyond redemption, that they can never (or at least should never) be released?

It's either the death penalty, or literally lock 'em up and throw away the key.

Maddogg6 · Feb 12, 2008, 11:34 AM

Quote:

It's either the death penalty, or literally lock 'em up and throw away the key.

no, you forget prevention....

first. put more emphasis on prevention - THEN increase the penalty. (I'll explain why 'wait' below)
For instance - between the internet (and kids not being monitored) - and (mental) health care costs sky rocketing - its no wonder there would be an increase in occurrences.

We (in the US) spend WAY more in taxes to 'liberate' those in other countries, and a pitance on helping low income families (who feel forced into having a 3rd party raise their kid while they are working their second job)
I believe it is felt in the uprise in school shooting too.

My point is, kids pretty much raise them selves now, and are often put into the 'care' of those that will never care about the kid as much as a parent. Then add in, previously abused children that never get the cousiling they need to properly heal to become 'a valued citizen' who work as teachers, or child care givers.... and you have a screwed up person with the potential to continue the snowball effect of abuse.

Why did I say wait to increase punishments....
Consider this case that *does* happen too frequently.... (My sister had a neighbor who went through this, eventually the girl admitted to it and spent 3 months in jail for it) google: 'wrongly accused of child abuse'.
Schools teach children that they can make a parent/step parent powerless if they claim abuse. My friends kid used to use that threat to get what he wants. (his kid is in jail now)

So - if we kill, and lock away the key - do you want to be the one who is wrongly accused? No, first we have to fix other problems before increased punishments are 'just'.

I never said the answer was easy but, If we go and start adding to the list of capitol crimes where will it end? Stealing (takes income away from feeding their children)? tax evasion (not paying monies that do go into social programs that benefit kids)?
Eventually we *could* justify killing for any crime committed that 'affects children'.

If you truly dont believe in 'criminal re-rehabilitation' - is it the criminal or the services provided to rehabilitate? (will a jail cell, and an order to stay away from kids do the job, obviously not, there are obviously mental issues that go un-addressed.)
Does the state pay the same for psychiatric care as say, your insurance (if you even have coverage)? not from what I hear...

edit:
With stories like this, no wonder 'rehabilitation' has been difficult..
Ex-Florida prison boss: Drunken orgies tainted system - CNN.com

Quote:

Crosby would later plead guilty to bribery charges in relation to kickbacks from a prison vendor. He's now locked up in a federal prison. He refused CNN's request for an interview for this report.

"He's serving time in a federal prison. I hope he reforms and gets out and prospers," McDonough said.

He added, "When you have a rotten guy at the top, or gal at the top, it can be very invasive, and it's a cancer that needs to be excised."

And getting rid of this "cancer" is exactly what McDonough says he did. McDonough fired 90 top prison officials -- wardens, supervisors, colonels and majors -- claiming they were corrupt or, at the very least, not to be trusted. He demoted 280 others.

Criminal charges were filed against more than 40 others, and most were convicted. In addition to the orgies and other misconduct outside the cell blocks, there were other allegations of prisoners being harmed, McDonough said.

"In some of the pockets of corruption that we found, they [prisoners] were being abused," he said.

I have no doubts that, while the above is probably an extreme example, its not completely outlandish to wonder how much happens elsewhere? Just more subtle. Point is, if the guards are even remotely corrupt, how does one get rehabilitated in prison?
(the threat of returning prison in itself <> 'rehabilitation', and the US advertises not just 'crime punishment' but rehabilitation as well)