Crime & Punishment What are YOUR views?  |
|
 What are your thoughts on the death penalty? What do you think should happen if a person is convicted wrongly...and is proven innocent after serving time? Should the government be held accountable? Those who testified against him? What about victims rights? What should be done to prosecutors who prosecute someone maliciously? Ever been wrongfully accused? How did it make you feel? Share your thoughts on child/developmentally disabled criminals being tried as adults with adult punishments. Basically, give me your thoughts on our judicial system's track record.
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1.  cobrateacher (4229) | 7 months ago |  Hi!
As many on this site know, my husband is in prison for a crime committed by someone else. The guy who did it confessed, and the judge accepted the confession, but he refused to allow release or a new trial. Several very powerful politicians have told me they could help, but it would be political suicide, because the judge's essential reason was that the Cubans cause too much trouble. They all said they'd show us how to sue for reparations, but only after he's released. That man confessed in 1985!
When visiting, I've met several inmates who spent time on Death Row before someone found out they were falsely or maliciously put there. Most are released within what the system calls a short time - a few years. There has been proof literally dozens of times almost immediately after an execution that the person executed was not the guilty party. How can anyone justify the death sentence?
There's another very important aspect to my objections to the death penalty. Remember the 10 Commandments? Who are we to kill anyone? That's God's job. I disagree with those who cite the many battles and killings in the Bible, too, as those were in a time when God was establishing faith in His world, and we're far beyond that today.
| |
| |
|
|
 debrakcarey (1351) | 7 months ago | You are a strong woman. I can not imagine living with that. God Bless you!
When my oldest son was just 18, he was led into some bad things by older friends. They broke into a concessions stand and stole a box of candy bars and six dollars. My son was caught with them. Not making excuses for bad choices...we were going through a divorce from his dad who was an alcoholic...and my son was rebelling. My point is...his lawyer told us he was facing 14 YEARS in Joliet's Statesville prision for stealing less than fifty dollars worth of merchandise and six dollars in change! We all can imagine what 14 years would have done to a young rebellious boy. Thankfully, the judge was merciful and put him on probation. I shudder to think what his life would have been like if he'd been actually sentenced.
I believe we must be tough on crime....but I KNOW deep down that corruption and stupidity rule our courts. I have read about and seen way to much of these things going on...to have much faith in our judicial system. Many innocent are convicted...and many guilty go free.
What can we do to make this different? When getting a good lawyer is something only people with money or connections can do.
And what about things like public sentiment.... like what you describe. Predjudice and politics invade what should be a sacred trust between law and order.
| |
|
|
|
Obama Urges Homeowners to Refinance See Rates - No Credit Check Needed. ($90,000 Refinance under $489/mo) www.LowerMyBills.com | add comment |
|
|
|
2. dawnald (10011)  | 7 months ago |  Well I don't think certain people should be subject to the death penalty at all, especially people who are mentally incapacitated and minors. The problem being, where do you draw the line?
As for the death penalty in general, I was once totally against it, mainly on the grounds that if you execute an innocent person, it can never be undone. But as a taxpayer, I really object to paying money that could be used for something I really believe in to house and feed somebody who has gone and killed people. And it's not so much the issue of punishment as self protection. In other words, if we had a reliable way to tell that a person was "rehabilitated", I wouldn't object to releasing them, no matter what they had done. But since there isn't, and since the government has a responsibility to protect its citizens, I don't object to executing a "proven" mass murderer/sociopath.
But that brings us to the issue of wrong convictions. Because evidence can be misinterpreted, eyewitnesses can be wrong, people can be railroaded, etc. So I wouldn't want to see somebody subject to the death penalty unless it was a really strong case. Maybe we need some kind of independent audit of cases.
I've been wrongly accused, but only of little personal things. But it stings. And how much more would it sting if you were falsely accused of a crime, convicted and sentenced.
| |
| |
|
|
| debrakcarey (1351) | 7 months ago | It would be terrifying.
I feel as you do basically. When there is NO doubt...and the person is a sociopath...execution is understandable.
I also feel there should be some accountability when the system messes up. A sort of checks and balance...and the appeal process is NOT working..only those who have money can pursue it fully.
I too have been wrongly accused...at work. And it is real scary when you are dealing with narcotics and accused of stealing them....had to take a voice stress test...I joked with the officer administering it..and he did not take it well..;) I passed, btw...lol
There has to be more accountability....mistakes do happen and it is very sad...but when they know someone is innocent and still hold them...it's a crime in and of itself! | |
|
|
| dawnald (10011) | 7 months ago | It scares me with appeals where witnesses have recanted and so on and the appellate courts refuse to even hear the case. I know we're not hearing the whole story in the press and probably in most of those cases the person really is guilty, but what about the ones that aren't? | |
|
|
| debrakcarey (1351) | 7 months ago | Even if I was ever found guilty of something and it was true...I'd go stark raving mad in prision. I cannot imagine being INNOCENT and put in there. I dated a guy who had been a prision guard for 25 years....I made him stop talking about it...couldn't deal with it. | |
|
|
| dawnald (10011) | 7 months ago | I have a problem with "authority" so I'm sure I wouldn't do well at all... | |
|
|
| debrakcarey (1351) | 7 months ago | I have always questioned those in power too...human authority is variable in it's usefulness due to humans being subject to their own passions and faults.
I do however...see the need for something or 'nother to be in charge.:) Only wish it didn't have to be either/or kinda thing. | |
|
|
| dawnald (10011) | 7 months ago | I question those in power too, but what I really meant is that I have a problem being told what to do. | |
|
|
| debrakcarey (1351) | 7 months ago | LOL...you too?
My ex told my mom....I've figured it out...just tell her she can't and she will. | |
|
|
| dawnald (10011) | 7 months ago | BIG time!!!! I hate being told what to do, especially if it doesn't make sense. Ask me, OK, but tell me? Looking for trouble... | |
|
|
|
Obama Backs Auto Insurance Regulation Drivers Pay $44/mo on Avg for Car Insurance. Are you paying too much? Auto-Insurance-Experts.com | add comment |
|
|
|
3.  nashlix (167) | 7 months ago |  hello, i am from singapore and according to statistics, we hang the most people per capita in the world. on my country, if you are found to be in possession of a certain amount of drugs or firearms, you are presumed to be in the trafficking busiess which carries a 'mandatory' death sentence. i do not agree with the mandatory death sentence althouh i do not disagree with death sentences being imposed. however, i believe that each case should be viewed on a case by case basis and no 'mandatory' death sentence should be carried out and everyone deserves a trial. otherwise, one would be guilty befor proven innocent rather than innocent before proven guilty.
| |
| |
|
|
| debrakcarey (1351) | 7 months ago | That is some stiff sentence for using drugs. Wow...!
I don't agree with the death penalty either....I used to think it was a necessary deterent. But with so many mistakes being made...and corruption in our courts...I can no longer condone it. If I was to ever think the death penalty was necessary it would have to be an open and shut case....no circumstantial evidence whatsoever. And proven to be premeditated murder.
Justice is a virtue...and one person being imprisioned wrongly or executed wrongly is ONE to many. I have been the victim of crime...and it does change you. But revenge is against my faith. I do think we need a strong system of laws...applied equally without variables, like money or a soft judge, or a tampered jury. Since that isn't happening anytime soon...and we have to make do with what we have..the death penalty is wrong in my view. | |
|
|
|
Online Degrees Get Your AA, BA, Masters or PhD at a Top Online School. Start Now. Education.Nextag.com/Online-Degrees | add comment |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
