1000th execution to happen next week

[FightingFalcon]

Matt.....get rid of that avatar

Go back to the Giants

[dustdevil28]

merceditas said:

I think this brings up another issue too. What are sentences and prisons for? Rehabilitation or punishment?

Prison time should be viewed first as a punishment. Hopefully the prisoner will view his time with dispair and will think twice before commiting a crime on the outside again.

I guess you could say the punishment is meant to rehabilitate the criminal.

[LorSpi]

battleborn said:

Prison time should be viewed first as a punishment. Hopefully the prisoner will view his time with despair and will think twice before committing a crime on the outside again.

I guess you could say the punishment is meant to rehabilitate the criminal.

This issue has been debated in the US system since its founding. It goes back and forth - but the general welfare of prisoners has progressively improved over time. While Europeans are making grunting noises now, most do not provide the same level of legal rights to their common prisoners as the US. They appear to be very considerate of folks who murder Americans though.

One thing to remember - the victim and society at large need to "feel" that justice is being done. If criminals are not prosecuted to the degree that society as a whole finds acceptable, then it will become more tolerant of criminal acts purported to seek "justice". Look at the trend of "Death Wish", jury nullification fantasies - plenty of films and TV series glorified folks ignoring the law because they did not get "justice" under the court system still being aired on TV.

The US electorate wants mass murderers executed. And it is not about blood thirst. Check out the broadcasted interviews with members of the Manson family who have emerged to plead their case on primetime. No shows about their victims (though Roman Polanski has used his wife's murder as an excuse to have sex with 14 year old girls.). Folks who remember reading about the crime and following the trial watched these folks strut their stuff and perform for the cameras with their in your face with bourgeoisie morality smirks and taunts.

20 years in prison just changes the script - not the performer. Still mugging for the cameras - with Jesus instead of Satan as their savior - it's the same shit.

Williams was convicted 24 years ago. He's only been publicly "saved" for 10 of those years. It's a con. Better his royalties checks go to the California state treasury for the cost of his upkeep. They don't. There's my indication of this scam.