07-07-2003, 04:16 PM
Hi,
What is the difference between a bad person and a person who has done something bad? A good person can do something bad because of circumstances, poor judgment, or any number of factors. A fitting punishment, and they've learned their lesson. A bad person repeats their bad actions in spite of punishment.
Society does not need to protect themselves from good people that make a mistake because these people are not a threat. It does need to protect itself from bad people, because these are a threat, they are predators.
Recently I looked up some crime statistics. Between one third and one half of the persons released from prison for a crime are in prison for that or a similar crime within one year of release. Most crime is committed by habitual criminals. Three strikes is one more bite than a dog gets.
the punishment should fit the crime
I disagree. It should fit the criminal.
once debt is paid to society, it is paid.
This presupposes that the primary purpose of the criminal system is to punish and thus rehabilitate criminals (which only works in some cases). The primary purpose is to protect society. If that can't be done by rehabilitation, then some other means must be used. A person who has chosen to cut himself off from society through repeated criminal acts is a person that society should ban. Since being transported is no longer an option, incarceration or death are the only remaining options.
It is also a discarding of a citizen completely, so why not just put a bullet in his head?
I realize this was both rhetorical and sarcastic. However, I agree with the literal interpretation. But the reason it cannot be done is the excessive veneration some of our society has for life. But that's another day's battle :)
--Pete
What is the difference between a bad person and a person who has done something bad? A good person can do something bad because of circumstances, poor judgment, or any number of factors. A fitting punishment, and they've learned their lesson. A bad person repeats their bad actions in spite of punishment.
Society does not need to protect themselves from good people that make a mistake because these people are not a threat. It does need to protect itself from bad people, because these are a threat, they are predators.
Recently I looked up some crime statistics. Between one third and one half of the persons released from prison for a crime are in prison for that or a similar crime within one year of release. Most crime is committed by habitual criminals. Three strikes is one more bite than a dog gets.
the punishment should fit the crime
I disagree. It should fit the criminal.
once debt is paid to society, it is paid.
This presupposes that the primary purpose of the criminal system is to punish and thus rehabilitate criminals (which only works in some cases). The primary purpose is to protect society. If that can't be done by rehabilitation, then some other means must be used. A person who has chosen to cut himself off from society through repeated criminal acts is a person that society should ban. Since being transported is no longer an option, incarceration or death are the only remaining options.
It is also a discarding of a citizen completely, so why not just put a bullet in his head?
I realize this was both rhetorical and sarcastic. However, I agree with the literal interpretation. But the reason it cannot be done is the excessive veneration some of our society has for life. But that's another day's battle :)
--Pete
How big was the aquarium in Noah's ark?