Stop the madness !!

[DallasEast]

I know crime will never go away, but other countries don't have the crime levels that we do.

It is because they deal with these types differently than we do.

Other countries have different motivating factors which influence crime levels. For instance, many people in westernized countries do not have access to firearms as Americans do. Likewise, violent crimes involving firearms are much lower. Or, in middle eastern societies, stealing isn't as prevalent because the criminal penalties involve loss of body parts (cutting off hands, etc.). There are other factors, but the important thing is that American society endures more than its share of crime due to the same freedoms it cherishes. A vicious circle indeed (no pun intended).

 

[Banned_n_austin]

I hope the bulk of this line is a sarcastic joke. If not.............If you were on the jury, you cannot make up a conviction, either he is guilty or he is not guilty on the counts that are brought up. You say you would have given him at least 5 years.........if you convict him at all, it is of molestation, and you said earlier that you'd give no less than 30.........??????? But like I said, you were probably not entirely serious.

Actually, I was serious. There were a whole bunch of other charges he was charged with and was on trial for. But I would have had a hard time convicting him of child molestation with %100 certainty because I don't know if he really did it. I think he did. But I'm not %100.

I do know that he was very very very stupid in his actions ... and those alone should warrant some punishment. But I would have compromised my verdict, in that I wouldn't have felt so bad about that .000001% chance that he wasn't guilty if I just gave him 5 or so years - which was an option for the jury.

Looking back, I still think the jury did a good job. There was reasonable doubt there, very little, but still some reasonable doubt ...

 

[Banned_n_austin]

I would castrate rapists too.

Some of them even ask for it to be done. In that case, it's an easy call to make.

 

[Banned_n_austin]

Right episode, BP, but wrong series. That was an episode named Ex Post Facto, which ran on Star Trek:Voyager.

Ultimately, the level of criminal imprisonment is dictated by 'We The People'. One poster suggested an "Escape From New York" type prison where all prisoners are isolated together. That idea has merit, but it hinges on how many preventive measures you would need to KEEP the prisoners isolated.

With time and thought, anyone can escape from a trap. That's why prisons have guards. Even if prisoners are placed on a completely isolated island, it doesn't prevent them from escaping from it. You could mine the waters surrounding the island, but it doesn't prevent someone from navigating through them. Etc., etc. It's a good idea, but the incarceration of the prisoners in such a prison must be enforced via varying forms of enforcement--including people (i.e. guards).

IMO, the American people must become ultra-committed to solving this problem. One way is to build more (yes, more) prisons THROUGHOUT the country, in every state, regardless of rural OR urban areas, hundreds of miles away OR practically in your backyard. The number of prisons must far exceed that of potential total prisoner capacity, both current and forecasted.

The public must be willing to undertake the huge tax burden this endeavor will impose. Forever. Expenditures will be dictated by necessary prisoner expenses such as food, clothing, medical care and basic entertainment. Nothing else. Prison security force salaries, equipment, etc., must be appropriately increased also.

These things are necessary if a society wishes to humanely lock away an individual for their entire life. In other words, if you want to do it the right way, it... will... cost... you...

Of course, if American society does not want to continue down the same road or try the more humane method I've described, it can simply shoot the guilty and move on. Easy solution, but a different type of judgment may be waiting down the road for those who would enact it.

We already have the most prisons and imprisoned people in the world ... and you want more?

 

[DallasEast]

We already have the most prisons and imprisoned people in the world ... and you want more?

Do I want more? Nah. I'm just a realist and understand that crime isn't going to disappear.

Of course, we could pack every new prisoner, which we're never going to release because of their hideous crimes, into our present prisons and... hope for the best?

 

[wxcpo]

Molestation is the one crime that I don't think there should be any second chance. I mean most victims are small children and the perpetrator is someone they know, be it a family member or friend of the family. It is a person who the children usually trust. I don't understand how a grown-up can loook at a small child and become aroused in any way, but I guess that what separates a sane person from a molestor.

A person who is found 100% guilty, I mean absolutely no doubt about it should be castrated immediately and then locked amongst the most hardened criminals in the world. Hopefully they won't survive long enough to be set free ever again.

Also the victims should not be forgotten or ignored, they should be given therapy and treated. Too many times a molestor was molested themselves. I know that doesn't make it right, but sometimes society focuses so much on the criminal that they forget about the victims and helping them.

Also could we please get a set of standard penalties for crimes? I mean I have seen people found guilty of murder get smaller sentences than those found guilty of robbing someone. Murder is murder, why does one state give 5 years while another may give 25 years? It should be the same across the states.