I am not at all sure that execution is a worse fate than being
sentenced to spend the rest of one's life in jail. I personally would
prefer execution. Which would you prefer?
The *supposed* war on drugs is not simply something that is
happening in the
U.S.
I care about the comparison with other countries only as a measuring
point, not as a comparison of punishments.
#1 - I don't think being unhappy is or should be an excuse for
committing a
crime.
Of course not. My probe is for reasons for our horrendous
incarceration rate, a laundry list about which to think. So, among the
reasons, I wonder if our citizens are more unhappy than the citizens
of other, seemingly civilized countries.
#2 - Could you clarify this one.
We have many laws against victimless "crimes," those acts that do not
violate the rights of others, such as smoking marijuana, public
drunkenness, prostitution, sodomy, attempted suicide.
#3 - I don't think this one applies. I think we simply have far too
many
stupid criminals!
So do you feel that our criminals are more stupid than the criminals
of other countries? On what do you base such a conclusion?
#4 - As to harsher laws? I think that would be all in how you define
harsher and whose laws you are comparing to. Do you really think
juvie is
harsher than caning?
Depends on the juvie sentence and how many strokes and how hard the
cane.
#5 - I odn't agree with that one at all. Our laws are rarely
followed as to
length of sentence and are far below those of other countries.
#6 - That isn't an excuse for committing a crime.
Not cavalier attitude by the citizen, but by the government, ignoring
obvious and long-standing social inequities. How else shall we
understand the high percentage of black men in jail?
#7 - I agree that EMPLOYED *first-time offenders* should be treated
with a
different set of rules (weekends, community service, fines and stiff
probation/parole) but only if they aren't repeat offenders.
#8 - Compared to who?
The other countries that have lower incarceration rates.
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