I'm new here; so new that I just began posting today.
As an old dawg of 66 who's been reading since age two (comic books) and having lived on both East and West coasts and in-between, moving about 60 times in my life and having lived around so many different people, I'd like to state my feelings on this subject. Because they seem rather unique. I'm neither Liberal nor Conservative: when I took the quizzes before the recent election I came out "Centrist" - a term I'd never even heard before. No party I know of incorporates my ideas of criminal justice. And though female, I prefer to view things objectively rather than emotionally, and I guess you could say I'm a pretty deep thinker.
I'm very sorry, really I am, for the violent criminals and the pervs who have had a horrible childhood and "act out" due to it. Think about how weird it is that so many prostitutes were victims of sexual abuse; you'd think they'd go the exact opposite way. But things sink into the brain and become activated with a pull one towards it when one wishes it or not. SO. I think it's better, in cases of homicide, if torture/kidnapping is involved, to pretty much automatically institute the death penalty. It has to stop somewhere. And I think psychological defenses should be thrown out the window. Psychology is inexact at best, and in every major trial there's always one who always testifies for the defense and one who always testifies pro-prosecution. After all the time and money wasted - and maybe the innocent is shown as guilty and vice versa - no one seems to realize what a farce it is. And, isn't a mentally unstable person, even when "cured" more likely to again become mentally unstable and harm society again? They get off while others fry.
At the same time, I deplore the incarceration of so many convicted of victim-less crimes currently incarcerated. The number is astounding, and not only is it unfair, it removes the focus from the really bad guys. By one estimate, if the trend keeps up, 1-in-6 will be in the slammer by the year 2020.
One of my beliefs might be actually to the right of Hitler. I'd like to see a test developed - only if it can be proven accurate - to determine sociopathy/psychopathy. Give anyone who fails it a painless injection. And only after intensive review.
And if someone kills their abuser after years of abuse, they are brought to trial like a criminal, when if this country gets mad at another and invades, the more people you kill who have never done harm to you makes you a hero.
And if someone hangs themselves in jail or prison, just let the person go. Revive them just to kill them?!
I'd also like to see the death penalty, if it occurs, implemented quickly for everyone's sake. Anti-death-penalty activists cite one reason against it because it takes so long and costs so much. But there's no need for that. The Russians give them a shot in the head pretty damn quick.
Nice board, and thank you for letting me have my say. It is really refreshing.
Bookmarks