Post by Paka on Jun 6, 2007 13:03:33 GMT -5
Hello, all! Newbie from Florida checking in.
I have opposed the DP for quite some time now, and many of the courses I took while in college (many forensic classes, and I minored in Criminal Justice) combined with independent research and reading have backed up and made my feelings on this issue even stronger.
My qualms with it and arguments against it consist of many of the common ones-- question of possible innocence, racial and economic biases, cost vs. life imprisonment, the fact that it is not a deterrent, cruel and unusual punishment, evolving standards of ethics that my country is rapidly falling behind in. An irreversible punishment, and arbitrarily assigned one, in a system which is so prone to error (uneducated juries, corrupt prosecutors, inadequate defense, ect.) is unethical in the extreme, and there is no evidence that these issues can ever be resolved. Even in cases where guilt is definite, there can never be a determination of the state of mind or motive... the # of those who are intellectually impared, suffer from mental illness or have had their personalities altered by years of abuse, ect., on death rows is quite large. Also, execution creates a whole new group of victims in the loved ones of the executed. And even in the case of unrepentant and admitted murders committed in the name of a cause, executions only produce martyrs and further killings. Society is well served and completely protected by giving the worst offenders life without the possibility of parole... indeed, the conditions in U.S. "supermax" prisons are very harsh (possibly inhumane, really) and life spent in one is certainly an ultimate punishment in itself.
I believe strongly in the work of such groups as Floridians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty. As a Floridian, I had hopes that the Governor's Commission held after the botched execution of Angel Diaz (who seems, from everything I've read, to have possibly not been the gunman, and who suffered from a number of mental disorders in any case) would bring about positive change, but I was wrong. In time, I firmly believe the change will come, but the amount of time will depend on a number of factors, which is why this activism and speaking out is so important.
The tide of public opinion here is definitely changing... I gave a speech in a class in college against the DP, and was suprised how well it was received. Turns out, it was something the professor himself spoke on. Not too surprised I got an A on that one, even though I am HORRIBLE at public speaking.
Anyways, great place you have here!
I have opposed the DP for quite some time now, and many of the courses I took while in college (many forensic classes, and I minored in Criminal Justice) combined with independent research and reading have backed up and made my feelings on this issue even stronger.
My qualms with it and arguments against it consist of many of the common ones-- question of possible innocence, racial and economic biases, cost vs. life imprisonment, the fact that it is not a deterrent, cruel and unusual punishment, evolving standards of ethics that my country is rapidly falling behind in. An irreversible punishment, and arbitrarily assigned one, in a system which is so prone to error (uneducated juries, corrupt prosecutors, inadequate defense, ect.) is unethical in the extreme, and there is no evidence that these issues can ever be resolved. Even in cases where guilt is definite, there can never be a determination of the state of mind or motive... the # of those who are intellectually impared, suffer from mental illness or have had their personalities altered by years of abuse, ect., on death rows is quite large. Also, execution creates a whole new group of victims in the loved ones of the executed. And even in the case of unrepentant and admitted murders committed in the name of a cause, executions only produce martyrs and further killings. Society is well served and completely protected by giving the worst offenders life without the possibility of parole... indeed, the conditions in U.S. "supermax" prisons are very harsh (possibly inhumane, really) and life spent in one is certainly an ultimate punishment in itself.
I believe strongly in the work of such groups as Floridians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty. As a Floridian, I had hopes that the Governor's Commission held after the botched execution of Angel Diaz (who seems, from everything I've read, to have possibly not been the gunman, and who suffered from a number of mental disorders in any case) would bring about positive change, but I was wrong. In time, I firmly believe the change will come, but the amount of time will depend on a number of factors, which is why this activism and speaking out is so important.
The tide of public opinion here is definitely changing... I gave a speech in a class in college against the DP, and was suprised how well it was received. Turns out, it was something the professor himself spoke on. Not too surprised I got an A on that one, even though I am HORRIBLE at public speaking.
Anyways, great place you have here!