Louisiana sentence renews debate

[Urban Ranger]

Killing him won't help the girl a bit. Sure, she needs justice, but is death penalty justice? I see no justice in capital punishment, it is entirely motivated by vengence.

[Kuciwalker]

Actually, we should see if we can scar him for life, mentally and physically. Make it painful. Then make sure he lives a good long time.

Oh, and remove the offending organs

[JohnT]

Originally posted by MrFun
Is the rapist black?

Do note that he raped relatives, MrFun, so your implication is unwarranted. Thanks for playing, though! You may collect your valuable prizes on your way out the door, that may or may not hit you in the ass as you depart this thread.

[ajbera]

Across the pond and at the opposite end of the spectrum...

'Punishment must fit crime': McConnell

Scotland's first minister has said that court sentences "must fit the crime" if the judicial system is to retain public confidence.

Jack McConnell was speaking as controversy continued over the five year jail term imposed on a man who raped a baby girl.

The Lord Advocate, Colin Boyd QC, has already asked for a report on whether the sentence passed by the judge, Lord Reed, on James Taylor was "unduly lenient".

Mr McConnell said he could not comment on individual cases but stated: "Where evil crimes have been committed, it is vital that the sentence not only acts to help rehabilitation but that it also fits the crime and imposes a punishment on the person that deters others."

The Scottish Executive has created a Sentencing Commission, headed by Lord Maclean, to examine sentencing policy in the courts.

The move is designed to help restore public faith in the justice system.

Children's charities have said they had expected Taylor, 43, to be jailed for life for raping the 13-month-old girl.

He was sentenced on Wednesday at the High Court in Dunfermline after pleading guilty last month to rape and indecency towards a six-year-old girl and possessing indecent images of children.

Lord Reed said Taylor was a first offender and that he had been advised by a forensic psychologist that he was unlikely to repeat his crimes.

The offences were committed between August 1998 and December last year.

Mr McConnell was speaking at his first full formal news conference since the elections in May, during which he detailed the executive's legislative priorities.

Automatic remission

Later in the parliament chamber, the Scottish Tories leader David McLetchie asked Mr McConnell on whether or not he would end automatic remission as a result of the case.

Mr McLetchie said that the practice meant the child's attacker would be released in two-and-a-half years.

"Does the first minister think this is acceptable and will he give a commitment to end automatic early release and restore honesty in sentencing in our courts?" he said.

Mr McConnell repeated his earlier statement about wanting to see the punishment fit the crime in "evil and despicable" cases.

At the media briefing, he looked ahead to the new session of parliament and said there would be bills for court reform, changes to the system of educational special needs, nature conservation measures and proposals to tackle anti-social behaviour.

"The duty of government is to stand up for people and the things that matter to them," Mr McConnell said.

He listed those concerns as law and order, a buoyant economy, the health service and transport.

Dungavel reticence

People also wanted to Scotland to be rid of "the twin evils" of sectarianism and racism.

But the first minister refused to be drawn while being asked repeatedly for his personal views on the detention of children in the Dungavel Immigation and Removal Centre.

"It would be inappropriate of me to comment on individual cases because they are the responsibility of the Home Office," he said.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/3080436.stm

[Kuciwalker]

If "the punishment must fit the crime", doesn't it follow that a rapist should be raped?

*skywalker's sick, twisted comment of the day*

[MrFun]

Originally posted by JohnT


Do note that he raped relatives, MrFun, so your implication is unwarranted. Thanks for playing, though! You may collect your valuable prizes on your way out the door, that may or may not hit you in the ass as you depart this thread.

Sorry for being politically incorrect.

[ajbera]

Originally posted by Urban Ranger
Killing him won't help the girl a bit. Sure, she needs justice, but is death penalty justice? I see no justice in capital punishment, it is entirely motivated by vengence.

I'm not going to argue whether vengeance is ever a valid pursuit. I think it is perfectly understandable, but I also understand the places it inevitably leads. It's an argument I'm not going to get into here.

The only truly valid argument for capital punishment is that it absolutely ensures that the criminal will never hurt anyone again. Prisoners can escape. They can hurt others even from within prison. Murderers are paroled to kill again. Well, they can't do these things if they're dead.

[Urban Ranger]

Originally posted by ajbera
The only truly valid argument for capital punishment is that it absolutely ensures that the criminal will never hurt anyone again. Prisoners can escape. They can hurt others even from within prison. Murderers are paroled to kill again. Well, they can't do these things if they're dead.

The counter argument is prisoners on death row are particularly dangerous - they have nothing more to lose. There's nothing preventing them from escaping, either. Certainly you can increase the security of death row cells, still they escaped before.

Also, I believe that prisons should be more about rehab instead of isolation and punishment.

[MichaeltheGreat]

Originally posted by Urban Ranger
Killing him won't help the girl a bit. Sure, she needs justice, but is death penalty justice? I see no justice in capital punishment, it is entirely motivated by vengence.

It's convenient. Only the bull**** lawyering drives costs over LWOP sentences, and you don't have the waste of resources on someone whose criminal acts are so vile and predatory you can never risk releasing him.

Spend resources on counseling and rehabiliting those who can be straightened out and do something beneficial with their lives.

Just dispose of the rest.

[Shi Huangdi]

I don't think I can support this. I have trouble seeing what good will come of this, or of a legitimate societal need to have the rapist killed.