Jan. 12
USA:
Leave revenge out of justice; Life in prison prevents killers from killing
again
If I had my way we would abolish the death penalty in favor of life without
parole. Several states already have, and I expect more will follow.
It isn't that I don't think the worst murderers deserve to die. They do. I
think we will be a better society without a death penalty. We don't really need
it.
The only real justification for executing a criminal is retribution, and that
is one of our baser human motives. There is no reason a lifetime of
incarceration shouldn't prevent a subsequent murder.
The death penalty is expensive, more expensive even than 30 or 40 years behind
bars. And there is the question of wrongful convictions. Is there anyone out
there who still doesn't belive we occasionally execute the wrong man? I don't
say innocent. Almost all executions involve really bad actors, but unsavory
character is not a capital crime.
Robert Blecker has an article in City Journal advocating what he calls
Permanent Punitive Segregation. He would make life in prison for the worst of
the worst as unpleasant as constitutionally allowable. He would put them in
something close to permanent solitary confinement with no contact with other
inmates, specially trained guards who would avoid unnecessasry conversation, no
television or other entertainment, pictures of their victims unreachable but on
prominent display, a bland tasteless diet, limited exercise, and no possibility
of ever touching another human being.
Professor Blecker justifies his proposal primarily on grounds of retribution.
The punishmenet should fit the crime. The guilty should get his just deserts.
I don't disagree that some of these criminals deserve harsh treatment, but who
benefits? The prisoner isnt' going to repent and reform. We've already given up
on that. Do we really want a public policy based on vengeance?
The Texas prison system is full of references to "correctional" officers. We
aren't going to correct anybody here. But even if we did, with Blecker's
proposal, would we want a separate Agency for Revenge? Professor Blecker
suggests his policy would act as a deterrent. But I think he is being
disingenuous here. He offers no support beyond human nature and common sense.
Surely he knows that the prospect of a death sentence has never been a
deterrent. It has sometimes led to false confessions in plea bargaining, but
few murderers commit their crimes in the expectation they will be caught. Those
who do act in passion with little regard to consequences.
I don't expect the Blecker proposal will gain much traction. Legislators won't
want to make life sentences more expensive than they already are. Prison
wardens don't want prisoners with no incentive for good behavior because life
is already as difficult as guards can make it. And, since the policy makes
sense only in jurisdictions with no death penalty, public opinion has already
swung in favor ofmore humane prisons.
I can understand the sentiment behind the idea. If Adam Lanza had survived his
rampage at Sandy Hook Elementary School, his maximum snetence in a Connecticut
prison would have been life without parole. Many people would think that was
not enough. I might even be inclined to agree.
But what good would it have done to put that poor mad soul to death? Would the
parents of his victims feel better knowing that he would live out his life in
misery? Wasn't he already miserable?
We will continue on our path toward abolishing the death penalty, state by
state. It is an anachronism. When it is gone our grandchildren will ask us what
took us so long. We aren't going to replace it with another policy based solely
on revenge.
(source: Op-Ed, Norman Roberts----Dallas Morning News)
MARYLAND:
Death Penalty Debate About To Start
A debate on repealing the death penalty is about to get underway in Annapolis.
NAACP leaders will join clergy and death penalty opponents on Tuesday at a
rally for a repeal.
Meanwhile, Baltimore County Republican Delegate Pat McDonough says he will
introduce his own legislation to mandate the death penalty for the killings of
correctional, and police officers, mass murderers, contact killers and serial
killers.
McDonough says he is introducing the legislation in response to the Newtown,
Connecticut school massacre.
McDonough also wants to shorten the time for death penalty appeals, and he says
lawmakers will have several chances to vote on his proposal.
"We're going to talk about gun violence. We're going to talk about crime. We're
going to talk about law. We're going to talk about the death penalty, and the
fact of the matter is we are going to bring it to the floor of the House in the
form of an amendment, and we are going to get a vote on everyone of these
bills," McDonough told WBAL News.
Governor Martin O'Malley who favors a repeal, isn't saying if he'll propose
one.
Senate President Mike Miller said this week that he believes the Senate will
vote on a death penalty repeal this year, but he believes a repeal is still 1
to 2 votes short of passage.
(source: WBAL News)
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