----- Original Message ----- From: "Alberto Monteiro" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "Brin-L" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Monday, March 18, 2002 2:07 PM Subject: Re: Andrea Yates
> Dan Minette wrote: > > > >> But I don�t believe the purpose of the Justice System > >> should be revenge or punishment. It should be deterrent. > >> And AFAIK there�s no way to prevent an insane person > >> to do an insane thing :-/ > > > > I agree that justice is not revenge or punishment. . > > But I also think that the purpose of the justice > > system can be the protection of society. Someone > > who is insane and has committed a homocide can be > > locked up away from society for society's protection. > > <serious> > <!-- unless you may think this is another "I am not > a native English speaker" joke //--> > So I think you misunderstood me when I wrote "deterrent"; > is this the wrong word in this context? > </serious> > Deterrant means, for example, that someone who is considering stealing somthing will consider the fact that people who steal go to prision and say "gee, I better not steal then." (S)he is deterred from her/his actions. An insane person will rarely be deterred, because their thinking process is not logical. If they are in a highly controlled environment, they will be seperated from society. Dan M.
