[Grovenet] Capital punishment? I don't need no stinkin'capital punishment . . . .

[Geri]

> If the motivation is protection, yet the system is flawed enough that
> innocent people are going to prison or worse, then is that protection the
> right motivation?

Yep, I agree that incarceration of violent criminals can protect
the rest of society from them, and is appropriate, but in
general, when the innocent are in prison, the case is closed
and the guilty are still out there -- and we are not
protected from them!

Geri

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Jeff Howden" <jeff at jeffhowden.com>
To: "'Forest Grove local interests list'" <grovenet at rdrop.com>
Sent: Tuesday, April 29, 2008 11:30 PM
Subject: Re: [Grovenet] Capital punishment? I don't need nostinkin'capital punishment . . . .


>> > > For me, the most compelling reason for punishment is
>> > > the protection ot the rest of society.
>> >
>> > So what was society being protected from in the case of
>> > Mr. Woodward, precisely?
>> 
>> Probably nothing.
>> 
>> Please explain your point.
> 
> If the motivation is protection, yet the system is flawed enough that
> innocent people are going to prison or worse, then is that protection the
> right motivation?
> 
>>From a different perspective, when is everyone going to figure out that we
> can't protect people from themselves.  With criminal behavior and the
> current system of addressing it, we'll always be reacting under the guise of
> protecting and allowing that and/or outside influences (politics, race,
> social class, etc.) color how we use that system to our own benefit (and the
> detriment of some that are innocent like Mr. Woodward).
> 
> Jeff
> 
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