5 ms·

I genuinely don't understand how someone can read an article like this one, support the death penalty, and still sleep well at night. We've executed so many inn

by p_j_w 5y ago

I genuinely don't understand how someone can read an article like this one, support the death penalty, and still sleep well at night. We've executed so many innocent people it's impossible to not consider the practice monstrous.

jokoon 5y ago
It's the whole retribution thing.
axiolite 5y ago
> how someone can read an article like this one, support the death penalty I don't understand how someone can consider the death penalty monstrous, but forgetting someone for decades in a brutal, hopeless prison environment is perfectly fine. The death penalty is an interesting motivator. Death row inmates get much more publicity, support, and investigative resources than those with life sentences.
- p_j_w 5y ago
  >I don't understand how someone can consider the death penalty monstrous, but forgetting someone for decades in a brutal, hopeless prison environment is perfectly fine Neither do I.
kingcharles 5y ago
I'm totally against the death penalty, and even more so having spent a significant portion of my life in the criminal justice system. But, statistics relating to how many innocent people have been executed is simply not available, unless we extrapolate probable statistics from general exonerations. One thing that has been very helpful is the sheer amount of time it often takes to solidify a conviction in the justice system. It can take close to 20 years to finalize death penalty appeals, often giving enough time for science, law and public opinion to change sufficiently to free those who are innocent. (And please do not forget those who are guilty but who were not given their due process - they might be monsters, but if we allow them to be railroaded then we do a disservice to any of us who might find ourselves swallowed into the machine in the future).

5 ms·

I genuinely don't understand how someone can read an article like this one, support the death penalty, and still sleep well at night. We've executed so many inn

by p_j_w 5y ago

jokoon 5y ago
It's the whole retribution thing.
axiolite 5y ago
> how someone can read an article like this one, support the death penalty I don't understand how someone can consider the death penalty monstrous, but forgetting someone for decades in a brutal, hopeless prison environment is perfectly fine. The death penalty is an interesting motivator. Death row inmates get much more publicity, support, and investigative resources than those with life sentences.
- p_j_w 5y ago
  >I don't understand how someone can consider the death penalty monstrous, but forgetting someone for decades in a brutal, hopeless prison environment is perfectly fine Neither do I.
kingcharles 5y ago
I'm totally against the death penalty, and even more so having spent a significant portion of my life in the criminal justice system. But, statistics relating to how many innocent people have been executed is simply not available, unless we extrapolate probable statistics from general exonerations. One thing that has been very helpful is the sheer amount of time it often takes to solidify a conviction in the justice system. It can take close to 20 years to finalize death penalty appeals, often giving enough time for science, law and public opinion to change sufficiently to free those who are innocent. (And please do not forget those who are guilty but who were not given their due process - they might be monsters, but if we allow them to be railroaded then we do a disservice to any of us who might find ourselves swallowed into the machine in the future).