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Thursday, May 31, 2007
Life and Death
In Italy, some prisoners that are serving life sentences have asked for a change in their sentences. They are asking for the death penalty.
According to the BBC, the letter asking for this change was written by a "mobster" who has served 17 years of his life term. He has changed a lot during those years, passing his high school exams and earning a degree in law. He said that he is tired of "dying every day" and would like to be executed. Over 300 of his fellow lifers signed on to the letter.
Here I sit. A person who does not believe in the death sentence. And there, in prison, are over 300 people who would rather have a death sentence than live in a place where life is not worth living.
Befuddlement.
Except not really. The way we have our punitive system set-up, I would probably choose death over spending my remaining years in prison.
According to a report released by the Sentencing Project, states are changing their policies so that more people are receiving life without parole.
AND there has been an increase in laws that allow for life without parole sentences for juveniles. Over at Otowi's, you can find the link to a Frontline show - When Kids Get Life. I would call it cruel and unusual punishment to put someone away to rot for decades.
If we can send spacecraft all over outer space, I am sure that we can think outside the box, become more humane, and figure out another way to make our society a safe place.
According to the BBC, the letter asking for this change was written by a "mobster" who has served 17 years of his life term. He has changed a lot during those years, passing his high school exams and earning a degree in law. He said that he is tired of "dying every day" and would like to be executed. Over 300 of his fellow lifers signed on to the letter.
Here I sit. A person who does not believe in the death sentence. And there, in prison, are over 300 people who would rather have a death sentence than live in a place where life is not worth living.
Befuddlement.
Except not really. The way we have our punitive system set-up, I would probably choose death over spending my remaining years in prison.
According to a report released by the Sentencing Project, states are changing their policies so that more people are receiving life without parole.
AND there has been an increase in laws that allow for life without parole sentences for juveniles. Over at Otowi's, you can find the link to a Frontline show - When Kids Get Life. I would call it cruel and unusual punishment to put someone away to rot for decades.
If we can send spacecraft all over outer space, I am sure that we can think outside the box, become more humane, and figure out another way to make our society a safe place.
Labels: Otowi, Prison, Sentencing Project
posted by Carol at 11:36 AM
1 Comments:
I wonder if part of the issue is not the swiftness of judgment and justice. A death penalty at least has an end to it. A life imprisonment goes on and on with nothing to live for if there is no prospect of getting out. Especially when people commit crimes when they are young, they do change - at least as much as any of us do. Yet, all that change counts for naught as far as many of them are concerned if they cannot ever get out.
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