There was a time that I was a enthusiastic death penalty proponent. Then after some spiritual changes (God ran me down, broke my legs to get my attention and made me an offer I could not refuse), and being made aware that its a given that innocent people were murdered by the state for whatever reason, accident or intentionally, I decided it was morally repugnant and terribly wrong to support such a murderous thing. As long as the system is seriously fallible I can not condone the DP under any circumstances, well unless I apply it myself. If that happens I will burn by my own hand I suppose! However, after all that said, there are problems with today's system that include the spotty application of the DP. Deterring crime is chief among those problems. Please, I know of the studies that show the DP does not deter capital crime, however I reject those studies as being a manifestation of what I call creative statistical reality, or CSR. I dont want this thread to degenerate into who has the best sources of information. That said Some say life without is a deterrent in and of itself. Maybe, just a bit. However gang chiefs run their criminal enterprises from the inside prison and true gang leaders and other criminals get many of the comforts of home by being the hog dog (Gang Leaders etc) inside the prison. Prison may not be a country club to those goons but compared to the 1800's chain gangs today criminal has it easy comparatively speaking. What I am proposing is both fair and morally correct. It may stop the gang activity or at least slow it down inside the prison. Hopefully the modified chain gain[sic]system may retard prison recidivism because more criminals would have access to ways to make it on the outside upon release. I am calling for a return to the chain gang across the board with modification. The USA needs new infrastructure the prisoners need to work. If a gangbanger knew he would have to work 5 twelve hours at grueling but humane labor I think he would think twice or ten times about committing a crime, especially a capital crime that would carry a life of hard labor without. Today what does the gang banger or even drug king pin fear about going to prison? A bunk with cable TV, two or three meals a day, free medical and dental? Its a office to run his enterprise! Yes I am sensationalizing it a bit, still many prisoners are doing hard time! I think a capital criminal should be given a choice death by his own hand or life at hard labor, with no chance of to get out in special cases. Lesser crimes would be only three to four days a week with schooling on his days off and resources to prepare him for his return to society. (lesser crimes would = 6 to 8 hrs). At first it would be kind of expensive, but the program would pay for itself in a few years. I would legalize some drugs and make other recreational drugs less of a crime as well. Some highly addictive drugs would never be legal but the sentencing guidelines should be FAR MORE treatment and FAR LESS lock em up and throw away the key. The way we are doing it now is madness! Lastly the chain gang sentencing would only apply to violent crimes. No pot users making little rocks out of big rocks for example! If we could reform some criminals offer treatment for others I believe eventually we would hack the head off the snake. When that happens and it would, I am sure the program would be a benefit to all of us. reva
