Prison and sentencing that works

[RickyM]

I think the death penalty should be brought back for some killers......that'll help with reducing prison inmate numbers a bit.

[Eric Arthur]

I think the death penalty should be brought back for some killers......that'll help with reducing prison inmate numbers a bit.

 

Research suggests that prisoners on death row have brain function that basically means that they aren't in control in the way that most people are. Things that would revolt me and hopefully you don't light up the same parts of the brain with them, it's a physically measurable. You could say that it's not their fault that they are psychopathic killers.

 

Executing people who aren't in control can't be right.

 

It would be interesting to know if those same parts of the brain light up much in people who are keen on the death penalty.

[sgtkate]

I used to have the misfortune of having a neighbour who's brother was a heroin addict. He was also a notorious violent thug, who was committing crime well before he got a monkey on his back.

 

He once told me (in a moment of clarity, after apologising for an incident a few years before when he threatened me with a hammer ) that he used to deliberately commit a low level crime such as burglary or assault in order to go back inside.

 

His life in prison was better than it was outside; he didn't have to worry about money, he had a gym to get fit, he'd come off the smack and he didn't have to keep looking over his shoulder all the time. His accommodation was better and it was clean and he had the opportunity to work on his education.

 

To me, this shows more how poor our ability to help drug addicts and alcoholics is more than shows how 'great' prison is. I also know of a lad when I was younger who held up Swindon central bus station with a banana in his pocket as he was an alcoholic who couldn't get clean and there was no space for him on a program so he felt he had no choice than to go to prison where he would get help.

 

---------- Post added 11-02-2016 at 10:12 ----------

 

Research suggests that prisoners on death row have brain function that basically means that they aren't in control in the way that most people are. Things that would revolt me and hopefully you don't light up the same parts of the brain with them, it's a physically measurable. You could say that it's not their fault that they are psychopathic killers.

 

Executing people who aren't in control can't be right.

 

It would be interesting to know if those same parts of the brain light up much in people who are keen on the death penalty.

 

Don't the VAST number of CEOs have the same brain patterns? So one man's killer is another man's multi-millionaire. While I will never agree with the death penalty, I'm not sure we can go down a road where no one is responsible for anything because brain patterns. Clearly there is a line, but we could all blame a traumatic event in our past that makes me drive my car too quickly for example.

 

I do understand what you are saying, but if someone is able to rationalise what they've done and have comprehension that the actions they took led to the outcome, then you could argue that whether they were predisposed to do things like murder or not doesn't matter as they still had control and a choice. Some people lose their temper more often but most still try hard not to hit their wives by being aware and avoiding those situations and having control techniques. I'm not too happy with the idea of giving almost carte blanche excuses to people who make a CHOICE.

Edited February 11, 2016 by sgtkate

[lottiecass]

Eric,kate,I don't think you realise that the only treatment for alcholics and heroin addicts in jail is cold turkey,or a padded cell on the hospital wing,help is very thin on the ground.

[Chelle-82]

Research suggests that prisoners on death row have brain function that basically means that they aren't in control in the way that most people are. Things that would revolt me and hopefully you don't light up the same parts of the brain with them, it's a physically measurable. You could say that it's not their fault that they are psychopathic killers.

 

Executing people who aren't in control can't be right.

 

It would be interesting to know if those same parts of the brain light up much in people who are keen on the death penalty.

 

Why are you not calling him a sociopath??????

[sgtkate]

Eric,kate,I don't think you realise that the only treatment for alcholics and heroin addicts in jail is cold turkey,or a padded cell on the hospital wing,help is very thin on the ground.

 

I'm not sure the relevance of what I was saying has to this, but yes, it's almost certainly even worse than the provision on the outside. I was just giving an example I knew of someone who felt he had to commit a crime to get help, whether that help was any good or not I don't know. I moved away and never saw him again.

[alchresearch]

I think the death penalty should be brought back for some killers......that'll help with reducing prison inmate numbers a bit.

 

And 100% of people executed don't commit any further crimes

[Andbreathe]

And 100% of people executed don't commit any further crimes

 

Some executed didn't commit the crime they were executed for.

[apelike]

Eric,kate,I don't think you realise that the only treatment for alcholics and heroin addicts in jail is cold turkey,or a padded cell on the hospital wing,help is very thin on the ground.

 

Not sure if that is such a bad thing when it comes to heroin, not so sure about alcoholics though.

 

---------- Post added 11-02-2016 at 22:51 ----------

 

And 100% of people executed don't commit any further crimes

 

True but having the death penalty didnt stop their crime in the first place though.

[srt2016]

Eric,kate,I don't think you realise that the only treatment for alcholics and heroin addicts in jail is cold turkey,or a padded cell on the hospital wing,help is very thin on the ground.

 

Not true.There is big queues every day while they dole out drug substitute's.

 

Drug users have never had it so good,infact its the very place many GET their habit.

 

Cannabis stays in the system for 28 days,hard drugs tend to stay only 3.With random tests they switch to reduce risk.

Edited February 12, 2016 by srt2016