Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Pastimes : THE SLIGHTLY MODERATED BOXING RING -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Lazarus_Long who wrote (15124)	6/20/2002 9:14:44 PM
From: E	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 21057

You ask what the "appropriate" punishment for such people would be, but know that cruel and unusual punishment is unconstitutional. "Appropriate" has nothing to do with our system. An eye for an eye is "appropriate." Other punishments are on a scale from least to most, with constraints on "most" (no torture, even for torturers) because we are civilized, we have a (magnificent)constitution, and for other reasons related to effectiveness, cost, what else could be done with the money, social effects of that penalty and how it's administered, fairness and perceptions of fairness, realization of the inevitability of mistakes, etc.

To: Lazarus_Long who wrote (15124)	6/21/2002 3:15:50 AM
From: one_less	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 21057

"What's the answer then?" Coming up with the "right" answer is a lost cause. It appears we have been asking the wrong question all along, and so, any answer is inadequate. Do we punish or not? How severely do we punish? What constitutes cruel or unusual punishment? Does the punishment fit the crime? and on and on...The answers to all of these questions only bring irresolute bumbling. This is putting the cart before the horse. The first question should be simpler, after all we are only human. "What would it take to bring a resolution to the problem?" should be the first question. What the criminal deserves should be considered secondarily, if at all. Heinous crimes are not resolvable by rehab, punishment, torture, etc. Well, I could be wrong about that; but if there is one exceptional case in history, I wish they would make a movie of it.