Peterson "Death Penalty, OT. Options

[Alison Baker]

Scott Peterson sentenced to DEATH !

[larryp]

"Treason" then was street crime; it was simply against the govenrment. It was not for revolution.

We have a major dysfunction in this country as to the concept of crimes; do we want to rehabilitate people and make them useful or do we want retribution? (Remember that the reason we have the-not-guilty-by-reason-of-insanity defense is that we believe (once believed?) that if you were not able to understand that what you did was wrong, or could not control yourself, there was no reason to punish you for your act since the act was not voluntary, or if voluntary, not subjectively wrong.) So we have as a country decided that rehabilitation is the answer ... AHA! ... except for certain crimes (and certain people -- overwhelmingly black and/or Southern and/or indigent), we want punishment, not rehab. So we look for ways to justify it; the Congress tells us it is for the "worst" crimes and the boys in blue tell us it deters crime. Whatever, but the inherent inconsistency makes for insane laws and an insane system.

That is why the concept of "victims' statements" and sentencing and parole hearings is illogical; we KNOW there were victims, that is why there was a trial in the first place. But the impact of the harm is not especially relevant to the disposition of the offender, especially at parole, if the offender is in fact reformed.

Further deponent sayeth not. I am out of here.