How do you feel about the Criminal Justice System in the US?

Question

Have you read John Grisham's 'The Innocent Man'? If so, did it change how you feel about the death penalty? (I'm mostly interested in hearing from my fellow Americans.)
**PLEASE- no bashing or ranting. I'd like to hear what people think not in starting a fight! Thanks!

Ok, I can say that I do see your points... but how about wrongful convictions? How do we really know we have the right guy? In the book, several people are romoved from Death Row when it was provent that they could not have been the perpetrators. On the other hand, I do agree that, Yes, there are crimes so heinous that the perpetrator hardly deserves to live. But is it worth the risk of getting the wrong guy?

Answer 1

“The Innocent Man” is a real eye opener and can be the start of a process of learning about the death penalty, then making up your own mind using common sense.

Conservatives and liberals oppose the death penalty. People are coming to oppose the death penalty on the basis of solid facts. Here are some verifiable and sourced facts-

Re: Deterrence
The death penalty isn’t a deterrent. Murder rates are actually higher in states with the death penalty than in states without it. People who kill don’t even think they will be caught, if they think at all.

Re: Alternatives
48 states have life without parole on the books. It means what it says, is swift and sure and is rarely appealed. Being locked in a tiny cell for 23 hours a day, forever, is certainly no picnic.

Re: Possibility of executing an innocent person
Over 120 people on death rows have been released with evidence of their innocence. If we speed up the process we are bound to execute an innocent person.

Re: DNA
DNA is available in no more than 10% of murder cases. It’s not a miracle cure for sentencing innocent people to death. It’s human nature to make mistakes.

Re: cost
The death penalty costs far more than life in prison. The huge extra costs start to mount up even before the trial.

Re: Who gets the death penalty
The death penalty isn’t reserved for the “worst of the worst,” but rather for defendants with the worst lawyers. When is the last time a wealthy person was sentenced to death, let alone executed??

Re: Victims families
The death penalty is very hard on victims’ families. They must relive their ordeal in the courts and the media. Life without parole is sure, swift and rarely appealed. Some victims families who support the death penalty in principal prefer life without parole because of how the death penalty affects families like theirs.

Opposing the death penalty doesn’t mean you condone brutal crimes or excuse people who commit them. According to a Gallup Poll, in 2006, 47% of all Americans prefer capital punishment while 48% prefer life without parole. Americans are learning the facts and making up their minds using common sense, not revenge.

Answer 2

The system is not way too liberal. We must remember that our concept of "innocent until proven guilty" is extremely unique. You must ask yourself if you agree with the statement of Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes , who said (paraphasing): "Better for 100 guilty men to go free than one innocent man to be convicted." If you agree with that statement, and if you really accept the premise of innocent until proven guilty"; they you understand why the due process given to ACCUSED criminal is necessary. Suppose you were accused unjustly. Wouldn't you want the presumption of innocence, the right to an atty and a trial by jury? Other protections we have that are unique or were unique when our Constitution was adopted was the right not to testify against yourself (5th Amendment); the right to a speedy trial--"justice delayed is justice denied"--the right to confront the witnesses against you; a jury of your peers who must decide unanimously; the rules of evidence that controls hearsay and other unfair forms of evidence ("I heard Joe tell Mary that Sam did it"). When our nation was founded, these protections were unheard of in the world. Remember, at that time you could go to jail for debts unpaid. Now, the protections have been extended to disallow the government from executing juveniles and the mentally infirm. These are new developments in the last couple of years. On the death penalty--it doesn't work as a deterrent except on those we execute. DNA evidence has now proven we have both convicted and executed innocent people. Its use should be greatly reduced. 8 states do not have the death penalty (check on-line). They have the lowest murder rates. States like Texas, that have many more executions, have a higher crime rate. Why should it matter if I murder someone in Texas or in New Mexico? New Mexico does have the death penalty, but it has only been used twice in the last 40 years. Defendants who have money have a better defense. Neither prosecutors nor public defenders are well paid. Both are heavily over-worked and likely to be inexperienced. In summary, a system that favors the accused is fair, not liberal, and was put in place for a historical reason. The death penalty is applied unfairly and is therefore flawed. People do NOT committ crimes expoecting to be caught. It does not deter crime, except that executed individuals cannot re-offend. If we have executed even 1 innocent person (and we clearly have), the system is flawed. Far better and cheaper is the sentence to a life in prison without parole than the death penalty. A life in prison is a life of suffering. That is a more suitable punishment.

Answer 3

There are those individuals that give up their right to live among society due to their crime. The problem is how the law is implemented. Ade there more African American put to death because of their race than Caucasians? Are there more crimes committed by African Americans that warrant the death penalty? I would hope that the death penalty is used justly for all Americans. But I understand it is not. It is however a necessary evil. To make it a more efficient deterrent the process must be swift and sure.

Answer 4

Way too liberal. Seems that the criminal has more "rights" than those that have been victims of those criminals. There are some crimes are so heinous that no amount of rehabilitation will help. Raping, murdering, kidnapping a helpless, defensless, innocent child is a perfect example. These twisted,depraved perverts do not belong in society at all, and yes, absolutely, we would be better off without them. One less pervert in the world.
No, I have not read the book.

Answer 5

HAHA this is the same crackhead ^_^ Thanks for 2 points :) =============== "To "DVANT" -- As USUAL, I see you have NOTHING of substance to say. Just your usual mindlessness. Typical hyperconservative loon. Thanks for again making such an abject and complete fool of yourself." Oh "roadrat"(smiles) don't dare try to cover YOUR retardation and ignorance. For I was just reminding you of how much a dumb azz you truly are because obviously you hadn't heard it enough at home :) "WORTHLESS, &%#@%-to-the-infinite power* excuse for "president"..." HAHA such a preschooler and ANOTHER dumb complainer. Like who whines and throws tantrums just for attention? Oh yea "Roadrat"(nice name BTW) ^_^ Though Bush is ummm... not that smart! You aren't either so how can you judge something you already are? The joke's on you KIDDO. "Aren't you glad you can hide behind an alias while you do that? (Thankfully, your ilk is vastly outnumbered in this country.)" Hiding behind a user? Yet again you are speaking of yourself. LOLZ! Oh and "outnumbered" ? Yes I am smart person but "outnumbered"? I feel sorry that you generalize people smarter than you into an extinct "group". Humm how sad :) ======================== "bubkiss" and "wolfeblayde" My point exactly! He SOOOO immature, dumb and a hypocrite. Then has the nerves to attack people WAY SMARTER than him? It's amusing. But I love laughing a ignorant crackheads ^_^ And again theres NO PROOF "Road rat" that bush do that in the first place!!! TOO What credibility does the US justice system have to begin with before the accusation? umm. None!

Answer 6

i haven't read that yet but i love him, i personaly think that our criminal system is slightly screwed up right now you have people like that psyco lady who killed her 3 kids and she gets 10 years with time served so she's really gonna spend 6 more years in jail or less where is the justice in that,
i think that in cases where there is 100% proof due to dna we should not give them any chance to appeal just give them a week to get it over with and than put them to death ,in cases where it's not 100% than these people would get the chance to appeal and if it can't be proven than the necessary steps to justice but maybe if we just started to be harsher on these low lifes they wouldn't commit so many crimes. maybe not but what were doing now just isn't working so we need to fix it so that the punishment fits the crime child molesters need to be stoped by any means necessary wither it be death or castration or life these people have been getting away with this for too long and it's time to stop this for good

Answer 7

The "System" is way to liberal, criminals should be punished, then maybe if they are fit to return to society, rehabilitated!
Death is a fitting punishment, for those that deserve it, unfortunately not used enough! An eye for an eye