That may work with young, first-time offenders, but for older, habitual offenders, it's completely pointless. These are people who have made crime into a lifestyle and are more often than not, completely unrepentant for doing so. For those types of offenders, I say keep them locked up. Not only for the safety of society, but their own safety as well. Because it's only a matter of time before they come across an armed citizen who will guarantee they'll never go through the criminal justice system again.
And what happens? Repeat offender killed during the commission of a crime.
The new details shed more light on the circumstances that led up to the death of Donald D. Rice, 49, a repeat offender who had been released from jail over the weekend.
He didn't even wait a whole week before going back to his criminal lifestyle. And the guy bled to death after having his left hand severed with a sword. That's an agonizing way to die. And imagine if Rice had a gun and decided to shoot his sword wielding captor. That would have been a true tragedy.
Luckily that wasn't the case. For now, only the criminal has paid the price for the criminal's (and government's) stupidity. They are still deciding on whether to charge the sword wielding student. Even if they don't charge him, his life will never be the same again.
If you think rehabilitation will help career criminals, here is another criminal killed during the commission of a crime:
A suspected burglar who was shot to death by a Nichols Hills police officer Monday morning was an inmate on a work release program, according to department of correction records.
Here you have a criminal in a rehabilitation program still committing crimes. Again, luckily, only the criminal has paid the price for the criminal's (and government's) stupidity. Sadly, the police officer's life will never be the same again.
3 comments:
AztecRed, Thanks for the link. I agree violent criminals need to be in prison. But, since we don't seem to be moving on letting the non-violent ones and the pot smokers out, and since we already have the highest percentage of our population behind bars compared to other 1st world countries, building more prisons doesn't seem to be a good answer.
I also reject the idea of encouraging more and more people to arm themselves as an answer.
I'm stuck. I don't have an answer. I'm stuck in the problem.
MikeB,
As General Honore said to a reporter in New Orleans "Don't get stuck on stupid".
Locking up violent criminals and not locking up drug offenders are two separate issues.
Just as keeping criminals in jail and letting citizens keep and bear arms are two separate issues.
Of course, if we make it easier for people to carry guns there might be fewer criminals to lock up.
I also reject the idea of encouraging more and more people to arm themselves as an answer.
You reject it but offer nothing in return. You reject it but show no evidence as to why it is a bad idea (other then a number you made up and pulled out of a body orifice)
"But, since we don't seem to be moving on letting the non-violent ones and the pot smokers out, and since we already have the highest percentage of our population behind bars compared to other 1st world countries, building more prisons doesn't seem to be a good answer."
Then let's start letting the pot smokers out. As for the non-violent ones, that's debatable. Both of the criminals were committing non-violent crimes, yet met violent ends. I still think habitual offenders (even non-violent ones) should get get harsher sentences, if for no other reason than their own safety. With your views on capital punishment, surely you'd rather see a thief locked up for the next 10 years instead of dead.
"I also reject the idea of encouraging more and more people to arm themselves as an answer."
It's a moot point now. The people who want to get armed will get armed, even if they have to buy samurai swords.
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