[hvp05 (Premo)]

Originally Posted by itsbob

... I am in no way shape or form a supporter of the ACLU, but their arguments against the death penalty make sense.

You may well change your mind again, because their arguments not only do not make sense, they do not stand against fact.

Death, family has to relive it over and over again, for an average of 25 years, as the criminal continues appeal after appeal..

Death, you are going to live on average, another 25 years at tax payer expense in private accomodations.. not having contact iwth other dangerous criminals or felons.

These are just as valid arguments to expedite the process, not eliminate it.

Life, one appeal, and it's usually exhausted quickly.. The day they are sentenced it's usually over for the victim's family.

Over? I, thankfully, have not experienced a murder within my family, but I have seen enough stories to know that the pain is never over or gone. Many family members take the execution as some bit of relief, even if it does require waiting two decades.

Life, you are still going to average 25 years in jail, in the general population. You won't have the benefit of private ANYTHING during that time, YOu will be someone's bithch.. you will probably NOT die of natural causes.

As to being someone's biatch, that's not necessarily true, and is certainly experienced by the minority. Most prisoners align themself with a gang or group, even if they don't really want to, because that is the best way to ensure one's safety. Whites cluster, as do blacks, and hispanics; if someone attempts harming one of a group they pay for it tenfold.

And as for "NOT" dying of natural causes, nothing is further from the truth. The ACLU may tout some numbers or whatever, but the Dept. of Justice has spoken clearly on this issue:

Originally Posted by DOJ

The deaths over this four-year period constituted an annual mortality rate of 250 deaths per 100,000 inmates, which was 19 percent lower than the adult mortality rate in the U.S. general population.

Overall, 89 percent of all state prisoner deaths were attributed to medical conditions and 8 percent were due to suicide or homicide. (Source.)

That report does account for only state prisoners, but this one accounts for state and federal prisoners [through 2004] and the numbers are similar.

Death, you are around forever and can have a "cause" you can become celebrity after time has passed, and celebrities will come to your cause to fight against your execution. You can get rich, selling books... get an education..

And the same can not (and does not) happen with lifers?

it seems a much better punishment to sentence them to life and have them deal with others just like them FOREVER.

That does sound rough... to someone with a conscience. Many of the people who are most likely to receive the DP (such as murderers) are devoid of a conscience, emotions, or other normal mental faculties. Lock them away forever or take their life, they won't much care - but at least their burden on the system and their victim('s) family can be relieved.

That's what makes sense to me.