Originally Posted by waltert

you may be right will, but how much time will it take to fix that bulk of people with the criminal mindset? you're talking about trying to undo years of failed parenting, etc. I dont think its logistically practical.

and if a criminal does show normalcy when he is "rehabilitated", how many more times does he have to get out of the system and hurt someone before we give him the axe?

I dont really see the excecution of those who harm others as "killing". some cars arent worth fixing, and they go to the scrap yard...some pets are too violent to have around kids, or become physically ill enough to warrant being euthanized...its just good business.

hell, turn them into organ donors for all I care....thats one way to make them give back to society what they can never hope to repay.

Originally Posted by Ustwo

Poverty is not a cause of crime, the great depression showed that. A for drug related crimes, I assume you think that making drugs legal would make drug related criminals into upstanding citizens? Perhaps for the users, but the dealers and gang bangers would have to find another source of easy money. Finally some individuals are simply violent. The prison system is full of them. They tend to stay violent until they get not older and wiser, but just old. When the hormones turn off and the slowness of age catches up.

Added I have no problem with a vengeful punitive system, though I'd be all for a little public corporal punishment and humiliation compared to jail time for the non-violent, non-habitual offenders.