Rehabilitation

[Dario]

Originally Posted by endless psych

I don't know what the exact penalty for GBH or murder is

Finding out that people have been posting jokes about you on an internet forum and making fun of your filthy wench's Bebo page, I should imagine.

Originally Posted by TSR

that's a near impossible thing to prove. you'd have to prove the person's worthy of rehab given the nature of their crime (in my opinion)

Worthy of rehab? Strange, I wasn't aware that it was an actual reward. I really must get my facts straight in future.

[MarkMono]

Maybe they could tie it into the lottery somehow?

[endless psych]

Originally Posted by TSR

different people have different morals. oddly, i'm less bothered about the death sentence than i am about solitary. "solitary for the rest of your life" doesn't sound very humane to me (in fact it could potentially be worse than death)

Which would have been the point I was making. Well spotted.

the point is you know there's a punishment. you could be more inclined to think "hey, i could get away with it...there's no punishment whatsoever" when you get pissed off at someone (assuming society had no laws whatsoever). you've been brought up being taught murder's 1 of the Big Bads

I'm not more inclined to think these things though and I very much doubt everyone (or even the majority of folk) go through their lives thinking "gosh I'd better not kill anyone because I'll get punished.". Rather I think they go around saying "Gosh I'd better not kill somebody because its wrong"...

speeding does not equate to murder. it's not "all crimes carry the death sentence" for valid reasons (which i agree with). if it was "death for speeding" you can be sure very few people would speed

and you appear to have missed the mark a fair bit here. But never mind.

that's a near impossible thing to prove. you'd have to prove the person's worthy of rehab given the nature of their crime (in my opinion)

Which is the better assumption for a society to take - that people can change and its worthwhile to attempt to or that people cant and we should throw them on the scrapheap?

Further to that is it better to have a society that condones murder (or the taking of life), in certain circumstances carried out by certain people, or a society that condemns it?

[Ghostsuit]

Originally Posted by LesMTS

As Semprini says, a life sentence is a life sentence. The "tariff" given - 15 years, 30 years, whatever - is the minimum sentence they'll have to serve before being assessed for parole (essentially assessed for rehabilitation).
This is the best way to run things, in my opinion.

Ahh excellent after reading this and readign a bit more into it I'm happy with this situation.

[TSR]

Originally Posted by Dario

Worthy of rehab? Strange, I wasn't aware that it was an actual reward. I really must get my facts straight in future.

i wasn't saying it was. you're in prison and the rest of society has decided to try and make you a better person. but imo some crimes are unforgivable

Originally Posted by endless psych

I'm not more inclined to think these things though and I very much doubt everyone (or even the majority of folk) go through their lives thinking "gosh I'd better not kill anyone because I'll get punished.". Rather I think they go around saying "Gosh I'd better not kill somebody because its wrong"...

yes, the majority of people will go around thinking "murder is wrong" - it's the minority that will think twice

and you appear to have missed the mark a fair bit here. But never mind.

i'll go back to your original post then:

I know what the penalty is for speeding and on occassion I still do it (unless I reckon theres a chance I'll be caught).

you only behave because you think there's an increased chance you'll get caught.
threat of punishment=detterent=safer society.

Which is the better assumption for a society to take - that people can change and its worthwhile to attempt to or that people cant and we should throw them on the scrapheap?

some crimes are unforgivable, yes

Further to that is it better to have a society that condones murder (or the taking of life), in certain circumstances carried out by certain people, or a society that condemns it?

society shouldn't condon murder, no. but in my mind murder and 'execution for crimes committed' are different

[MarkMono]

Well yes, the murder is being perpetrated by the democratically elected government, and by extension, society itself.