[Azred]

Originally posted by wellard: That’s always been the problem Azred, what to do after the crime has been committed? We really are looking at the problem from the wrong angle IMO. We should be asking what could be done to prevent such acts in the future? Until we address the desire / urge issue and offer preventative solutions then no matter the punishment we are always playing catch up with a trail of human victims in our wake. Lets all try thinking outside the square and talk about prevention!

That is exactly what I was addressing earlier, wellard. There has never been--and will never be--a system designed which will deter 100% of crime.

Not only is deterring all crime impossible, trying to deter all crime in every circumstance should not be done. [img]graemlins/saywhat.gif[/img] Speeding is a crime, but if your wife is in labor no one could blame you for gunning the motor to get to the hospital. Nevertheless, you still broke the law. If all crime has somehow been deterred so that no one ever breaks any laws, then you might just have to pull over and try to deliver that breach birth until the ambulance arrives.

Another problem is that prison is a deterrent only for normal people who might not have committed serious crimes before. For a hardened criminal, prison is simply a chance to get back together with some friends on the inside and not be hassled by the outside world.
A different form of punishment needs to be instituted, I agree, but what? I have always liked the idea of exile, which would not only remove problem people from society but isn't a death penalty (satisfying to those who oppose death under any circumstances) and would cost the taxpayers only the fuel to shuttle the inmate to the place of exile.