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Life sentence at 16

12:30 / 27.07.04

Is gaol the best way to deal with any murderers/criminals, let alone "children". But if it isn't, what could possibly be the alternative?

If he really is "evil" then surely he should be punished but how does that help the victim, society or the murderer?

13:07 / 27.07.04

I'm not sure his 'evilness' is an issue, rather the fact that he murdered someone.

13:34 / 27.07.04

Ok. Mr. Pedantic.

That's why I put the annoying speech marks there because I couldn't be bothered to define that. I was more interested in the crime - punishment debate.

pointless and uncalled for

13:59 / 27.07.04

At the age of 16 one doesn't really have the personal investment to comprehend a life sentance. What is more of an issue here is the fact that he had such a low regard for human life.

It is important here to remember that the mechanisms of justice dual in their purpose. The first is to punish the offender and the second is to protect society from the likely that offender will reoffend.

The 12 years is very much conditional. Firstly it is conditioned by the fact that the murderer has yet displayed no real signs of remorse for his actions and secondly it is conditioned more of a guideline than something set in stone.

The sentance here needs to be evaluated not in terms of it's implied result but in terms of it's real result.

16:14 / 27.07.04

Ok. Mr. Pedantic. That's why I put the annoying speech marks there because I couldn't be bothered to define that. I was more interested in the crime - punishment debate.

Not trying to be pedantic, it just that it strikes me as a false premise to frame a law and order issue using moral terms regardless if they are in scare quotes or not...

This is threadrot, but is necessary I think to aid clarity of thought and reason.