Quote:
Originally Posted by
MumblesBadly
So many problems with this.
First off, yes, punishment should be part of sentencing. When someone commits a crime, they need to suffer a consequence for it. Rehabilitation is nice, but many criminals can't be rehabilitated, and even for those who can, that should not excuse what they have already done.
For example, if when we met at the Rio, I smacked you across the face with a tire iron and caused permanent damage to your facial structure, I don't think you'd be satisfied if I was given a light prison sentence, even if God himself came down and told you I would never commit another crime in my life.
Simply put, ability to rehabilitate should not minimize the crime one already committed. That's common sense, not right-wing lunacy.
Regarding Norway, they are a different society with a much lower violent crime problem than the US. What works there doesn't necessarily work here.
Furthermore, their prison system as described in that article is a slap in the face to crime victims. Criminals should not get a rent-free nice resort to spend their years of "punishment", even if it's found that this somehow reduces recidivism. It makes a mockery of the punishment portion of the sentence in the first place.
And if there's no punishment aspect, why have laws at all?
BTW, you shouldn't be cheering Norway's criminal justice system. It became the joke of the world after the Anders Breivik case.
Anders killed 77 people, yet was sentenced to "21 years preventative detention". While the "preventable detention" allows them to keep him longer if he's determined a danger to society, it's a tragedy that he has any chance to get out if he proves he's a "changed man".
LOL Norway