Posted by 3Dee on January 4, 2011, 11:03 pm, in reply to "So the next round"
So now there is the questions about the victims families.
Really the death penalty DIVERTS FUNDS away from brining healing to the victims and/or their families.
When you put so much into the death penalty and persecution of the perp - then you are diverting funds away from much needed services such as grief counseling, therapy, and financial assistance for the family - especially those who lost their primary earner.
Also, how long does assistance for the victim last? How long can it last? Is the state still interested in helping the family after the death penalty is over?
The death penalty is a tiresome process for the victim's family because of the appeal process. The appeal process cannot be ignored, especially the number of innocent people who have been sent to death row. This just drags on and on and the family and/or the victim (if wasn't murdered) just get dragged in through this tiresome and tedious process.
Also, when does the State Persecutor seek the death penalty? Probably when the family is least able to decide. The conversation divides families forcing them to choose what should be sought for the perpetrator. Some may be make a decision at the time of the murder that they wouldn't have made under duress.
I know you all want this to be black and white, but it never is.
What would a life sentence do?
- It would ensure that justice was swift and true.
- It would ensure that the killer would never be free to harm another person again.
- It would spare the family the lengthy appeal process.
- All the funds spent on persecuting the perp and isolating the perp on death row and the appeal process can go toward further assistance for the victims - who probably need it more than the lawyers. WOuldn't you think? Just a little bit?
- Also - a number of murders happen in Illinois and few ever actually receive the death penalty. Obviously these few on death row have more resources spent on them -- why not have our man hours spent LOOKING for the others who are on the streets and making sure they are taken off the streets and secure?