this post was submitted on 05 Nov 2023
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[–] state_electrician@discuss.tchncs.de 51 points 10 months ago (6 children)

Other countries don't follow the punitive approach to criminal law, but rather a reformative. With the facts we are presented with it actually seems more like a failure of society instead of just one man. The sentence is absolutely ridiculous.

[–] TheGreenGolem@lemm.ee 13 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (1 children)

There are cases to reform somebody, and I fully agree that we must try that. In some cases. Which this is absolutely not.

[–] echodot@feddit.uk 10 points 10 months ago (2 children)

Well an arguement could be made that he's not going to do it again.

Think about the distinction between a contract killer and somebody who committed a crime of passion. Are both of those people equally likely to reoffend?

If the objective is to either reform someone or simply remove a threat from society then both cases require different approaches.

[–] Instigate@aussie.zone 2 points 10 months ago (1 children)

An argument could be made, sure, but I don’t think it would be effective. If a person has the capacity to willingly murder their family members over an issue of eviction, then I don’t know how much capacity for reform they have. They pose an imminent and ongoing danger to anyone near them; an unacceptable level of risk in a tolerant society.

Beyond that concept, there’s very little (if any) benefit to society to reforming and releasing this man. Any work that would need to be done to ensure this man could never kill again would take a considerable amount of time. He’s already 66 - let’s say it only takes four years (somehow), then he’ll be released when he’s 70. He already has health complications which likely put his life expectancy well below average, meaning his death is probably impending in the next decade - probably sooner based on substandard penal medical care.

Trying to reform this man is like trying to keep a 21 year old dog alive - sure you can do it, and you’ll probably feel better about yourself if you do, but there’s no real benefit to the dog or society at large. He should have just been handed life without parole instead of 100 years - that seems like a sentence that could be appealed due to the silly nature of how long it is.

[–] Kecessa@sh.itjust.works 1 points 10 months ago

Just want to point out that in Canada the stats are extremely clear, murderers are the convicts that are the least likely to commit the same crime that got them convicted again if they get released. Obviously there's a panel to decide if they're ready to come out and some of them never will, it doesn't mean they shouldn't be given the tools to reform themselves.

[–] abraxas@sh.itjust.works 1 points 10 months ago

I've never thought anything over 10 years was appropriate to a once-in-a-lifetime type of crime of passion. It's enough time for a decent remediation process to prevent a repeat offense OR prove a certainty that the person cannot be trusted free due to mental issues and put them in a permanent non-punitive form of imprisonment.

In his case, if he didn't have access to firearms, he wouldn't be able to kill anyone. Sounds like he needs specialized assisted living, like the old guy who held himself hostage with a shotgun the next town over from me

Nobody can mistake that the 100 years isn't for the good of society, but to punish him for taking a life.

[–] teichflamme@lemm.ee 6 points 10 months ago

I think most countries actually do both.

It can be both punitive and reformative.

[–] pinkdrunkenelephants@lemmy.cafe 1 points 10 months ago

What the hell are you going to reform in a 66 year old man who needs an oxygen tank? Who made the choice to kill children?

I don't want to reform someone like that, I want them removed from society and if you cared you'd feel the same way. If you kill children, you lose your membership in society, period. Just throw the key away on him, and if you want to argue about it, go be his bunkmate.

[–] DragonTypeWyvern@literature.cafe 0 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (1 children)

Yeah let's reform this 66 year old child murderer.

He can repent and do good works behind bars just fine.

[–] TheGalacticVoid@lemm.ee 3 points 10 months ago (1 children)

US prisons aren't humane, so it's impossible to do good work behind bars.

[–] DragonTypeWyvern@literature.cafe 3 points 10 months ago

Guess he should just be executed then, since he can't be reformed and prison isn't humane.

[–] deegeese@sopuli.xyz -3 points 10 months ago

A 66 year old man who wants to kill his girlfriend and his son is not worth wasting the effort of any decent person to try and rehabilitate.

Let’s spend scarce resources on people who might actually be helped.