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From: hollombe@ttidcc.UUCP (The Polymath)
Newsgroups: net.women
Subject: Re: Penalties for Rape
Message-ID: <452@ttidcc.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 5-Jun-85 15:21:53 EDT
Article-I.D.: ttidcc.452
Posted: Wed Jun  5 15:21:53 1985
Date-Received: Thu, 6-Jun-85 22:47:05 EDT
References: <191@dcdwest.UUCP>
Reply-To: hollombe@ttidcc.UUCP (The Polymath)
Distribution: na
Organization: The Cat Factory
Lines: 50
Summary: 

In article <191@dcdwest.UUCP> benson@dcdwest.UUCP (Peter Benson) writes:
>                                          Sometimes people have
>suggested the death penalty, castration or long prison terms.  I would
>like to know what people think is an appropriate penalty and why.

This is probably going to get me flamed to a cinder, but as  one  of  those
who  favors  the  death  penalty  I think I should explain my position more
fully.

I happen to favor the death penalty for a number of crimes, including rape,
felony  drunk driving, murder, etc..  I do not favor it's current system of
application.  Instead I propose the following system:

1st offense:

        The death penalty is not permitted, but anything  else  up  through
        life imprisonment without possibility of parole is.

2nd offense:

        The  death  penalty  is  mandatory,  but  all  presently   existing
        resources for appeal, pardon, and stay of execution apply.

3rd offense:

        The death penalty is  mandatory.  No  appeals,  stays,  or  pardons
        permitted.   Sentence   to  be  carried  out  within  24  hours  of
        pronouncement.

Rationale:

        Our  system  is   admittedly   imperfect.   Innocent   people   are
        occasionally  convicted  of  crimes.  However, if a person has been
        convicted of three different capital crimes I think it likely there
        are,  other  crimes  they've committed we don't even know about.  I
        see no reason for society to be further burdened with the  cost  of
        having such a person around, in or out of prison.

BTW, I'm not fond of most of our  current  methods  of  execution,  either.
Lethal  injection  strikes me as being the most humane.  Hanging, shooting,
poison gas, and electrocution (mid-tech  burning  at  the  stake)  are  all
barbarities we can do without.
-- 
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-
The Polymath (aka: Jerry Hollombe)
Citicorp TTI                          "How goes the rat race?"
3100 Ocean Park Blvd.                 "The rats are winning."
Santa Monica, CA  90405                               -- Paul Lynde
(213) 450-9111, ext. 2483
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