Some people might find this kind of offensive, I've realised, and I don't mean to it to be that way. Sorry. Missing, I don't think the USA is superior to any other country in any way. Their style of government, their elections, their laws, and the even the attitude that they portray is completely disgusting to me. This includes their penal system. I wouldn't be able to live in a country that hasn't completely abolished Capital Punishment, or where a 17 year old gets sentences 10 years for consenting oral sex with a 15 year old. That's about how long convicted rapists get. Don't get me wrong, I'm not so against all places in the states, and some American citizens are the best people I've met. I've got family living there, and I lived there myself for three years.
I also don't think USA is superior to any other country My two samples: Country where church and state is strongly seperated - religion has amazingly lot of power when it comes to law and politics. 2nd is "democratic country" - yes, you see that during the elections every time. If they were European country, they couldn't even join EU because of the human rights violations (and other stuff) But yeah, not going there. USA is actually the only "western" country that has death penalty. There should be done something in other areas - before people turn to criminals [sometimes enviroment is the reason] like... if you are dropped out of everything - can't get a job etc. and if you've never owned anything - how can you have respect for the stuff that someone else owns? So more than just longer jailtime as a scare - there should be done something else as well.
^ I agree with you DaWacko. If you have a 'healthy' society where you'll get help from the state if something happens to you and you can't work/ get a job, where healthcare and education is free there'll be less crime. I think most people who have killed someone deservs a second chance. Yes they should be punished, but first and foremost they should be helped. The few 'psycho-killers' that are should be locked away in asylums, but not killed.
Trust me I don't think the USA is superior in any way. I just meant that it is generally viewed as being that way because it is a major country. I did not mean it that way, because in so many ways it is not. I am sorry if anyone got offended. And sorry for getting off topic.
Nono..I think most of the countries are annoyed that USA considers themselves as superior - they are that probably in - military stuff such as weapons but... yeah Point made
So true. Mind if I second that? However we can´t lock all killers away. Because as long as there are gangs kid-killers will follow.
Update on Karla Homolka: She is living in an island in the Dutch West Indies ostensibly for bringimg up her son "properly"!
Any person capable of raping children must die immediately. Apart from that I'd say it depends strongly on the case, but some crimes just cry for death penatly. Then again, those perverts sentenced to death usually spend a long time in a single cell, being served food, cut off from other prisoners, when all they deserve is to be thrown in with the mob and being raped from behind by a 6'8'' inmate.