The American justice system

[Angrist]

You probably saw it on the news today or yesterday.
A couple of innocent people who were on deathrow were released.

It happens all the time, and because of America's death penalty, for most people it is too late when they find out they are actually innocent.

People are forced under heavy pressure to confess crimes they did not make. Lawyers are asleep during hearings. The jury members are a bit racist.

Are you proud of your system?

Hm that smilie in the poll shouldn't be there. It should say: :Patriot:

[Bond]

Oh boy, another misinformed Angrist poll on America.

Please, just quit while your ahead.

[gekko]

If you want to have a talk on the death penalty, feel free. But this isn't the way to do it.

[nWoCHRISnWo]

I don't like Dutch people so I picked the third option.

[Happydude]

lol....funny people...

[Jewels]

Our justice system is a tad bit ****ed up.... well in a way it is, puttin people to death when she should'nt have to be, and the ones that should be just sit and jail waiting for paroll... BASTARDS~! if evidence still stands that the person is innocent and the judge knows they are but yet they still need a jury to decide, innocent people are jailed pretty much all the time, because a damn jury doesnt decide right, and yet juries are made up by the government, DAMN THEM~!!! but without it there'd be hell and chaos and ONLY GOD KNOWS of what gamemaster would do if he ran a muck,

with the jokes oh his....

*shrugs and walks away*

[PureEvil]

Like any justice system, the American one has it's issues, but all in all, I like how it's done (In fact, I wish the Canadian justice system would pick up a few elements from it).

The death penalty is something I approve of, and I like the way sentencing is done.

Sentencing-wise, I'm referring to how the sentences are stacked. If you get a 15 year charge, and a 10 year charge, you serve the 15, and then start on the 10, giving you a total of 25 years.

Canada's sentencing, by comparison, runs the sentences at the same time. So, if you get a 15 year sentence, and a 10 year sentence, they're served at the same time, so you basically only serve 15 years at most. I really, really don't like that about Canada's justice system.

But as far as innocent people getting convicted and stuff, well, it's always happened, and it always will happen. In some places with less developed justice systems (which doesn't include the States), it might happen more often, but those problems are everywhere.

As for you sitting here talking badly about the American justice system, I think you're just talking out of your ass a bit too much. You're being something of a dogmatist.

Based on your poll options, I'm not sure if you're just trying to cut the United States down compared to where you live, but I think it's kind of stupid. The media is hyping this development up, and you're buying into it completely.

The American justice system might have it's flaws, but so does the Dutch system. Don't let yourself be fooled into thinking otherwise.

[Angrist]

Smaller countries have smaller problems.

Why not let those prisoners rot in their cels? So if some day they find new evidence, they can set innocent people free. If they're really innocent, they can't harm others.

And when evidence is found while inspectors didn't have a search warrant or something, the evidence is considered false or something so they set people free. While the evidence is clear as glass.

[Xantar]

Originally posted by Angrist

Why not let those prisoners rot in their cels? So if some day they find new evidence, they can set innocent people free. If they're really innocent, they can't harm others.

Oh yeah, because letting people rot in prison is so much better than killing them. Not to mention the expense (hey, you have to consider it).

Besides, guilty verdicts aren't overturned very often, especially verdicts in capital cases. Given that it takes a lot of time for a condemned criminal to actually get executed (several years), the chances of a pardon are probably just as good as the chances of being freed from a lifetime imprisonment.

And besides that, people who spend several years in prison have an extraordinarily tough time getting integrated into society again. It's not as easy as just opening the doors to their cell and letting them walk out.

I personally am against the death penalty for a number of reasons, but at least I can say that I have considered all of the above points in forming my opinion. From your posts here, I have the feeling that you haven't. You view isn't just uninformed. It's simplistic.

And when evidence is found while inspectors didn't have a search warrant or something, the evidence is considered false or something so they set people free. While the evidence is clear as glass.

So are you saying we should get rid of search warrants? Are you saying that police should have the right to break down the door of any house, charge in and start turning the place upside down just because they feel like it? And without the need for a warrant detailing what they're looking for, the police will also be able to confiscate anything they want. That's what a search warrant is for, you know. It's to ensure that the police have a reasonable cause for invading the privacy of a person (not to mention possibly causing damage). Yes, perhaps it allows some guilty people to go free. That's inevitable, and we just have to live with the reality that people aren't perfect. What's also inevitable is that without search warrants, police search and seizure will be abused.

I have my issues with the American justice system. For one thing, juries are often composed of complete ignorants, and the tort system is a mess. But unlike you, Angrist, I'm not just going to point fingers without proposing a solution. And I recognize that the problem is much bigger than your average jury not knowing what DNA is. After all, that issue is tied to the quality of the education system. Well, a lot of schools don't have enough funding to provide a proper education. They might do better if the economy was running well. But to get the economy to do well, consumer confidence has to be good (how do you change consumer confidence?), and maybe you should cut taxes. Or maybe raise taxes. Economists aren't quite sure. Of course, having more money won't necessarily make the schools better. There's also a strong anti-intellectual and anti-learning element to American culture. How can you fix that? Well, maybe you can regulate the popular media. Oh, but that's infringing on free speech. Not a good idea. Still, you can't deny that movies don't usually glamorize learning. Maybe you should convince studios to do that. But then you'd have to convince them that there's money to be made by doing that. Maybe there is, come to think of it, but maybe there isn't. How do you know? Maybe you should do some studies...

All this and more just to try to make sure that juries know what the hell is going on when they get into a courtroom. So what do you propose we do about it, Angrist?

[Happydude]

Xanny...one more post longer then half of the one you just posted will get you killed....

[Mushlafa]

I like xannys long posts
yeah anyway.. im all for the death penalty... i think if someone does something bad enough to deserve it he should be killed...

[Happydude]

Originally posted by Mushlafa
I like xannys long posts

no you don't...


as for the death sentance thingy...i agree...if they deserve it, they should be executed...a slow and long painfull death

[GameMaster]

Originally posted by Jewels02
but without it there'd be hell and chaos and ONLY GOD KNOWS of what gamemaster would do if he ran a muck,

with the jokes oh his....

I'll have you know my grandmother loves my jokes

[Jewels]

Originally posted by GameMaster
I'll have you know my grandmother loves my jokes

you know i was just jokin, ALL of us here at gametavern LOVE YOUR JOKES...

*coughs*bangs head on wall*

[Angrist]

Xanny I don't propose anything, I just wanted to point it out to you. BTW I was a bit sleepy yesterday so the poll choices are a bit... weird.