Should every prisoner have the right to have their DNA tested.......

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

Yes they should, although I would oppose public funds for it.  There are a lot of innocene project type groups out there that can raise the funding.

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

It can't cost that much relative to the cost of saving innocent people's lives, who cares where the $ comes from?

Taxpayers care.  There isn't political support for it.......there would barely be enough support for legislation to allow them to have the right to have testing.

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

It can't cost that much relative to the cost of saving innocent people's lives, who cares where the $ comes from?

Taxpayers care. 

I also care about Reagan's military deficit, and Bush's Faith-Based Frauds. Where is your hue and cry over those? Or are they sacrosanct because they were the pet projects of your political allies?

I was answering Lunar's question about political realities, Einzige.  Your earlier point when you weren't bashing me is well taken.......we're paying to incarcerate them.......spending a few dollars to have them tested might reduce the cost to government, so I'm going to change my personal opinion, not my political one.

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

Gramps: Fine, if you're just arguing what's political feasible, then do what's politically feasible.  :-/

Yeah, that's all.  Einzige made a good point that this might end up saving government a sh**tload of money.

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

Does anybody have any idea what percent of inmates could be found innocent using DNA?  I'm guessing it's well below 50%.  It's not like the cops needed DNA to put a coke mule away.  I say test all of 'em that can be (and want to be tested) and release all that are innocent.  Then check their DNA against any applicable unsolved cases where DNA would be useful.

That's a startling number still, dead0.