Death Penalty Question

[perdedor]

I believe in replacing the death penalty and life in prison with life in a labor camp. Why kill off potentially valuable resources?

[perdedor]

I believe in replacing the death penalty and life in prison with life in a labor camp. Why kill off potentially valuable resources?

What

The death penalty is horribly flawed and bad policy all around, and this point has been beaten to death. I won't bother going into this.

That said, what's unreasonable about my proposal? What's the point of sticking a bunch of criminals in an enormous complex and babysitting them for the rest of their life? Why is it better to put convicted murderers and rapists in government storage when they could be contributing back to society via a labor program?

[perdedor]

I believe in replacing the death penalty and life in prison with life in a labor camp. Why kill off potentially valuable resources?

What

The death penalty is horribly flawed and bad policy all around, and this point has been beaten to death. I won't bother going into this.

That said, what's unreasonable about my proposal? What's the point of sticking a bunch of criminals in an enormous complex and babysitting them for the rest of their life? Why is it better to put convicted murderers and rapists in government storage when they could be contributing back to society via a labor program?

Um because that's basically the same idea as taking away someone's human rights for practicing a certain religion and subsequently forcing them to work themselves to death in a labour camp?

Where've I heard that one before...

Being incarcerated is the suspension of human rights, of course - therefore I don't see how forced labor is anymore vile than storing rapists and murderers in a prison against their will. Furthermore, how is forced labor for murderers and rapists the same as "taking away someone's human rights for practicing a certain religion". That doesn't make any sense, whatsoever.

[perdedor]

I agree that people in prison should be doing some kind of work. But it shouldn't be harsh in the way that "labor camp" would imply, and there should be some element of choice about the type of work.  Some type of restitution from the offender is important.

I certainly agree with the bolded part, but I'm not sure how protecting rapists and murderers from "harsh" labor accomplishes this. Let me emphasize the point that I am not suggesting we convert the entire prison/jail system into a system of "labor camps"; this would be a punishment for offenders of the highest degrees (rape, murder, terrorism, etc). There could be a less rigid community service program for lower level offenders.

[perdedor]

I agree that people in prison should be doing some kind of work. But it shouldn't be harsh in the way that "labor camp" would imply, and there should be some element of choice about the type of work.  Some type of restitution from the offender is important.

I certainly agree with the bolded part, but I'm not sure how protecting rapists and murderers from "harsh" labor accomplishes this. Let me emphasize the point that I am not suggesting we convert the entire prison/jail system into a system of "labor camps"; this would be a punishment for offenders of the highest degrees (rape, murder, terrorism, etc). There could be a less rigid community service program for lower level offenders.

People who commit the worst crimes still ought to be treated with some basic level of respect as human beings. Otherwise you end up with Abu Ghraib.

What is inhumane or undignified about forced labor that isn't the same with forced storage? Either way, you are forcing a human being out of free society. In one instance forcing them to contribute back to society, on the other forcing them to live in a box.