Now that juries are becoming educated about executions, more of them are handing out life sentences. That might make sense in the worst-of-worst homicides, etc., cases. But "use of life sentences has expanded over time to include a wider range of offenses, including property crimes (5,416 prisoners) and drug crimes (2,686), according to the report. In Idaho, prisoners who have not been convicted of homicide comprise more than half the population of lifers, the highest in the country; in Washington, they represent 46 percent." We need intelligent discussion of changing our punitive system of incarceration. Perhaps we can begin re-labeling 'property crimes' into segments that reflect the violence behind them, etc
Now that juries are becoming educated about executions, more of them are handing out life sentences. That might make sense in the worst-of-worst homicides, etc., cases. But “use of life sentences has expanded over time to include a wider range of offenses, including property crimes (5,416 prisoners) and drug crimes (2,686), according to the report. In Idaho, prisoners who have not been convicted of homicide comprise more than half the population of lifers, the highest in the country; in Washington, they represent 46 percent.”
We need intelligent discussion of changing our punitive system of incarceration. Perhaps we can begin re-labeling ‘property crimes’ into segments that reflect the violence behind them, etc.