For most people, the threat of prison is enough of a deterrent. Those for whom it isn't usually don't consider the possibility of getting caught, or don't care because their urges are too strong (there are treatments for this). Thus, the death penalty is no more of a deterrent than a lengthy prison sentence.

This whole debate has a very simple fix.

1)  No death penalty for child rapists. 

   Yes, I know - some think that a person that rapes a child deserves a death sentence.  I half agree as there are few crimes more horrific in my opinion.  Although I am torn about whether it is really an offense that deserves the death penalty.  But, maybe we can find another solution so that everyone is happy!

2)  Advertise to all inmates that inmate "X" is a child rapist through use of newsletters and the prison TV system. 

   Problem solved.  Prisoners will kill the child rapist, likely in a far more painful and cost effective way than lethal injection, the gas chamber, or the electric chair.  I see this as a win-win situation.  Child rapist gets what he deserves, it is cost effective, and we don't have to question whether or not the death penalty is correctly applied.

All it takes is a little imagination and ingenuity and everyone can be happy.  Well, everyone except for maybe child rapists - but that isn't a bad thing.

Mdma has illustrated the big problem with capital punishment for any offense. If the state wrongfully convicts and executes the convicted, they can't take it back. How many have been "put away" for life only to be exonerated years after their conviction because of a revelation of false testimony, DNA developments, new evidence, confession or incompetency of council ? At least you can set the falsely convicted free at that point. Even without any restitution they can at least be given their freedom back.
  If they are dead....well... dead is forever.

Interestingly, the wingnuts who chose to elect George W. Bush, not only once, but twice, have three members of the Supremes who are
exactly what was promised.  Two that fit well with Scalia as Bush promised and the Scalia clone, Clarence Thomas. That's four who are
unquestionably right wing.  Oops, then there is Kennedy. Possibly the most powerful member in years who in those five to four votes appears not to have satisfied those who support the death penalty in almost any and all cases, ignoring most all of the Western world of
which the U.S. for other purposes claims to be a factor in that have long since moved away from killing and chosen punishment rather
than revenge. 

Rape is a hideous crime, but one of power, quite typically against those the rapist has the power over to commit.   Raping a child IMHO even more so.  Don't decide because I agree with this decision I'm "soft on crime."  However, if one analyses child rape, the great majority of this crime takes place as a result of incest with the parent of the child the perpetrator,  few of which are ever reported. Should a father who rapes his daughter be put to death for raping his daughter? If that is a choice those who would give the death penalty to for such actions, death rows across the nation would be full and overflowing. There would be no way to kill the perpetrators of incest fast enough. Puts a bit of different perspective on the crime which is quite common unlike the one in LA that came before the Supremes. 

It's obviously easy to be outraged by the horror of the rape of a child, but to advocate murder by another inmate once the rapist is incarcerated is very telling and suggests the advocate is an accomplice to murder.   Just my opinion, but maybe just the result of some of the excessive blood lust that seems to have infected the U.S. society with the taking of the life of even the highly violent in contrast to much of the rest of Western culture?

Not atypically, voters tend to forget the reality that though presidents and political parties in power change on a regular basis, the appointments of those who sit on the Federal Courts and the Supreme Court are for the life of the appointee.  Want more Scalias? McCain has promised more. Will one more satisfy the bloodlust?  Come November it will be your choice.

You're more than welcome for the reminder, Patton.  LOL, I don't even disagree with the decision re: the Second Amendment, but I find the First Amendment, the Fourth and the one some would prefer to remove, the Nineteenth, on a realistic basis.   

I also find it interesting you so carefully picked and chose from my comments on child rape and avoided any discussion of the unfortunate
fact that incest is an exceedingly common basis for child rape.  Won't see many cases of such in an ER though.  One of those so-called
for many "family matters" that doesn't get publicly exposed. The crimes are no less devastating to the victim, but only too often the victim is blamed for "asking for it."  Even worse, rape in the process of incest is not typically a single violent incident,  but goes on year after year, a quiet held family secret, until the victim, finally reaches maturity and leaves the home. 

You didn't chose to comment about child rapes within the family.  Ya figure the child or mom would be more willing to report if there was
the possibility or probability that dad would be sent to the death chamber?  Few enough are ever reported or prosecuted with very often
the choice being leaving the victim in the home and sending dad for some counseling.  Then maybe you're unaware that even in our
Christian nation, there are some religious sects where it remains the "father's right" to "break in his daughters."  You might want to check Utah where that practice among some continues or even in other locations of the "faithful" of that same sect.

While I respect your professional position and what you do in a helping profession, mine included considerable study and even in later
specific casework in the area of rape and the rapes that take place in the equally illegal practice of incest.

So where are they? I'm sorry but it seems obvious that nothing statistical coming out of Iran can be trusted. This is the country with "no homosexuals' remember?


Well that's all fine and dandy but you're going to be posting for years before you convince me that the story I posted from Iran is anything besides typical. You know I'm not going to run out an hunt down 100 similar stories to 'prove' that, but then you also know I could. This is far from an isolated incident. I'm not trying to vilify all Iran but bullshit is bullshit. Totally different subject but I wouldn't execute a 'tard either.

You say it was 'unfortunate' for the family but it was the 'family' that raped her. Anyone living in a society like that who looks off to the US and is tempted to chastise them because of what they figure 'sounds like' a high rape rate is straight up crazy. I'll take a society o 'sluts' and unplanned teenage pregnancy over a society where the males, essentially, may rape women on any baloney excuse (basically on a whim) any day.


More to the point, supposedly they have the death penalty for rape and yet it goes on all the time, whereas North America (and Europe for that matter) have a consistently dropping rate of rape because of the aggressive evolution of prosecution these countries engage. Further how come with all the rape the only executions going on there are journalists and teenage homosexuals?

Some interesting quotes of superior Iranian Justice:

http://rutherford.org/articles_db/commentary.asp?record_id=392

Mmmmm. Just-deli-licious! I mean they left the house accompanied by their 'boyfriends' so they wouldnt be put to death for 'sluttery' and then if they are raped well we all know what'll happen then right? They'll be executed. If they resist being raped what happens? They'll be executed. S'fair cop. Seriously medieval witch trials were fairer.

IMO it is a ridiculous lie on the part of Iran when they say they 'execute rapists'. They do not. They use 'rape' as an excuse to execute when they like. It is a society that uses instituted rape as part of it's 'family values'. All Iranian men, powerful or poor, have complete rights to do whatever the hell they want to women, even their mothers. In Afghanistan for example they at least have some reverence for motherhood and the work women do within the society.


Ahk