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Public executions probably would, but by no means do I think that's the right route to take. Get rid of the stupid war on drugs, and we'll get back to a manageable jail population.
http://www.findingdulcinea.com/news/...-the-U-S-.html
Since that time, U.S. prison populations have exponentially increased, mostly due to drug related offenses. In fact, the U.S. has 25% percent of the world prison population (not including those on parole), despite only being 4.52% of the worlds population.On Aug. 14, 1936, Rainey Bethea was hanged in Owensboro, Ky., for rape and murder, becoming the last person publicly executed in the United States.
Kentucky passed a law in 1910 stipulating that all executions be carried out privately in an electric chair. Ten years later, however, it created an exception for rapists, who would be hanged by the county in which they committed their crime.
Each county could choose whether to conduct the hanging publicly or privately. Of the first six hangings under this law, two were conducted privately, three publicly, and one—of the only white man executed under the law—was conducted before a restricted audience of 1,500, according to Perry T. Ryan, author of “The Last Public Execution in America.”
In 1936, Rainey Bethea, a 22-year-old black man, was convicted of raping and strangling a 70-year-old white woman in Daviess County. He was convicted to death and sentenced to death in a public hanging in Owensboro, the county seat, on Aug. 14.
His execution attracted national attention, mostly due to the fact that Florence Thompson, the “plump, matronly” sheriff of Daviess County, would become the first woman to carry out an execution, reported Time magazine.
Reporters and spectators packed Owensboro. On the night of Aug. 13, Owensboro was “host to the greatest crowd in its history” as many people held “hanging parties,” according to Time.
The hanging was scheduled for 5:12 a.m., at dawn. Between 10,000-20,000 people gathered around the scaffold, as vendors sold hot dogs and drinks to the onlookers. Sheriff Thompson chose not to perform the execution herself, passing off her duty to a Louisville policeman, Arthur “Daredevil ” Hash.
A drunken Hash pulled the trap-door lever shortly after 5:32 a.m. “The trap door dropped and Bethea fell about eight feet,” writes Ryan. “The rope tightened, and Bethea swung only slightly at its end. His neck broken, Bethea's head was bent sharply almost touching his right shoulder.” Bethea was pronounced dead around 5:45 a.m.
National press coverage was highly critical of town for staging an execution in such a raucous atmosphere. Many stories included sensationalized accounts of the crowd’s reaction, portraying the spectators as barbaric.
Ryan cites an article in the Boston Daily Record, which stated, “Cheering, booing, eating, joking, 20,000 persons witnessed the public execution … In callous, carnival spirit, the mob charged the gallows after the trap was sprung, tore the executioner's hood from the corpse, chipped the gallows for souvenirs.”
Two more rapists would be hanged privately in Kentucky before the state banned hangings in 1938. No other state would execute a man publicly again.
So the question is. Would Public Executions bring back the harsh perception of punishment and detour crime?
Last edited by nuclearfm; 09-30-2009 at 01:30 PM.
Public executions probably would, but by no means do I think that's the right route to take. Get rid of the stupid war on drugs, and we'll get back to a manageable jail population.
i'm all for this.
chuck barris from the gong show fame actually was pitching to production companies to do a Running Man type show. he wanted to get an inmate, i believe, and ask him one question so he'll live or die.
Utah had a public hanging, I believe. They let the guy choose his method of death and he chose to get hung.
Make rape and child molesting a capital offense and divide prisons with violent and non-violent offenses.
I have no problem with public executions, though I'd never want to watch one.
But I agree with Brock. End the war on drugs and decriminalize them (put them in the regulated category with tobacco, alcohol, etc), and release all the non-violent drug offenders.
punishment doesn't dissuade crime.
You're comparing total prison population with volume of capital punishment.
In the total prison population, inflated by marijuana possession prisoners since the 1970s (America going totally stupid, but highly intelligent in subsidizing the PIC), very few are prisoners eligible for death penalty.
What does that solve?
Utah still does firing squads. How cool is that?
public executions defeat the point. its a spectacle and heightens the criminal not make him worse. our system is one of rehabilitation and salvation of the soul.
Not every states' purpose for prison is rehabilitation.
"our system is one of rehabilitation and salvation of the soul"
I'm sorry, but there are some people who completely lack humanity and act like animals. I say put them down like animals.
"I say put them down like animals"
of course, you would.
The US justice system is too unreliable (corrupted/incompetent prosecutors/police/expert witnesses, incompetent forensics, etc) to trust with human life.
Last edited by boutons_deux; 10-01-2009 at 09:31 AM.
True, but I would prefer just to get rid of the s still. I'm not talking about all cases. There are so many clear cases where the criminals are no better than animals. Why waste our resources on them?
Ah, the good old days...Reporters and spectators packed Owensboro. On the night of Aug. 13, Owensboro was “host to the greatest crowd in its history” as many people held “hanging parties,” according to Time.
The hanging was scheduled for 5:12 a.m., at dawn. Between 10,000-20,000 people gathered around the scaffold, as vendors sold hot dogs and drinks to the onlookers.
All of you say "Legalize Drugs" have obviously never seen the ACTUAL affect of Crack on a life.
I have.
My brother in law is currently in a Prison in Lubbock (moved from Huntsville last week) - not for possession of Crack; but for the myriad things he has done to get the money to pay for it; primarly hot checks - and a single assault.
Been strung out for 16 years; NOTHING stops him; been in jail, multiple rehabs, , he's 37 now; an insulin dependent diabetic on DIALYSIS - and he STILL tries to use when he's not in jail. Hasn't held a productive job his entire adult life; been hospitalized twice when he stiffed a dealer; and many times when his using caused him to not take his insulin and slip into a dibetic COMA.
That should NEVER be legalized. It is the Devil.
Bring back stoning to death. Whoever wants to throw at the perp can. Government can pay per view and get this economy going.
"I would prefer just to get rid of the s still"
I repeat, there's plenty of s in the legal system.
"All of you say "Legalize Drugs" have obviously never seen the ACTUAL affect of Crack on a life."
There's a huge difference between marijuana and crack, even between heroin and crack.
Legalize marijuana does not mean legalize crack or meth or other destructive drug.
It would make life much more tolerable if they would legalize pot!
Oh yeah if this country didn't have crucifixsion it'd be in a right bloody mess, nail em up, nail some sense into them.
I think you meant "deter".
The article lays out a bunch of facts and draws all the wrong conclusions.
To answer your question, no, harsh punishment is no deterent for crime. It never has been, it never will be.
Some people are predators, some are prey. People will murder, rape and steal on the final day of humanity's time on Earth. This is human nature.
Many people have been ruined by alcohol. Does this mean we should make that illegal? What about other addictive substances?
The fact is, people will get drugs one way or another. Decriminalizing them might make it easier for some people to get drugs; yes. But it would also make it easier to get help, as it would remove some of the taboo of drug usage. As well, the government could ensure that drugs weren't mixed with other harmful chemicals.
Additionally, getting rid of the black market would also lower prices, which would help prevent financial distress to junkies.
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