In Theory: Should we abolish capital punishment?

Speaking in late October to delegates from the International Assn. of Penal Law, Pope Francis called for the abolition not only of capital punishment, but also of life in prison, which he called a “hidden death penalty” and maximum security prisons, which he likened to torture chambers.

Religion News Service quoted the pope as saying, “It is impossible to imagine that states today cannot make use of another means than capital punishment to defend peoples’ lives from an unjust aggressor.”

Q: What do you think of the pope’s stance on life sentences, maximum security prisons and capital punishment? Are there better ways to ensure the public’s safety?

The Russian writer Fyodor Dostoyevsky said one time that if you want to see the level of civilization in a society, visit one of its prisons. Even though that great writer is from another era and another time, I think he would be appalled if he visited our prisons here in America. Somehow we want to hurt or “penalize” those who have broken our laws, rather than try to “correct” them. Isn’t it interesting how we have softened what we call our prisons? They are under the department of “Corrections,” not bureau of prisons.

So in theory, I am in agreement with the pope. I have long thought that capital punishment should be abolished, and I have contributed to groups that are trying to get the death penalty repealed.

Francis may be right that a life sentence is essentially a death penalty — but I do believe the public has a right to be protected from those who have committed and may continue to commit heinous acts. And I believe he is correct when he states that maximum security prisons come close to being torture chambers. Solitary confinement is a terrible punishment and should be used perhaps in only the most extreme cases. As it stands now, it is used — in my opinion — entirely too much. How do I know? Because I have a relative in jail! He isn’t in California, but he has been sent to “the hole,” as the inmates call it, often, and many times for very minor things. He’s out now, pending a new trial, but I think corrections officers often overdo what they need to do.

Visit a prison sometime; I do along with some other parishioners who have taken a certain prisoner under our wings, so to speak. Adopt an inmate, whether he or she “deserves” it or not. Your eyes just may be opened to how good you have it and how bad our prisoners have it. And remember the words of Jesus from Matthew 25: 39: “And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?”

The Rev. Skip Lindeman
La Cañada Congregational Church
La Cañada Flintridge

--

Of the 36 member nations of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the world’s most developed countries, the U.S. has the third highest rate of intentional homicide. We are fourth in rapes. For robbery, we do a little better, down the list at No. 8.

To me the inescapable conclusion is that our system of criminal justice is not ensuring our public’s safety as well as the systems in other advanced countries. Our lax gun laws and our high level of inequality help grease our slide into insecurity.

None of the countries doing better than we are in preventing violent crime use capital punishment, and all of them imprison fewer people per capita, for shorter terms. Rehabilitation plays a far bigger role in criminal justice in our peer countries. We also lead the developed world in solitary confinement, called “a form of torture” by Pope Francis.

So whether you side spiritually with me or with the Holy Father you’re heading in the same direction on this issue. Our justice system needs radical, fundamental change — it is immoral and it doesn’t work.

Roberta Medford
Atheist
Montrose

--

There are better ways to protect the needs of all the people. Let us look at a passage from Deuteronomy: “Life Shall Be for Life, (but) an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth….” (Deuteronomy 19:21). Most commentators say it includes taking a life, but in fact, excludes it, “life shall be for life.” Those who kill by accident, alcohol, drugs, temper or poor choices, once, should be treated differently than those who are predators or who murder more than one. Even though it is woefully inadequate, all offenders should be made to compensate, monetarily, the victims’ families for their loss. The quote from Deuteronomy is in essence an actuary table and established, biblically, the monetary compensation the families were to receive. A plan for today’s offender is to keep our killer under house/employment arrest so they can keep their jobs paying for their fatal mistake. If the killer is illiterate and cannot get a fair paying job, they would go to prison, but only to get an education. The sooner the felon completed the required courses, the sooner he could leave prison and return to begin repaying his debt to society.

Another possible way for the single-time killer to serve his sentence, still with monetary repayment, is to do it in another part of our country. Although, the debt to the victims’ family would still be there, he would then have a fresh start. The felon would still have a parole officer and be required to report. And if he commits another violent crime he would be sent to prison immediately to serve out his term with others who have committed serial violent crimes. Remember, if you have a choice between life and death, choose life.

Rabbi Mark Sobel
Temple Beth Emet
Burbank

--

I agree with the Pope, whether his ideas come from scripture, canon law, or his own good heart. When I think of the number of people in our country who are incarcerated for greatly extended periods or executed, it makes me weep. We have the largest percentage of imprisoned people of any country in the world, particularly people of color. And that is sad indeed. If we could educate those people to be productive citizens, our society would be a much healthier place. Instead, we warehouse large numbers or execute them in many states. What a waste!

I am not naive enough to believe that all people can be transformed into constructive human beings, and I do not believe that the rights of crime victims do not matter. But we could certainly do a better job than we do now. And statistics show that the fear of capital punishment is not a deterrent to crime. If we put more of our money into training programs for those who break the law rather than prisons, we would reap many benefits. And capital punishment cuts off any possibility for an affirmative outcome.

Our founding documents in this country say we believe that all people “are created equal” and “endowed . . . with certain inalienable rights.” But our penal codes seem to agree with the words of George Orwell that “some are more equal than others.” In fact, the maxim of “an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth” punishment in ancient Hebrew scriptures is what we appear to practice.

As a Unitarian Universalist, I passionately believe in “the inherent worth and dignity of every person” and “justice, equity and compassion in human relations.” Capital punishment and maximum-security prisons do not fit into that paradigm for me. My hope is that we, along with the Pope, will find better ways to live up to our highest ideals as American and World Citizens and people of faith.

Rev. Dr. Betty Stapleford
Unitarian Universalist Church of the Verdugo Hills
La Crescenta

--

To release a dangerous person from incarceration is grossly irresponsible. If a prisoner refuses to be, or is incapable of being, corrected then that prisoner should remain incarcerated. Their living conditions should always be kept humane, of course, but the safety of others is of greater importance than the freedom of the convicted and chronically dangerous criminal.

Can people change? Absolutely. Jesus changed many people during his earthly ministry. The Gerasene Demoniac couldn’t be restrained even with shackles and chains, but Jesus restored him to a peaceable and socially decent condition. Paul the Apostle was a violent aggressor against Christians, but Jesus transformed him into a self-sacrificing servant of the church. Jesus still changes the lives of all who come to him. But the fact remains that some people refuse to turn from wickedness and violence. Those who do have condemned themselves to ostracism and separation away from those they intend to harm.

Pastor Jon Barta
Burbank