Dump the death penalty

California is considering the case of a death row inmate scheduled to be executed on December 13th. Stanley Williams was a notorious gang member and a four-time murderer, but has spent his 24 years in prison turning his life around by becoming a noted antigang crusader. He's even been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. But unless the Governator commutes Mr. Williams' sentence, he will be killed two weeks from now in the hope that his death will make amends for the four lives he took more than 20 years ago.

To be honest, I am frustrated that this country still debates the death penalty.
Numerous studies have shown that it has no deterrent effect on crime. It costs no less than life imprisonment. And it's arguable whether it is a more severe punishment to make someone spend 50 years without personal freedom or to kill them quickly and painlessly. So really, do we like the idea of vengeance that much?

Mr. Williams is an interesting case because there's little doubt of his guilt, but yet he's spent 24 years trying to make amends for the harm he caused. The Christian Science Monitor article highlights an interesting point - if we kill Mr. Williams, what message does that send to the rest of prison inmates? Basically, it says you are too bad to be redeemed. That even doing Nobel Peace Prize quality work is not enough to save us from the inherent evil in you.

Having spent the last few months researching the juvenile justice system, it's clear that America has a problem with accepting rehabilitation. Just a few states are really proactive in helping juvenile delinquents - helping, not punishing. And these states are rewarded with dramatically lower reoffense rates than their more punitive peers (like Minnesota). Research shows that many adults also can be redeemed through treatment, particularly for mental illnesses that afflict a disproportionate number of inmates.

And add to this the fact that death penalty cases have been prosecuted so sloppily, that due process rights have been violated so regularly, that former Illinois governor Jim Ryan commuted the death sentence of every death row inmate in the state, nearly 200 inmates!

I'm of the philosophy that people will take opportunities to redeem themselves. Mr. Williams has and will continue to work as an antigang crusader if his sentence is commuted. Many other death row inmates have similarly committed themselves to making good out of a life gone horribly wrong. These folks still serve time, unquestionably, and some will never feel ashamed for their horrible crimes. But they still spend a lifetime behind bars, just like the good ones.

It's time to dump the death penalty, like every other civilized nation on Earth. It's not worth it.