Quote Originally Posted by Seran View Post
Part of the prison overcrowding problem is the reluctance of states to use the death penalty due to the ridiculous number of legal challenges to every option for execution available. Someone is sentenced to death under the laws of the state should be put down, not given lifetime incarceration. I'm really surprised you're arguing community outreach and drug diversion for non violent crimes, that is one of the issues that plagues major Metropolitan areas, especially in California. What stops a person from committing crime it there is no punishment that makes a lasting impression?

A hundred pound woman protecting herself from a rapist, really? Provided she has enough awareness of the impending crime to draw a firearm and use it to protect herself, what will she do if the criminal also had a gun and disabled her first? You speak of overwhelming force as a means of diversion, but that is only effective so long as it can be deployed effectively. We play a game with very effective ambush mechanics, people employ the same subterfuge or stalking to keep their victims unaware before they strike. A gun out of hand is no use at all, and just as likely it's going to wind up in the possession of the assailant.

A society where criminals are locked up, those who are reformed actually reformed, and the fear of retribution so great that non mentally imbalanced people will think twice. That is an ideal society. Ours is suffering from drug addiction, overtly generous welfare benefits going beyond basic food, shelter and health-care, and a system of justice being neutered by the privileged few who don't understand what a bane free roaming, gun toting recitivists are.
I’m pro death penalty for the most heinous of crimes, but I don’t think that has anything to do with prison overcrowding. Only a small amount of people are sentenced to death. I hear you on the legal challenges, but not sure what alternative there is. People are afforded those legal challenges for good reason, and we as a society should be absolutely certain that irreversible action of a death sentence is justified.

I want to be clear that when I say alternatives to incarceration for non-violent drug offenders I mean just that. We need an alternative to prison and the only thing in scope is truly non-violent drug offenses. We must enforce laws and prosecute criminals in other crimes, especially violence. Community outreach programs are not a substitute for law enforcement, but they are a great tool to make positive changes.

Going back to the 100 pound woman vs the 300 pound man, you are correct there is no sure fire guarantee that she will prevail, criminals get the advantage of the element of surprise, and criminals have weapons too. A firearm and adequate training gives her the best chance to defend herself in suv a situation though. Why would you want to deny a person the best tool for the job to protect themselves? I just don’t understand that line of thought. Citizens that choose to take accountability for their own defense and those of others should be empowered to do so, not hindered by our own government.