Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
You are correct. American "justice" is more conserned in punishing wrongdoers, when the European style is more about preventing crime from happening.
There's a lot behind capital punishment, and it's not just about punishing and preventing. I don't really get why Americans believe in death penalty so firmly. I get Asia, as most of Asian societies have very outdated views over pretty much everything and are all laughably moralistic, but America is kinda weird in this regard.
There's a lot behind capital punishment, and it's not just about punishing and preventing. I don't really get why Americans believe in death penalty so firmly. I get Asia, as most of Asian societies have very outdated views over pretty much everything and are all laughably moralistic, but America is kinda weird in this regard.
There's a lot behind capital punishment, and it's not just about punishing and preventing. I don't really get why Americans believe in death penalty so firmly.
Maurijus is wrong - there is great difference between the US states when it comes to capital punishment. Some judges and courts prefer preventing recidivism, while others lean towards punishment. It is impossible to say that "Europe prevents crime while the US punishes it". This statement is not only a gross generalization, but patently false.
And to boot, these ideas are all interlinked. For example, a judge may feel that if the state executes a guy who murdered, raped, and chopped up the bodies of 6 children, it will both punish him. On the other hand another judge may feel that to leave the murderer/rapist alive in a lonely cell would be the greatest punishment. A third judge may say that executing the murderer will send a message to other potential murders and prevent them from killing anyone. A fourth judge may say that leaving him to rot in a cell is the best way to punish him.
So none of this is black and white and very difficult to categorize. What's worse? To die and rot away in a cell? Since we can't agree what happens when you die, it is up for debate. It's all totally a matter of opinion.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Greysholic
I get Asia, as most of Asian societies have very outdated views over pretty much everything and are all laughably moralistic, but America is kinda weird in this regard.
There are two sides to every coin.
Some would admire Asian values over Western values, while others would hate them. Would you be support your mother/daughter/sister doing hardcore porn? To some she may be a defender of women's rights in doing so, to others she is destroying the image of women. To you she may be destroying her life, but to your father she may be simply an enterprising entrepreneur.
See how that works? What is "outdated" or "modern" is totally a matter of opinion. It isn't math where 2+2 always equals 4 regardless of your political or spiritual views. These things all depend on how the individual or a society sees things.
There's a lot behind capital punishment, and it's not just about punishing and preventing. I don't really get why Americans believe in death penalty so firmly. I get Asia, as most of Asian societies have very outdated views over pretty much everything and are all laughably moralistic, but America is kinda weird in this regard.
Just putting things into perspective once again. There are many Europeans alive today who well remember the death penalty as practiced in Europe. The abolition of the death penalty in most countries is a very new phenomenon - late 20th century, early 21st century.
By the way, the death penalty is outlawed in some US states.
Fun fact: While Austria abolished capital punishment in 1950, the allied forces resumed to execute people till 1955.
Not to put too fine a point on it - Austria still allowed the death penalty during war time up until 1968.
Even so, the last person to be executed in Austria was Johann Trnka, for the crime of murder, in 1950. So just to be sure everyone is clear on this, the Allied Forces did not utilize the death penalty in Austria between the years of 1950 and 1955 though the law may have still been on the books.
I have an original Allied forces poster (from post war Germany) that outlines which sorts of activities are prohibited, which are considered treason, and which are punishable by the death penalty. Very interesting.
Of course, most of Europe still had the death penalty in place at the end of WW2 so it wasn't a particularly surprising concept.
All these differences are true between Norway and Spain too, and you've barely started to touch the surface.
I am not doubting that. I never said that the US was MORE diverse than the EU. I have been putting things into perspective.
And I've barely scratched the surface of the differences between Minnesota and Louisiana for that matter. And I haven't even begun on the differences between New Hampshire and Arizona! Oh, and the other 46 states.
By the way, no show of appreciation? You asked for some pretty specific information and I provided it - and took some time doing so. Hopefully you learned a few things about Minnesota and Louisiana that you didn't know before. I'm sure there are tons of cool things I don't know about Norway and Spain as well! But I can research that on my own - no need to trouble yourself.
By the way, no show of appreciation? You asked for some pretty specific information and I provided it - and took some time doing so. Hopefully you learned a few things about Minnesota and Louisiana that you didn't know before. I'm sure there are tons of cool things I don't know about Norway and Spain as well! But I can research that on my own - no need to trouble yourself.
FWIW I thought it was a great overview!
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Oh, and the other 46 states.
