So now our nation has regressed from a modern, progressive country to a middle ages country where we not only have to execute people but we also have to torture them in the process. Nobody can tell me that they don't know how to execute people but they may be dysfunctional in Arizona where they have the likes of Joe Arpaio, who probably would have been run out of the old west, who treats prisoners like serfs that owed a debt to the vicaire in the dark ages. Where he fits I don't know, but it isn't anywhere in America of the free. It is more likely in about 13th century France or Spain where they treated prisoners like this and tortured many people as well as executed them. Not only are the police shooting people down in the US now in a wholesale manner but prisoners are also dying at a record rate in prison. Now they are torturing them in an act that ends in death. Maybe a sign of the cross for both the people that do this and the ones who are the recipients is in order!
Clearly you have never been the victim of a rape. Your carefree attitude that all can be forgiven and forgotten should stay in preschool while you hold hands and sing.
I had the unfortunate opportunity to be the attending physician to a woman and child who had their heads beaten in by a table lamp from a robber. The child died, the woman was in a coma for about 2 months and then started rehab. What do you think we should do with the attacker? Deport him to an island like Australia? Give him a house and public assistance so he won't have to steal? Or just release him to kill others (he murdered 3 people before the 2 I saw)?
Your enlightenment has no solution, only critique
I think we should be making self-defence laws clear and understandable so that people don't have to be scared of defending themselves in their own homes never mind out in the streets, but good luck doing that when governments want to leave us as defenceless as possible. In a kill or be killed situation I'd never say don't defend yourself like some people would ( Those are the ones who are truly naive and usually have armed protection going around with them ), but going "Hurr durr, death to all criminals" just makes you a murderer yourself whether you agree with that assessment or not and I'm someone who firmly believes in the idea of self-defence.
I don't see anybody crying death to all criminals, well I'm sure there are a few nuts here. Crimes are weighted sometimes based on circumstance. A person killing somebody in an emotional fit usually gets a lesser charge than somebody who has been planning an assassination. Self defense laws are only useful in cases where there is a victim who can defend themselves. It does nothing to keep a killer, a rapist, a child molester off the streets. I was asking umari127 to post possible solutions to incarceration which he/she felt are bad solutions.
Here's an example of what you are talking about:
http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/man-shot-burglar-pregnant-24704576Should he be charged or not? He might have been robbed by the same gang that burglarized my house. Prior to my burglary I never wanted a gun nor had I ever touched a gun. Knowing the history of the people who broke into my house, I feel comfortable now shooting and killing anybody that comes after my family in my house... but that's in my house.