wouldnt this be an argument for what pikachu is recommending? focussing on the DP is far down the line and affects so few individuals, wouldnt that time and energy be better spent further up the chain, minimising the wronged individuals making it that far down? </font>[/QUOTE]Exactly! You explained my point better in 1 paragraph than I was able to do in 2 essays. Find the major wrongs first, the ones that effect the most ppl and work your way 'down'...part of the reason is because in the process you are often still helping the people further 'down' the chain by cutting the issue off at the source.

For instance, don't try and save the guy on death row, try and help solve the problem of poverty that made the guy murder somebody and get put on death row, or prompted the burglar break into the guys house, murder a mans wife, and then have the husband found guilty on the murder. (as per that last part, of course if you know the guy is innocent try and save him).

Ultimatley with all i've said here I have missed saying one important thing...if you KNOW that person John Doe on death row is innocent, of course you make the effort to save him...but I don't like generalizing the concept of the D.P. and associating it with the number of innocent ppl killed---the problem then isn't with the death penalty, it's with the system for finding a man guilty.

An innocent man is hardly 'better off' with a life time in prison than being dead. By focusing on the DP your losing sight of the bigger picture...innocent people are being convicted by crimes they didn't commit due to numerous flaws in the legal system--such as expert prosecuters being brought in on murder cases, whereas a poor (if innocent) defendent only gets a court appointed attorney who just picked up your file 2 hours before court started.

that last is an interesting point, pikachu. if an innocent man is better off with life imprisonment than the DP, then surely a guilty man is as well. this contradicts the argument that life imprisonment is somehow equal to or worse than the DP in delivering justice or closure to victims and their families.

Good point guys, and I'll post more later. ;)