[Azred]

Originally posted by Dramnek_Ulk: Abolishing the death penalty is a first positive step, as can be Cleary shown, it has a racial bias. I.e. IT’S RACIST!!! Therefore plays not part in Justice. And it is no deterrent, it appeals to peoples base emotive aspects. But it goes against the Unifursal declaration of human rights, which America is supposedly a signatory off. Even lengthy prison sentences are pathetic and barbaric; you simply cannot expect children of this age to fully understand what they have done. They need to be made to understand the enormity of what they have done, Then pending psychologists report they can either be detained in a secure mental institution for life, or receive treatment to allow them to take their place as a member of normal society again.

Ok. No death penalty and no lengthy prison sentences. That sounds good on paper, but exactly how will this make murderers, specifically murderers under the age of 18, "understand the enormity of what they have done"? Studies also show that one thing many prisoners learn is how to become better criminals.
I am still looking for some ideas about how the system of justice could be made better (I think we can all agree that any racial bias should be removed), but this would unfortunately not be acceptable. I like Arnabas' idea about the remote penal island--exile them.