Hey guys,
With the pending release of convicted murderer Michael Woodmansee, Rhode Island lawmakers are trying to pass a law which would make it possible for authorities to keep convicted criminals in mental health facilities as long as they are deemed to be a threat to society.
The law would focus not only on murderers like Woodmansee and Craig Price, but also on convicted sex offenders as well. Basically, if a psychiatrist determines that a person is likely to re-offend, they can lock them up indefinitely.
There are already 20 states which have similar laws on the books, and civil liberties unions have been fighting the legality and constitutionality of these laws.
While I do not believe that people who choose to commit such violent crimes should ever be released, I do have a problem with changing the rules as we go. The law basically will make it so people can be deemed mentally competent to stand trial and face conviction, then when the time comes for release, they can then be declared mentally incompetent. You can’t have it both ways… either the person in mentally healthy or not.
I think this sets a dangerous precedent. Our legal system forces criminals to pay a debt to society, and I feel that debt should be severe for violent and sexual offenders.
However…
… when person is sentenced to a specific period of time… at the end of that time the person must be released… not held indefinitely based solely on a recommendation from a doctor… what’s next, imprisonment based personality tests which determine if we may at some point commit a crime?
What is the solution? In my opinion… change the law so judges are allowed to sentence these criminals to longer prison terms… a life sentence for murderers and sexual offenders seems appropriate, what is not appropriate is making the rules up we go…
What do you think?
- X
If somebody has commited a crime such as those people they should be locked up forever. A psychiatrist should not be the one to determine if a convict should be set free. They can help decide this, but not make the final decision. I do agree with the statement "changing the rules as we go" should not be allowed. If you are given a certain time to serve, that is what you serve.
ReplyDeleteFrom all the Law and Order SVU episodes I watch, they take the person to trial that is mentally incompetent most of the time, then sentence them to stay in a mental care facility for however long is needed. Really, if they are ok, and a psychiatrist has deemed that, then I don't see the problem. Many people use the term "Once a killer...always a killer." But, some people commit murders when they're on drugs, or drunk, and they rehabilitate, and change.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I do think this man should never see the light of day again, it is wrong that they keep changing the laws to keep this man in prison. The thing I am more upset about in this case is the fact that they are letting out early because he has "Good Behavior". The only reason he has good behavior is because he hasn't had the oppurtunity to do the things he did in the past.
ReplyDeleteI don't think this law should be put in place. Even though some of these people should be in jail forever, they served their sentence and the law says that they get out. I still think people who commit crimes like rape and murder deserve to be in jail, but unless the law is being changed, this can't happen. How about just making the right sentences in the first place? That should clear this situation up.
ReplyDelete-Brandon Maxwell
I think that if someone gets sentence some way then it should stay as it is instead of having it changed. What this guy has done is really big to bring down his years of prison. Someone can be seen as a good person but in reality they are not. Just because of his good behavior that doesnt mean that it should be time to get him out of prison.
ReplyDelete-Vanessa Aristy