Necktie Party....aka....a little thing called doom sentencing

As of today, there has been 26 individuals executed in 2014 in the United States. That's more than 3 per month. That's insane. It's hard to grasp I believe. 

Though my job puts me in the court rooms, jail, and in the lives of convicted felons, it seems difficult to comprehend this amount of death row inmates. 

It's interesting to think about the differences. What justifies one person to have life in prison with no chance or parole and another to be awaiting a death sentence. And really if one is to be imprisoned for "life", is that not ultimately a death sentence in and of itself?

I used to think for days on end after watching Shawshank Redemption of death row and prison and the poor little man who hung himself because he was completely lost after being in jail for so long and going back into society. I used to play the what if game. What if....someone hurt my family....and I killed them....I would ultimately go to prison. The crime would be moralistically understandable, but legally wrong. It would still be murder regardless of how it was looked at. So I would think what would I rather...life in prison...or execution. Fear, regret, loss, while awaiting execution...the walk up to the room, being prepared, and ultimately dying....or to be in prison until my body decided it was time to be done. Lets say normal life expectancy is to 80. I commit the crime at 32 ...that's 50 years to be in prison....50 years! Sometimes I think that execution is, in a way , the easy way out.

Money speaks I supposed. It is drastically cheaper to off someones life than let them stay locked up in prison their entire life, but is this ideal? 

Ok, Ok...I hear the gallery stirring. I already hear counter arguments and wheels turning. On one side an argument is that they deserve nothing less than what they did to be on death row in the first place. So if they murdered their six year old son, if they raped and killed a random chick at a bar, if they stabbed a group of men at random for the fun of it, they don't deserve to live. On the flip side of this is why should it be so easy for them? Why should they have the "easy" way out? Why not make them relive that over and over again?

For that to happen, a little thing called remorse would have to take place. I suppose that's why appeals are set up so that if sincere change takes place, there is the opportunity to overturn a death penalty sentence and change to life in prison, or some sort of rehabilitation program. 

Side note here....I do think that jails and prisons are a disservice for the most part. Felons go in, they serve their time, and they are out. THEY ARE FELONS FOR A REASON. 

Today in court I heard a plea from an attorney to overturn a decision because her client really needed assistance. Mental health assistance to turn from the way of life she was living. I get this. I think there should be mandatory rehabilitation programs for inmates. It may sound like we are helping those who don't deserve it, but if a bit more money could go into programs on the front in, maybe the rate of recidivism would drastically decrease, hence...less crimes.

Anyway that's a huge tangent. As I was looking into executions (which may I say none of the executions this year have been from Tennessee), I found an application to be a witness to an execution. Now I understand that families of both the inmate, and of the victim would generally wish to be present for closure...but just randoms...to watch someone die? That seems a bit morbid, no?

Bucket list....go to Ireland....go skydiving....play the drums...watch an execution....really???? Maybe it's just me, but does that not go against everything kosher there is? Why would anyone WANT to do that? 

I do believe we live in a violent culture. Not necessarily more so than the past. It is more in public's eyes now, and I think to a certain extent there is a glamorization of violence that hasn't necessarily been there before. How does executions help de-glamorize violence? Oh...you killed someone...that's wrong...lets kill you... hmm. 

Ok, so lets black and white it. Here's my stance on it. I'm on the fence. Surprise surprise. I understand the arguments for and against both execution and life in prison. I would be completely against executions if there was not a jury to convict, and an appeal process, and a chance to flip that decision with time. I understand the cause and effect. The quid pro quo, however, I'm not sure I would want to give up the opportunity to make the perpetrator uncomfortable every time I could. To make them wonder if they ever did make it out of prison would they have to look over their shoulder constantly. 

Executions are closure though, no doubt, and people who have that much forgiveness to make grand statements that though someone may have killed someone close to them, that they don't want the same to happen to them have my utmost respect and they will have a mansion one day as I happily sweep out my shack, because I'm positive I don't have that level of forgiveness. 

P.S. Just as a reminder...I do not wish to be invited to anyone's necktie party.