Inmates and Drugs

Nicole D'Agostino

I personally feel it is hard for me to make a distinct decision on whether or not mandatory life sentencing is a responsible and moral replacement for the death penalty. The reason I say this, is for me I have to weigh the entire extent of the crime that occurred, the laws which are in place as far as the consequence for the crime in which the offender commits. I also must look at from a religious stand point if you will as far as "What would God do"? For me those two things are key factors in which I take into strong consideration. When you look a an offender who committed a heinous crime of murder of one individual or multiple individuals , I feel that he or she should not be given a mandatory life - sentence if the law states that they are punishable by the death penalty. Those particular states that implement the death penalty need to enforce it. You find the states that have the law of the death penalty are the states with the highest inmates in prison on death row if you will and have followed through on a few death penalty sentences. By allowing these offenders to sit in jail it is causing taxpayers a lot of money because the prisons are becoming too full and over populated.

Now the offender who is a repeat offender of a crime that did not result in murder, I feel should receive a mandatory life- sentence and with the possible option of parole, depending on the rehabilitation process. If the inmate has served his or her sentence and has went through several rehabilitation programs within the prison to help them reconnect with society then they should be eligible for parole. But if you are an inmate who is in constant trouble and not looking to change then you will stay and serve your mandatory life sentence. I feel you have got to want to change for the better and there are no excuses as to why you can't.

In regards to the moral question I ask "What would God do"? In these particular crimes that are committed Is that I look at like this yes we have a justice system , and yes laws are in place for everyone to follow . But we as a society we seem to forget that everything is done according to God's will, and when the inmate dies and is standing there on judgment day they will have to give an account for every lie, the murder in which they committed. So to me it doesn't make a difference if we kill them or allow them to live and rot in prison, they will still be held accountable for their actions and so will the individuals who enforce the law. For everything that is done there is and always will be a consequence. Our legal system must use their authority and judgment wisely and in a positive manner.

It can be said that I do not think that there is any distinction between mandatory life-sentencing as far as it being reasonable and a moral replace for death penalty.