[charlesdm]

It is, I'm not saying it's not. But the other person is dead and gone forever? Imagine if someone killed your wife/child/brother/mother/etc. Does that seem like a correct punishment?

I'm not talking about accidents (e.g. a car crash), but premeditated murder? I personally think the length of that punishment is not in line with the crime. But hey, I'm getting downvoted to hell, so I guess most people think it is.

[deadbunny]

> Does that seem like a correct punishment?

Prison isn't meant as a punishment in Norway, it is for rehabilitation of the person. People would rather they helped even the worst of people become members of society than let them rot in a cell for "punishment".

Did being sent to the naughty step when you were a kid solve your behavior or was it becoming a better person that solved it?

[charlesdm]

> Did being sent to the naughty step when you were a kid solve your behavior or was it becoming a better person that solved it?

You can't really compare that though. In 99% of the cases, I agree with what you say and with that line of thought. I just don't when it comes to murder. To me, that seems like the worst of all possible crimes.

[adwn]

> I personally think the length of that punishment is not in line with the crime. But hey, I'm getting downvoted to hell, so I guess most people think it is.

You're getting downvoted because you treat imprisonment as vengeance, as paying back a debt that is owed to the victim's family.

The more reasonable approach is to use imprisonment as a tool which prevents future crimes by the perpetrator and other potential criminals (through rehabilitation and deterrence). This yields better results and higher benefits to society as a whole, even if it might not be as emotionally satisfying to the victim's family.

[Thriptic]

I agree that if we can fix the underlying problems causing crime using rehabilitation then we should. There is no question that we have a problem with repeat offender criminals in places like the United States where prison is solely punishment. With that being said, I think it's important both from a moral standpoint (the state exists to protect individuals and their freedoms in my opinion) and also a practical law and order standpoint that victims feel the state has made them whole after a crime is perpetrated against them. Otherwise you increase the probability of extra judicial retaliations.

[charlesdm]

For most crimes, I definitely agree that imprisonment should be a tool to prevent further crime. In most cases, genuinely punishing someone for (stupid) mistakes (s)he has made is unproductive for society. But murder seems like a very specific situation (to me at least) where someone has crossed the line. Can one really come back from murder?

Would you be comfortable spending time with someone you know who has cold-bloodedly killed another human being? I know I wouldn't. And I'm generally a person who is pretty open about most things.

[lagadu]

> Can one really come back from murder?

We pay people to go murder other people and are fine with it. We call them soldiers and sometimes policemen too. Turns out that most people who kill someone else are able to come back more often than not well enough to be able to live in society, although PTSD is a well-known consequence for it.

[lisivka]

Soldiers are not paid for murder, they are shot for murder. Check army statute.

[pgeorgi]

> Imagine if someone killed your wife/child/brother/mother/etc. Does that seem like a correct punishment?

Does that matter at all? I mean - no matter the punishment, the victim is dead, and nothing will bring them back.

So yes, lock them up: as minor deterrent (penal codes aren't very effective in that regard, if not even the death penalty prevents murder); to protect society; to give some standardized environment to hopefully correct the perpetrator so that they'll rediscover their humanity; and maybe for some sort of punishment (but that's really an afterthought, because as said, what does it matter?).

But (I hope) I'd refuse to let them also take my humanity (in addition to the life they took).

[Scarblac]

But the other person is dead regardless of the length of your sentence. No matter how harsh the punishment, he's not coming back. So I don't get that argument.