Capital Punishment

[Winstonm]

....take a couple of examples... imagine a 16 year old who steals a candy bar from the local store... across town another 16 year old robs and kills the clerk in a local store

 

how would you categorize those acts?

 

First question that hit me was: why do they need to be categorized?

 

MikeH, especially, due to his legal training, might want to correct me here but I am under the impression that the concept of justice is reparation - a restoring to the prvious state, if possible.

 

You ask for a categorization and I say fine - the are both crimes; however, the reparations are different with each crime.

 

Let's look at the first example - the cancy bar thief. Now, according to my understanding of justice a return of the candy bar intact to the rightful owner or the payment of an amount equal to the value of the stolen good and some type of settlement for the hardship placed upon the non-offending party or on soceity should equal justice . Return the candy bar and 1 day of community service, for example - by cleaning the store robbed.

 

Simple crime; simple justice.

 

Case two becomes more complex - the restoration becomes harder to determine.

Justice is more difficult to guage.

 

So betwen case A and case B, the only difference is the degree of reparation.

 

Now, if you are looking to categorize as to degree of morality - then you are asking for a judgement. I would say that the degree of reparation should answer that question, that B is considered the more serious crime.

 

What point does that make?

[luke warm]

....take a couple of examples... imagine a 16 year old who steals a candy bar from the local store... across town another 16 year old robs and kills the clerk in a local store

 

how would you categorize those acts?

 

First question that hit me was: why do they need to be categorized?

in order to find terms or words he would be more comfortable with rather than good or evil... that's all