Reply #96: So many people act like 20 years in prison is an easy sentence [View All]

I can only assume they've never been to a maximum security prison.

I don't have any moral position against the death penalty as such but there is far too much margin for error particularly if the accused is poor.

It's also completely and totally useless as a deterent.

People also often think because they've heard of a murderer who "got off" after 10 years that that is the norm, every crime unfortunately needs to be taken on a case by case basis, otherwise the person who kills the husband that's beaten them for 20 years gets the same sentance as the man who kills his wife for leaving him (oops where I'm from the woman would still get a longer sentence...way off topic there but a bit of a sore point with me, see "provocation" defence)

Once someon leaves prison their sentence isn't actually over - almost impossible getting a job with a serious criminal record, family and friends, even if they want to know you have moved on, so has life in general.

Seriously 10-20 years in a maximum security prison isn't a "let off"