http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-execute10oct10,1,1277691.story?coll=la-headlines-nation

This year, Oklahoma and South Carolina passed laws allowing the death penalty for the rape of a child. Execution is also an option for offenders who commit certain sex crimes against children in Montana and Louisiana.

the artilce raises some really good questions

Critics say that if child sex crimes are a capital offense, victims might be reluctant to report abuse because the offenders often are family members. "If you've got a father or brother or uncle molesting a young person, a lot of people aren't going to turn them in if it means they'll be sent to jail or put to death,"

Another concern is that the measures might give assailants an incentive to kill the victim. "If the penalty for murder and molestation is the same, why not go ahead and kill the only witness to the event?"

Unfortunately, laws do not change behavior, they simply reflect a despereate atempt on the part of society to deal with a serious problem. No person performs a criminal act thinking they are going to get caught. If someone rapes a child, it is obvious that they have to be separated from society, but it seems to me that a death penalty is not the answer. It is not a deterrant, it does not save money since execution costs more than incarceration. All of us create our world in our mind, and mental health dictates how we view that world. People who are mentally sick have a distorted world view. If we even hope to make a dent in crime, then we have to have a more sane society in which children can grow up in. A sick society produces sick children who grow up to be sick adults. We are all to blame by either contributing or allowing the deterioration of the world we share.

I agree with you Chuck. I also find it really alarming to see governments using the ultimate form of control, for an increasing number of crimes. Its a seriously flawed and ill fated method of "cleansing" society.

Fully agree with the above posts. Well said.

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The last of all freedoms is the ability to choose one's attitude in a given set of circumstances.
G. W. Allport.

I agree also CET,,, only problem is to me, not just here but,,, all over the world ,,, the mind set is getting sicker mentally,,,,and no one seems to want to really put money in mental health ... obviously... in all area's of life today.

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squirell : I worry too that if it comes right down to that then what is to prevent the rapist from killing the child ?? Seems to me that more rapes would turn into murders and that is horrible.

In what relates to me, I completely for the death penalty towards these ruined which makes evil with the children, these people are incurable and does not deserve to live! I am mom, then if you also you have children imagine only one second if degenerate made him evil.

Texas is talking about the same law,,,,, impressive topic to get voters emotions up and score points .... sad,,,,,,I understand how parents will back this ,,,but, in all rational,,,,,,,,,,,,,the whole of society has to stop going with maddness to cure maddness,,,, and get real solutions on the table with the reality check of what is really going on ?????????????????????????? in our society ?????????????????????????????/

I don't favor the death penalty for anyone, no matter what there crime. You don't have to be a parent to feel the deep emotional pain this topic causes. As we know any child molester who goes to jail is essentially living on borrowed time anyway given their status in the pecking order. As I've said before and will many times in the future, the justice system is about revenge, and not about justice. I would have no pity on anyone who molested my niece or nephews, but would not wish death upon them. You don't kill a cancer patient, why kill someone with a mental illness?

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Raingods with Zippo's, a tin man rusts away and slowly falls apart,
Raingods with Zippo's and all he leaves behind a bleeding broken heart.
-Fish-

Afflicted to say that to you raingod but cancer is a curable disease contrary to the sexual psychoses, this kind of résidive patient always!