Innocent until proven guilty

CSI, NCIS, True Detective, Criminal Minds, the Closer ...these days you can tune in on any channel to watch a crimes series on tv. I admit I'm one of those people who like to solve a murder from the sofa. Over the last weeks I have caught and put away burglars, sex offenders, arsonists and drug dealers. And it feels good every time. As if it were true. 

Unfortunately there is some truth behind all this drama. Crime rates in the US are skyhigh. On www.crimereports.com you can get an overview of the kind of crimes have been reported in your neighbourhood. Spooky! I'm reliefed I live in safe rural Norway and only have to worry about my daily TV crimes. 

It got me wondering about the death penalty, so I browsed through the fact sheets on www.deathpenaltyinfo.org . Did you know that the death penalty is a legal punishment in 31 states!! Really, I thought we had moved on to more humane solutions. In January 2016 a total of 2,943 people were on death row. Only a few of them are women and there are slightly more white men than coloured people awaiting their execution. 

In 3 days from now, on April 6, Pablo Vasquez will be executed in Texas. What horrifying news!What if it turns out that he didn't commit that crime after all?! You say you rely on the jury and judges? Well, since 1973 more than 150 people have been cleared and released from death row in time. Just think of all those for who the evidence came too late. I'm in favour for life imprisonment - it's cheaper too! 

What do you think? Are you for or against capital punishment? Write your opinion in week 14.