Dead penalty by lethal injection is not a questionable decision, when victims of abuse, murder, rape, child negligence still over the table, I think (and it’s my personal opinion) that we have to be more sensitive to the way on which government use this type of punishment over a innocents persons without find enough evidence which prove the validation of use the lethal injection.

I agree with your assesment that we need to vent sometimes. The article I mentioned will help many understand why we feel and believe the way we do. It was an eye opener for me.I simply opined that I don’t spend much time on the frustration. I feel as all here have felt and feel. I revisit the article each time I feel this way and am challenged on my beliefs. I belief we are rightous and honorable in this proffession. I know the public in general won;‘t, doesn’t and can’t understand. But we are still there evryday looking for the rightous fight. (figurative). Combing the perimeter for the wolf, knowing the sheep doesn’t particularly care for us because we look so much like the wolf.(reference the article). I always will listen to one of us vent then offer consolation and encouragement. Then offer a prayer of grace and encouragement to be better each day. Our system is slow for a reason. We want to get things right not necisarily expedient. A case in point. # people recently released from the Nebraska penal system because the DNA cleared them of resposabilityfor a murder 26 years ago. The DNA was that of another person who was already in prison foer subsequent offenses. Had they been executed where would we stand today. I am all for execution of the guilty(libertarian) John Joubert was the one executed for the torture, rape and muder of two boys from 1984-85 in Nebraska. He recieved his due many years later. Work for the future, efefect change within the system and you can write to vent anytime. thanks for letting me be a part of you. R.P.Sharman II Classification Specialist, Omaha Nebraska

squeeze, thank you for the excellent response. And your advise is well heeded. I would however add that one of the hardest parts of this job is the lack of understanding from the outside world, including family, as well as with some fellow staff. The inability to “vent” your frustrations, is part of the problem many officers and staff suffer from… That is where many times a forum setting, allowing for modicum of anonymity, will let someone release some of that pent up anger, which in turn allows them to do the job, shall we say, with more profesionalism. Sometimes we just need an ear, someone to listen, who understands… Personally, when one of my peers chooses to complain about the system, I afford them the privelidge, as I know that if they don’t let this out it will affect their job, and ultimately mine. Although, as you pointed out, this can sometimes be a fine line, between releasing stress or creating more.

My reference is to the tone of the conversation. As insiders write these the tone is one of retribution and vengence that inundates our daily lives, affects our work and some take that home with them. We cannot in this forum affect the process to execute the guilty. As I read these I HEAR the frustration, anger, hatred vengence for taking innocent lives and destroying families. But to spend so much emotional energy to vent to each other only serves to denigrate us. Instead use that energy collectively to petition our representatives for changes. We change what we can and accept what we cannot. I as a former officer and currently classification specialist have seen to many staff members agonize over these issues to the point of adversly affecting how they interact with these people. I have personally been close to a family who lost a young boy to a child molester, torturer and murderer. We in this business are all warriors and we have a code that we have to be diligent to conduct ourselves by. Society (government) is the executioner. We nust keep ouselves separate from that. If we as human beings are upset with how the goverment carries out the execution then we petition the representatives to change. If the representatives don’t listen to us(courts) then we have to accept whart we can’t change. To xconstantly agonize serves no purpose.
Is it unfair? Yes!! Does the current conditions stink because they perps are treated so well. YES! Does it make us feel somehow powerless that the perps don’t “get theirs” . YES! Do I spend any more time agonizing over this ? NO!
If we really want to understand ourselves better read a piece by Lt. Col. David Grossman on “Sheep, Wolves and Sheepdogs”. We are in this together and we know we will not see a change anytime soon no matter who is running the government. The courts will not change anytime soon so lets get back to work, change what we can, release this anger and frustration by being the very best officers/staff we can be every day. We strive to be exceptional all the time and the rest will take care of itself. If what we think should happen occur, great.If not, we go on trying. Read that excerpt. We will understand us much better and be able to move on and past the frustration. I’m a sheepdog, a warrior and proud to be a part of such a unique and exclusive club of proffessionals as the people on this forum if you will keep me.

WHS…..you have hit the nail on the head and I think you should send this to every editorial department of every major newspaper b/c the general public has no idea what it is like behind the fences. I, too, have worked “inside” and it doesn’t take long to realize how decent inmates’ lives can be. I worked in GP and an admissions unit. Admissions status inmates can be some of the most difficult due to still withdrawing from drugs, hearing how they speak to their family via the telephones. Some inmates return when the weather gets cold, do six months, the hit the streets in the spring. Sad but true.
I believe the death penalty needs to be swift esp if DNA has proven guilt. I recently spoke w/someone who was of the mindset that those on DP need to sit there for life and think about what they did. She was dumbfounded when I said that they do not sit & think about what they did; that they are not civilized as we are therefore do not think like we do. As I spoke more of my experiences, how inmates are highly manipulative, entitlists who believe it’s their right to have tvs, a store, (which of course they have) etc., she became much more interested. She had no idea. Also explained that they’ve had 20+ yrs to read and learn and if smart would have learned that to help dehydrate the veins, just stop drinking. This in addition to genetically poor veins (I have family members w/this), & prior drug abuse could make injection nearly, if not, impossible.

I’m with you WHS. Help send them swiftly to the pearly gates for their judgment.

squeeze, No I don’t think this is what we have become… I think this is what we are. It’s not about vengance per se, but about retribution. When a person maliciously attacks and takes the life of an innocent person, the punishment should fit the crime, as society dicatates. In our society, we have the death penalty. The problem is not whether we have or don’t have, but in the implementation of. Society has dictated that certain crimes should carry the ultimate penalty – death. However, the lawyers and the judges have been able to misconstrue the meaning and hence, we have convicted felons, sentenced to the death penalty, that sit for upwards of 20 years… This is where the anger comes from, and is especially apparent from those of us who work within the walls of maximum security prison. We see daily the life of some of the convicts, see them laughing and realize that the punishment, whether it’s a year and a day or death, are not a deterent any more. It can be very frustrating, when our jobs are to uphold the laws, yet we see them being manipulated and abused on a daily basis. We get to listen to convicts laughing and getting fat, while the victims are the ones truly suffering… To know that this inmate raped and robbed or took a life, and now they get 3-hots, a warm bed, air conditioning, store, cable tv, and of course “their rights”. Yet the victims get what? They get to suffer, because society has allowed the laws to become mired in confusion and debate. So, if you want to leave it up to God… Then let’s do that… Let’s go ahead and send them on up to see Saint Peter at the pearly gates and be judged.

Is this what we have become. Looking for vengance at every opportunity. Does the method really matter or simply the fact that the person has lost everything they ever will be or have. Do we go to work each day thnking this person needs to be injected, shot or fried. Yes I sometimes momentarily have the thought, but I am able to overcome these horrid thoughts and do my job for which I have such a passion. Society and God will deal with them. By the way, been to an execution, my thioughts were for the families of the victims and the victim.28 years corrections, 3 prisons, 2 jails experience.

Is this what we have become. Looking for vengance at every opportunity. Does the method really matter or simply the fact that the person has lost everything they ever will be or have. Do we go to work each day thnking this person needs to be injected, shot or fried. Yes I sometimes momentarily have the thought, but I am able to overcome these horrid thoughts and do my job for which I have such a passion. Society and God will deal with them. By the way, been to an execution, my thioughts were for the families of the victims and the victim.28 years corrections, 3 prisons, 2 jails experience.

Of course it’s cruel and unusual… Nobody wants to die that way, to be put down like an animal, to feel pain, or discomfort or somehow have to experience apprehension, or God forbid remorse. Yes, it is cruel and unusual and the only problem with it, it takes to dam long to get it done.

The slimballs sentenced to death, didn’t care about cruel and unsual punishment when they destroyed their victims and the families. I say, eliminate them just as they eliminated the victims. Let the victims families take part in the execution and, let Justice be Served!

The slimballs sentenced to death, didn’t care about cruel and unsual punishment when they destroyed their victims and the families. I say, eliminate them just as they eliminated the victims. Let the victims families take part in the execution and, let Justice be Served!

Death row as it stand now takes 20 years to fulfull a sentence. Give them 1 appeal with a 30 day decision limit and then proceed with the sentence. These sick SOB’s need to feel the same terror and pain that they gave their victim! I am tired of my tax money being spent on them! 30 days and out!

The death penalty is given only to the criminals who killed their victims in a most violent,heinous manner.The innocent victims suffered a lot of pain before dying.I believe that lethal injection is too mellow.The criminal should die in a very slow and torturous death.

I hear it goes nice with some fava beans and a nice chianti…

lmao! Yeah i’m not big on dining that way, and I agree on the premise of killing them the way they killed their victims. In reality though, who would carry out these horrific tasks. I think a firing line is the best way. Its not quick or easy on the person.

Trey, I used to agree to kill them the way they killed their victims. Then Jeffery Dahmer came along and changed my thoughts on that one…

Cruel & Unusual is the way these guys get to sit for years with all these B.S. appeals. And then want to cry that a little poke in the arm is cruel and unusual. I agree go back to public executions, it is a definite deterrant, and the as far as the lethal injection being “too painful” go back to the guillotine, they won’t feel a thing…

as long as they die a miserable long death. kill them the exact way they killed their victims…see how it feels….see what you put so many people through. we should all be able to watch if we want just like the old hanging in the court yard. make an example of them.

I don’t believe the lethal injection is cruel, but i do agree with it being unusual. I think that its unusual for something to be called the death penalty, yet it doesn’t seem like an agonizing way to punish someone. The electric chair was more scary and painful. Personally, if I was a victim I wouldn’t want my attacker to receive the death penalty. I would rather for them to spend life in prison. Maybe in a straight jacket with soft walls, without food and water 3 days out of the week. I’ll perfer for them to be miserable for the rest of their life instead of being “put to rest”

ecso11, I’m with you

i think the offenders should be killed the exact same way that they killed their victim or victims. that wouldnt be cruel

A couple of years ago we had to put down our loved english shepard, Beth. I find it shamefull and insulting that some babyraper should go down in the same manner as Beth. I think they should hang. Even if the hanging is botched, the whole purpous is for him to die like the filth he is.

Indiana has lethal injection, as most death penalty states do. The offender is asleep before they inject the toxin. It’s no worse than putting an animal down. If the courts say it in cruel and unusual, then “Sparky” the family pet deserves the same ruling!