Quote:We do have a big imprisonment problem, and part of that is the for-profit prison systems and the war on drugs. however, only about 4% of executions are mistakes, and that number is likely to go down over time. 4% is still a lot of people, but it would be even lower is they only killed people in the most extreme cases.
Specifically, what percentage of innocent people executed by the State do you find acceptable?
A quick google informs me that there are about 3000 people in the US awaiting execution (the number fluctuates). Assuming your 4% figure is correct, then 120 innocent people are facing capital punishment. Would you be happy if it were 3% (90 people), 2% (60 people), or some smaller figure?
Let's go all the way to the low end and assume - since no system of justice can ever be made perfect - that only a single USian inmate is wrong executed. Would you support that system? After all, it's only one person who died for a crime they did not commit.
Boru
‘I can’t be having with this.’ - Esmeralda Weatherwax