Poll: Is it better to let a criminal go free, or to let an innocent get convicted?

[BreakfastMan]

The question is pretty self explanatory: is it more acceptable for a criminal to go free, or to let an innocent get convicted? Basically, is someone innocent until proven guilty, or guilty until proven innocent? What do you think, members of the Escapist?

 

[PunkyMcGee]

Innocent until proven guilty. It is what modern society is based on.

 

[Lionsfan]

There is no reason why an innocent man should be convicted unjustly. Innocent until proven guilty

 

[jakko12345]

let the criminal go free, then kick the shit out of him/her

 

[C95J]

I would go for the criminal going free, I just can't imagine what it would feel like to KNOW you are innocent, but still go to jail for 20 years, that would be horrible beyond belief.

 

[Sonicron]

Innocent until proven guilty. The very foundation of the entire legal system.

 

[cthulhumythos]

huh. i'm the first to say letting the innocent get convicted is better.

guess i'm terrible person.

 

[0mn1p0t3ntg6y]

innocent until proven guilty. even cops say that its better criminals go free than not follow the constitution or whatever that's from.

 

[MoNKeyYy]

huh. i'm the first to say letting the innocent get convicted is better.

guess i'm terrible person.

No, just a nazi =P

OT: I think that its better to let a criminal free. A criminal with a second chance has the choice to reform and benefit society or blow it one more time and end up imprisoned anyways. An innocent man has no choice.

 

[Blueruler182]

I vote the Punisher route. Innocent until made dead.

 

[cthulhumythos]

huh. i'm the first to say letting the innocent get convicted is better.

guess i'm terrible person.

No, just a nazi =P

OT: I think that its better to let a criminal free. A criminal with a second chance has the choice to reform and benefit society or blow it one more time and end up imprisoned anyways. An innocent man has no choice.

well, my reasoning is, let out a murderer, and he can go kill more innocent people.

put in an innocent, and you lose one innocent.

letting out a criminal is just more risky.

 

[Living Contradiction]

A criminal can be caught a second time. Convict the innocent and you make everyone a criminal because even if we don't break the law, we are still ruined.

 

[BioHazardMan]

Innocent till proven guilty, anything else is bullshit.

 

[xHipaboo420x]

Both, simultaneously.

Then behead the proletariat and let the corpses eat cake.

 

[mad825]

Letting the criminal go free may promote vigilantism or a mob to from so that guy can be lynched..so...no, I would say it's the worst thing that could happen.

The other is rather subjective and would differ from case to case. In conclusion I choose neither (option #3).

 

[V8 Ninja]

Is that really much of a question? It's either let the criminal get away or put an innocent in court and then learn that they're innocent. It's either let people rob stores or convict a few innocents.

 

[Scabadus]

If it really was a one person case (or two people, mabey) of a criminal and an innocent in a room and I had to either send both to jail or let both free, I woud let both free. As said before, the criminal can always be caught again. In the real world legal system, however, you have to accept that mistakes will happen; criminals will have evidence against them dismissed or destroyed an likewise innocent people will be "proven" guilty to a certain jury. So the real question is: how many criminals do we let free before we convict an innocent? Too many and nobody goes to jail. Too few and everybody's locked up.

 

[GeorgW]

Better safe than sorry, let the criminals run loose!!

 

[Bocaj2000]

Is that really much of a question? It's either let the criminal get away or put an innocent in court and then learn that they're innocent. It's either let people rob stores or convict a few innocents.

Many innocents have gotten the death penalty. I would rather let an unknown criminal roam the streets than let an innocent man experience prison life (or possibly death).

 

[lacktheknack]

At least, if the criminal goes free, he might not do another crime.