Anthracite – Given that all of those countries (yep, even Nigeria at regional level) operate a form of Islamic Law, the liklihood of it being potentially “misleading” – ie legal similarity with the US - escaped my radar. But let me put it another way: Of all the countries of the world not relying on a harsh interpretation of Islamic Law, the US is the only one that permits the execution of juveniles.
However, and FTR, the law in the US has recently changed so that mentally unwell people can no longer be executed – which is obviously a positive (not in an AC/DC way…obviously,). Change is possible.
Addressing your particular point as I only can (ie. from a personal perspective), I’d hope keeping such company would, at least, set the alarms bells off for me – not particularly because of the company we’d be keeping (per se), but rather with whom (my) country was not keeping company: One can identify many common themes in the laws of both Common and Roman Law jurisdictions that reflect the ethical and moral values of Christianity and/or a common cultural heritage which is not shared (so widely) with those countries practicing Islamic Law: For example, the relationship between the English and US Common Law can be easily traced to those of the US Founding Fathers who were English and/or English trained lawyers.
In short; a common religious heritage, a common cultural heritage and a common legal heritage. Ditto Australia, Canada, NZ and a brace of other jurisdictions around the world, none of who have the death sentence let alone including juveniles.
With mainland Europe ‘we’ also share much and, although Roman Law tends to paint broader brushes than does the more precise English Common Law, there is also much in the way of shared values.
Thus, the US, on this issue, is outside the ‘fold’. That would be fine (for me) without the nagging concern that comes from believing that there aren’t a whole lot of educated, middle-class juveniles either on Death Row or dead by execution – Juvenile Death Row, as best I understand, is the preserve of the disenfranchised: Poorly educated, poorly housed, poorly raised, drug, taking, opportunity bereft… certainly from what I would consider (to be) a mainstream European perspective (generic social-democrat-ish), these guys were already looking for ways to escape their lives long before they found their way to Death Row.
Those two factors/sensibilities then combine with what I also consider to be a commonly held belief - that, at 17, ‘we’ (particularly young men (nb. still emerging educational data)) are still some way from achieving/acquiring fully developed maturity: Yep, they do know right from wrong but they don’t always yet know how to handle what life has thrown at them because they are not mature enough - lots of leeway there for emotional reaction…I’m talking about posters, not the juveniles…
But sure, ultimately, it’s all a personal judgement and individual philosophy; You’re, presumably, influenced by your experiences and culture, as am I.
BTW minty If any comparison is made, I wouldn’t, for very obvious reasons, compare the US judicial system with an Islamic Code, but would instinctively lean to a comparison between the quality of representation possible from an over-busy public defenders office in downtown Texas pre-original trial vs. a privately funded defence. But not having experienced either environment, I’d be guessing.
) that are less than, um, good?
