They receive mail. They get cooked meals. This sounds like something I could handle. It almost seems like a luxury. State police and crime statistics show that state murder and rape rates have risen since 1997.
Some people choose to blame the court system.
Still others blame the defense lawyers. Some think it is just a matter of time before we start killing the inmates like flies, snuffing them out like a giant fly swatter. Warrants are being signed, but prisoners are not dying. Governor Ridge says he is frustrated by the delays, but he expects that changes in the law will shorten the appeals process and allow executions to go on in the future. This is a scary thought.