On August 26th Dr. George Kain, PhD was our guest speaker and he was joined by his wife Marilyn Kain.  Dr. Kain is a candidate for the Permanent Diaconate for our diocese.  He is an Associate Professor of Justice and Law Administration at Western Connecticut State University and is also Police Commisioner for the Town of Ridgefield.  He began his career in law enforcement as a probation officer.  From that experience and his interest in learning, he continued to advance his education, eventually earning his doctorate and became an academic.  In addition to teaching he continues his involvement with the criminal justice system by visiting inmates and counseling law enforcement officers.  He commented about the emotional and physical toll working in criminal justice takes on its officers leading many to chemical and alcohol abuse that cause broken marriages. 

He explained that initially he had supported capital punishment and supported the arguments that it kept officers safe, it was a deterrent to violent crime and that it saved the cost of incarceration.   But, his views changed after studying its affects on the officers working in the system, discovering that too frequently the innocent people were convicted (and executed).  It is not a deterrent only one in three killers are convicted.  It does not reduce costs.  Studies show that the cost to the states of defending appeals to delay and overturn convictions is ten times more costly than incarceration.  Florida's cost of incarcerating death row convicts is $1 million per week. Capital punishment also removes the chance for redemption.  He shared the axiom that is sometimes used to comment on the experience of those with lesser means have had with the justice system, "Those without the capital get the punishment." 

He also pointed out the inhumane conditions in which death row inmates are kept.  Florida's facility was used as an example.  It is built of steel and has no air conditioning.  Dr. Kain believes the money spent on death row facilities and legal defenses would be better spent on training prisoners and for training programs that improve law enforcement officer safety.

He shared with us some very touching and personal stories about how his change came about.  He studied all facets of the issue.  Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall's opinion for the Supreme Court case of Herman vs. Georgia that overturned capital punishment in the US was particularly influential in forming Dr. Kain's opinion.  The opinion written by Justice Marshall is now referred to as the Marshall Hypothesis of 1972.  In it he wrote, "It is about the truth.  If people knew the truth about capital punishment, they would never be able to support it." Justice Marshall hypothesized the risks of capital punishment: 1) executing innocent people, 2) class and racial discrimination and 3) capital punishment destroys the integrity of the criminal justice system.

As an alternative to capital punishment, some suggest life in prison without parole, Dr. Kain said.  But, he disagrees with that view, because it removes the element of hope from a convict's future.  Without hope, he believes, there is little chance for redemption.  As a Christian nation and as Catholics how can we support capital punishment? He asked.  We should be concerned about the redemption of the convict's soul not just the punishment.