[Buddha-l] food for thought re: prison and sexual predators/murderers

[Elihu Smith]

Here is a current news article which points out some
of the issues of public safety vs individual human
rights for all to contemplate. The full story is on
the 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4756435.stm:

"A sex attacker who killed a mother-of-one while on
licence from a life sentence was "too dangerous" to be
released, a watchdog has said. Anthony Rice, 48, was
freed nine months before he stabbed Naomi Bryant in
her home in Winchester in August last year. 

Rice had been given a 10-year minimum term in 1989 for
attempted rape.

Two parole requests were turned down before he was
released in November 2004 having served 16 years.

The Parole Board concluded he presented only a
"minimal risk"...

Mr Bridges said prison and other officials were
side-tracked by considering Rice's human rights above
their duties to the public.

In 2001 a decision by the Parole Board to move him to
an open prison, created a "momentum towards release".

And the board's final decision to free him "gave
insufficient weight to the underlying nature of his
risk of harm to others".

But the board had received "over optimistic" reports
of Rice's progress under treatment and did not have a
full picture of his previous crimes.

Rice strangled Ms Bryant, 40, and stabbed her to death
only days after they had met. "

So, in this real world of Buddha Dharma - what are the
choices which are compassionate and alleviate
suffering for all?

Elihu