I had that conversation with a friend yesterday, talking about jury duty and the death penalty. She said she thought she could decide for it but if she was faced with the choice for real, she wasn't so sure. I said I was against it, on principle, and it made my decision easier. Talking about Burke, I don't remember in which book he had a passage about prison. What he said stuck with me. He said (I'm not quoting exactly), people aren't locked up for punishment, retribution or rehabbing. They're locked up because society cannot let them live among other people for its survival or protection. So it's putting the problem away, separation. Burke is a most sensible man. I wish everyone in the justice system was as sensible.
Yeah, even if you disagree with him, you get the sense he approaches things with both compassion and a sense of responsibility. He's also keenly aware and ahead on systemic unfairness in the justice system.
Burke has a nice touch with dialogue. Let's each character's voice do the work. No extra baggage.
Exactly--it's not preachy, and it's not even that Robicheaux is exactly proven 'right' in the context of the book. Masterful social commentary.
I had that conversation with a friend yesterday, talking about jury duty and the death penalty. She said she thought she could decide for it but if she was faced with the choice for real, she wasn't so sure. I said I was against it, on principle, and it made my decision easier. Talking about Burke, I don't remember in which book he had a passage about prison. What he said stuck with me. He said (I'm not quoting exactly), people aren't locked up for punishment, retribution or rehabbing. They're locked up because society cannot let them live among other people for its survival or protection. So it's putting the problem away, separation. Burke is a most sensible man. I wish everyone in the justice system was as sensible.
Yeah, even if you disagree with him, you get the sense he approaches things with both compassion and a sense of responsibility. He's also keenly aware and ahead on systemic unfairness in the justice system.