Jumping in here (from a long hiatus) to point out the European system is amongst the most 'pro-defendant' in the world. On this side of the pond, our prisons tend to be more posh - with a requirement that inmates must have several choices for meals (sometimes 5 a day), with restrictions due to religious and dietary needs strictly adhered to. Here, life sentences have been ruled as inhumane by the European Court of Human Rights and, as such, banned in some countries already. Here, defendants sometimes remain unnamed to protect their rights and their victim's identity; reduced pre-trial publicity to ensure a defendant's right to a fair trial; televised court proceedings only in recent years and those under strict guidelines - like not recording witnesses or the defendant. Here, mothers convicted can apply to take a child under 18 months to a special prison facility to serve their sentence with their child; here, some inmates are allowed unrestricted access to televisions, games consoles, and gyms; and here, you can theoretically commit a heinous crime at 15, serve 3 or 4 years, and be granted anonymity, relocation, and new identity upon release. Here, special rules apply to those of us who wish to discuss true crime cases - so as not to endanger the defendant's rights to a fair trial. More often than not, you'll see 'comments closed' on news articles concerning a defendant that hasn't been convicted or acquitted because of the laws here.
Not for the first time...nor the last...I will lament, as an American, that Europe is much more pro-defendant than pro-victim. MOO
