Re: Bad idea: Punishing false accusers

"Waldo Weaver" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> skrev i melding
news:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> This has cropped up in a few places, but I'm going to start a new
> thread. Personally, I think false accusation is a disgusting crime,
> and the women who do it are common criminals, but I don't think
> stiffening the punishment for  false accusation is the answer. Here's
> why. Suppose we make false accusation a serious felony, with a jail
> term of, say, 8 to 15 years. I take it this will have  two effects:
>  1) Few women will recant, so more innocent men will go  through
> trials,  and go to and stay in prison.

In how many cases of false accusations were charges dropped as false because
the accuser recanted? And in how many cases were the accusations disproved
by other means? That ratio should mean something; if recanting is the reason
in the majority of cases, you might be right.

TF