Sorry, must have missed it!
Here is my previous post, with question:
I forgot to ask, but I'm curious about that... do you know, how often the victim/victims' family forgive the offender?
That's the theory, that they can forgive him... but how the reality of that looks like?
It happens frequently.
Personal Example, My dad's friend's kid got run over by a young guy who was speeding in the neighborhood street. The kid was just out retreiving a football. The young guy was devistated. According to the law, the guy is responsible because he was speeding and didn't even have his headlights on. The punishment isn't the death penalty since it was accidental, but the offender, under law, has to serve time, and pay "blood-money" to the family.
The father dropped all charges and didn't pick up a dime (He wasn't really wealthy either).
Mostly happens in accidental cases, but rareley in cold blooded intentional murder. (Not that ther are many murders there in SA anyways).
And one more thingL you said: prison, when they forgive the offender... for how long do they go to prison?
If an accident, not long at all. usually till all the court stuff is cleared out. Maybe I should have said confinment instead of "prison."
Families usually only forgive when they honestly feel that that person is no threat to society.
Appon thinking about this, I realize that the rules are much more complex. Now I need to read up on what's in Islamic law, and what variation/interpretations are practiced in many differnet countries. :stress:
I hope that simplistic explanation helped though.