We do tend to treat prisoners and felons in a much better way now than centuries ago.  I was watching a documentary the other night about how we used to pack ‘criminals’ off to Australia and other far flung spots for the most most rediculous things.   There were no lawyers to represent the poor man or woman.  No one to actually look at the social consequences of the grinding poverty and inability of the lower classes to claw their way out of their unjustly miserable lives.  Today we do it better.  When someone is apprehended after enough evidence has been collected, they’re cautioned and charged, at this point legal assistance is sought for their court appearance.  If it’s a really serious offence, high court with prosecution and defence teams fight the case in front of a jury of 12 unbiased men and women who effectively decide guilty or not guilty.   So much fairer.