"We the People" pay and delegate to government employees, the design and operation of systems of law and punishments, such that individuals don't have to worry about their personal safety.
Legislators, judges (even ignorant juries), and lawyers set the terms of keeping these horrific organisms in prison, or not.
They fail us over and over. And we seem to have little or no recourse. Our legislators are overruled by judges, if they try to solve problems with laws.