The death penalty: are you for or against?

How is it cruel, and how is it unusual, if I may ask?

It is cruel, because, like some other's have said, it is murder, cold, killer's-in-suits murder. In Saudi Arabia, as most of you know, criminals are given tough conditions, and harsher than in the United States, theft, for example, you would be walking around the rest of your life without a hand, anything else other than that, your dead, that is no diffrent than the death sentence here in the United States. And to answer your question about it being unusual, it is unusual because, like i have said, it is publicly and governmentally legalized murder. No more, no less.

 

I'm aginst the death penalty. I'm aginst it because for some murders it's a way out of jail. I rather have murders rot in jail. Life in prison is far better than the death penalty.

 

Not to mention sometimes innocent people are executed.

 

Did i kill this thread?

 

Ok, hmm, I don't think I've posted here before, but um, since you think you killed it, I'll try to revive it.

So here's a question I am wondering about. I know some people are against the death penalty because they worry innocent people may be executed. So I have a question for discussion: for those of you against it for this reason, would you find it acceptable if there was some way to guarantee only the truly guilty were executed?

 

No, because the DP will still be ineffective from a deterrant standpoint.

Wasn't the DP banned a while ago, then reinstated in 1976? How has crime rates changed since then?

 

I am for the death penalty, however, we need to have a better way to be sure people we execute rightfully deserve it. It makes me very angry when an innocent person is executed for bad evidence.

 

Exactly. Yet another reason why DP sucks.

Hey, I'd give it more support if it'd do its job: deterrance. But does it? Nooo....

Anyway, does anyone have stats regarding crime rates before and after 1976? Otherwise I might actually have to do the research myself.

 

i'm for it if the case is rock solid.
child molesters need it.

 

Every study I've ever seen says that pedophiles are unreformable. Fry the bastards. They don't deserve to breathe the same air as the rest of us after what they've done.

 

Can you feel the love??

Pedophiles are mentally ill. Would you execute every person that was mentally ill?? The best thing for pedophiles is for them to recieve regular physchological treatment and to be watched over. They can be productive members of society. There is such a thing as pedophiles that never ever act out on their desires.

 

I'm against the Death penalty...


Lock em up, a la Count of Monte Cristo...

 

Why "save" all of the "mentally ill" people and KILL all of the sane folks? Not very logical to me. I'm all for executing the mentally ill and mentally retarded. Like the police say "Ignorance of the law is NOT an excuse." Interestingly, almost 90% of "insanity" pleas are shot down in court.

One's "imparment" does not alieviate them from their responsiblity in a horrible act IMO. If a convicted murderer is truly mentally ill, sit him in the chair, tell him it's a ride, then flip the switch.

 

Your all heart !

Answer me this. Would you execute ALL pedophiles, even the ones (and they do exist!) that know their desires are wrong and would never act out on them? It's better to be safe than sorry, right?

Let's take it another step further and execute anybody who is mentally ill. Let's execute the retarded. Why take the risks of letting these people live in our society??

Let's execute homosexuals too. Some people in power think they're mentally ill. So why not?

Fry the bastards.

 

Actually, I don't think that anyone should be "fried". Jailed in solitary confinement without parole for life, yes.

As for the mentally ill or retarded, I'm not so sure. But I think that if they're incapable of even learning and understanding the law, they should not face the capital punishment (not necessarily DP, could be life in jail if DP is outlawed).

And homosexuals on a whole are not mentally ill or retarded.

 

How do you know?? Anyway, i wasn't being serious.

We have no right to take anothers life against their will. It's strange that the Death Penalty is legal but Euthanasia is not in America. Very strange.

 

How about for safity? What if a person (and this is a big if) simply keeps getting out of jail? Or will never reform and is a threat to society despite being in jail? Now, this would make the DP something very rare indead, but it is still a possiblity, especally if they in one way or another have shown to be incurable.

Also, is there anyone who thinks that it is more crule to let them live in a cell for life instead of quickly and painlessly ending it? No one has told anyone why life is so important, especally the lives that are in question.

 

The right to life is the most basic and fundamental right. You take that away, and what do you have? A government that decides who gets to live and who gets to die.

It certainly is cruel to lock someone up in a cell for their entire life. But what else can we do? Besides, we make sure prisoners have plenty of facilities. Some would argue that prisoners don't deserve these facilities. Some would argue that they simply need those facilities. In a way, i suppose, they're right. Prisoners have a right to know whats going on in the outside world. They have a right to sleep in a cell they won't freeze to death in. But cable tv, pool tables, playstations... prisoners don't need those things.

Hannibal Lecter, Micheal Myers, and Freddy Kroeger don't exist. There is no real need for the Death Penalty because if there was an escaped convict that posed a direct threat he would be killed on sight anyway.

 

I'm against it. The poor often have weak, court-appointed attorneys, which can lead to innocents being executed; it is not a deterrent; it doesn't save money or space - in fact, it probably costs more because of the publicity and special attention that an execution requires; it is barbaric and makes those who use it nearly as bad as the murderer; it is no better than life without parole, and can be an easy exit for a murderer - after all, you could show someone in jail for life the Star Wars: Holiday Special (or something just as bad) every day in jail (nah, that would be cruel and unusual); it is CLEARLY cruel and unusual punishment.

Also, how sick do you have to be to dress up very nicely, act civil and calm, and decide with 11 other people that hey - this person needs to die! See the movie "Conspiracy" for what I mean, except on a much larger and more horrific scale.

 

Actually I feel a life sentence is more cruel than DP. And that it's the reason why the most gruesome criminals shouldn't be put to death...

 

I'm for the death penalty, but as Tupolov said, I'm not for using it when too many innocents are accused.

The fact that so many innocents are on death row is not a problem with the death penalty, but the system that administrates it. If the system can't do a good job, then I agree that the death penalty shouldn't be used.

Personally I feel the death penalty should be used in extreme cases. Here in Illinois, a man on death row was found to be innocent. He had killed one man, but the jury had sentenced him to death. Killing a human being is bad, but perhaps we shouldn't use the death penalty for just a single murder.

Instead, I think the death penalty should be reserved for serial or mass murderers. For people like Timothy McVeigh who killed more than a hundred people. For people like the sniper in DC, who killed shot people ... again and again. Those are the people who deserve the death penalty, IMHO.

 

murder rates amongst the modern industrial countries:

germany 0.7-2 / 100,000
france 0.6-2 / 100,000
canada 0.8-2 / 100,000
UK 0.2-1 / 100,000
australia 0.5-1 / 100,000
japan 0.05-0.5 / 100,000

US 8-10 / 100,000 (if this doesn't shock you...)

source: US census bureau 2000; one of my college textbooks on world politics (i had to memorize these #s )

all of these countries, except for the US, have thrown away the death penalty. our country still believes in a right to a state-executed murder of a person for the sake of revenge and retribution. then again... our country had to do away with slavery long after our fellow western nations had. when will we ever learn.

cheers!

 

The right to life is the most basic and fundamental right. You take that away, and what do you have? A government that decides who gets to live and who gets to die.


According to who? Rights are what people make of them. Show me evidence otherwise?

Also, in America, isnt the jury of your peers that deside if a person should die or not, NOT the government?

You also did not answer my question as to WHY is life so important? Especally in a case where you did commit a crime, and have a very long boring life without parol ahead of you? I agree that is general life is very important, but I want you to tell my why.

It certainly is cruel to lock someone up in a cell for their entire life. But what else can we do?

Give then a nice quick merciful end to their life.

Hannibal Lecter, Micheal Myers, and Freddy Kroeger don't exist. There is no real need for the Death Penalty because if there was an escaped convict that posed a direct threat he would be killed on sight anyway.

Yes, I know life is not a movie. I was just trying to see if people would agree on a very out there 'what if' situation.

However, is it any better to kill them when they are on the run rather than in jail?

The fact that so many innocents are on death row is not a problem with the death penalty, but the system that administrates it. If the system can't do a good job, then I agree that the death penalty shouldn't be used.

That in my mind is one of the few bad things about the DP. I would say that the DP should only be a punishment when either the accused pleads guilty, or there the evidence is actuall proff that they did it, and if the crime was much worse than what the DP is used for now.

In my mind, the DP needs a bit of work, but I dont think it should be gotten rid of because I believe it is a more fitting and merciful punishment than life with no hope of getting out.

 

<I'm aginst it because for some murders it's a way out of jail. I rather have murders rot in jail.>

Yeah, but that's expensive.
Paying for the food, cloths, and living space.
And all that money comes from the taxpayers.
And then people will be screaming at the government for less taxes.

It's easier just to kill them.

 

Actually, Sithlord818, I've seen statistics that show that it's more expensive to put someone to death than to house them for life. I'll see if I can find them tomorrow.

(I am for the death penalty, btw)