The Death Penalty

Well, with all the stupid religion and "X candidate sucks" threads, I figured, how about a good topic on a single controversial issue?

As for my views, I'm rather divided. I wouldn't be comfortable unless the said executed was 100% proven guilty. I wouldn't want to risk killing an innocent.

Aside from that, I'm unsure.

We all have rights. The right to life is one of them.

You turn in your rights when you commit a crime. The right to life should be no exception.

Rapists and murderers don't deserve to live. The problem , however, is that

1. The death penalty doesn't deter crime, and

2. The appeal processes that are required for anyone sentenced to death cost more than keeping them in prison forever.

So the only reason to have the death penalty is to permanently remove a threat to society, from society.

Morally, I have little issue with the death penalty. Economically, the only sensible thing to do is oppose it.

You can put a several dudes in jail for life for what it costs to put someone to death. It doesn't deter squat. It's just not cost effective.

I think the death penalty should be reserved for only the most heinous of crimes (which can be debated).

The only problem is, the process in which it occurs is so wasteful and time consuming it's almost pointless. I don't recommend we judge them upstairs and hang them downstairs, but all of the red tape/appeals/blah blah blah should be dealt with somehow.

I feel that it isn't a deterrent because so many criminals get by with appealing after every sentencing, if I hated someone enough to want to kill them, going through that process wouldn't stop me.

In my opinion, the biggest problem is the risk of killing an innocent person. If it comes to that, it kinda seems like state-sponsored murder.

Also, many of the execution methods are somewhat inhumane. Even lethal injection is questionable. There's the Eigth Amendment.

I wouldn't be comfortable unless the said executed was 100% proven guilty. I wouldn't want to risk killing an innocent.PannicAtack

Are you comfortable with sentencing someone to life in prison without 100% proven guilty?

[QUOTE="PannicAtack"]I wouldn't be comfortable unless the said executed was 100% proven guilty. I wouldn't want to risk killing an innocent.Oleg_Huzwog

Are you comfortable with sentencing someone to life in prison without 100% proven guilty?

its a necessary evil imo.

Some people cannot become rehabilitated. When these people are violent offenders (rapists, murderers) I think the death penalty is appropriate.

The way I see it, you have three options when it comes to murderers that cant be rehabilitated:

1. keep them in prison for life

2. let them out after 30 years

3. death penalty

Option one is expensive, and ultimately serves no purpose. Option two would work if the criminal learned his or her lesson, but since a lot of murderers cannot be rehabiliated, this is a worse option than number one

Option three is obviously the best thing; we are euthanizing a dangerous animal, and over the long haul it is a smaller economic burdern.

I'm against the dealth penalty. I think life in prison without the possibility of parole is far worse.

And plus, if an innocent person gets life, they can be released. If they get killed, well, they can't be reborn

its a necessary evil imo.

Some people cannot become rehabilitated. When these people are violent offenders (rapists, murderers) I think the death penalty is appropriate.

The way I see it, you have three options when it comes to murderers that cant be rehabilitated:

1. keep them in prison for life

2. let them out after 30 years

3. death penalty

Option one is expensive, and ultimately serves no purpose. Option two would work if the criminal learned his or her lesson, but since a lot of murderers cannot be rehabiliated, this is a worse option than number one

Option three is obviously the best thing; we are euthanizing a dangerous animal, and over the long haul it is a smaller economic burdern.

mrbojangles25

Option one is FAR less expensive than the death penalty.

[QUOTE="mrbojangles25"]

its a necessary evil imo.

Some people cannot become rehabilitated. When these people are violent offenders (rapists, murderers) I think the death penalty is appropriate.

The way I see it, you have three options when it comes to murderers that cant be rehabilitated:

1. keep them in prison for life

2. let them out after 30 years

3. death penalty

Option one is expensive, and ultimately serves no purpose. Option two would work if the criminal learned his or her lesson, but since a lot of murderers cannot be rehabiliated, this is a worse option than number one

Option three is obviously the best thing; we are euthanizing a dangerous animal, and over the long haul it is a smaller economic burdern.

duxup

Option one is FAR less expensive than the death penalty.

as it is right now, but that is simply because of the appeals process iirc.

Stil, its hard to imagine that it is more expensive to execute a a 25 year old gangbanger than it is to feed, clothe, and house him for 60 years.

I don't think that we should be executing people. It just doesn't seem right, and I also think the Death Penalty is too easy on hard criminals. For the scummiest of the scummy we should put them in a prison in Alaska doing hard labor until they die of old age.

My only opinion on the matter is that I believe Lethal Injection to be far more inhumane than any methods used before. You can feel poison working it's way through your veins, and you become very tired. You try to fight off the sleep, but it's overwhelming you. You KNOW, that if you fall asleep, you won't wake up again. How is injection better than the chair? I'm not against injection, but it's just a thought.RiSkyBiZ-13

All execution methods involve the knowledge of "I won't wake up again", so I don't see how the least painful of those methods can be considered the most inhumane.

[QUOTE="RiSkyBiZ-13"]My only opinion on the matter is that I believe Lethal Injection to be far more inhumane than any methods used before. You can feel poison working it's way through your veins, and you become very tired. You try to fight off the sleep, but it's overwhelming you. You KNOW, that if you fall asleep, you won't wake up again. How is injection better than the chair? I'm not against injection, but it's just a thought.Oleg_Huzwog

All execution methods involve the knowledge of "I won't wake up again", so I don't see how the least painful of those methods can be considered the most inhumane.

I was thinking on terms of the psychological aspect. The fatigue issue, trying to fight the sleep. A firing line seems more humane, althought undoubtadly messier.

You can put a several dudes in jail for life for what it costs to put someone to death. It doesn't deter squat. It's just not cost effective.

duxup

Lots of crimes should be punishablle by death... it really would help. This planet needs a good 'weeding'/

Well the cost-effectiveness isn't what deters the criminal. If they're going to die for their crime, it doesn't concern them how much money the government is losing for their death.

Lots of crimes should be punishablle by death... it really would help. This planet needs a good 'weeding'/

OfficialJab

[QUOTE="duxup"]

You can put a several dudes in jail for life for what it costs to put someone to death. It doesn't deter squat. It's just not cost effective.

OfficialJab

Lots of crimes should be punishibale by death... it really would help. This planet needs a good 'weeding'/

The cost effectiveness is what policy makers and the people should consider regarding if they want to kill one dude for the price of putting several in jail for life.

The death penalty doesn't deter crime.

Bring back crucifixions, and youtube them. Make them an example to the people and nations. Guaranteed to put fear into the hearts of anybody.

I'm joking.... or am I?

The cost effectiveness is what policy makers and the people should consider regarding if they want to kill one dude for the price of putting several in jail for life.

The death penalty doesn't deter crime.

duxup

Is it ever morally right to kill a human being? Keeping someone in jail for their entire life will prevent them from interacting with the general public and cost less than the appeals process.foxhound_fox

And in these cases, the criminals have already forgone morality. If you kill someone, ofcourse you deserve to be put to death.

The cost isn't such an issue, especially when compared with the moral aspect.

If there is even the slightest degree of ambiguity involved, then forget but otherwise, do it.

And to the people who claim its inhumane- whats more inhumane? Giving a man a hollow, meaningless life for 60 years, knowing he'll never see his friends or family on the outside, or giving him a quick, painless death?

Face it, there really is no point making a guy suffer for his whole life and having him die a repentant rehabilitated man, because prison is his life. Economically and morally better to kill him imho.

[QUOTE="duxup"][QUOTE="OfficialJab"][QUOTE="duxup"]

You can put a several dudes in jail for life for what it costs to put someone to death. It doesn't deter squat. It's just not cost effective.

OfficialJab

Lots of crimes should be punishibale by death... it really would help. This planet needs a good 'weeding'

The cost effectiveness is what policy makers and the people should consider regarding if they want to kill one dude for the price of putting several in jail for life.

The death penalty doesn't deter crime.

I don't think people who commit those types crimes expect to get caught. Take a look at what people did to get the death penalty for now and tell me these people are sitting around trying to figure out what might happen if they get caught? yeah right.

As for expansion of the death penalty to include other crime, I don't think there's any public support for that and that's just more money from the tax payers.

And in these cases, the criminals have already forgone morality. If you kill someone, ofcourse you deserve to be put to death.

The cost isn't such an issue, especially when compared with the moral aspect.

OfficialJab