The Death Penalty:

[Lord Kloo]

So, in my law class today (College, UK) we were discussing criminal punishments and retribution. The teacher had asked what we though the maximum penalty for crimes should be, low and behold everyone in the class believed that the death penalty should be reintroduced except me. I made the case that the death penalty can be wrongly used on a wrongly charged subject (or government conspiracies (too far?)), it ruins their family and finally that humans shouldn't need to have someone go through the same pain as them just to feel avenged and happy.

So whats your view on the matter and your reasons for either wanting it partially or fully or the outright banning of it.

- I know this has come up before in the forums but I decided it needed to be posed again as it hasn't come up in a while..

 

[Shadow-Phoenix]

I'm kind of on the side of both you and that penalty mainlt because if you take the life of someone so should yours regardless of position but the other half says no because we would be just like them who had taken anothers life.

 

[loc978]

...what's this doing in gaming discussion..?

On topic: this really comes down to your views on the sanctity of life... which is a luxury we're only allowed to ponder in first-world nations.
Not a big deal one way or the other, as far as I'm concerned.

 

[Chris Overhage]

government conspiracies are something that I don't recall ever seeing pop up in modern times in the US. However there have been several people freed who (through DNA evidence) have been found not guilty.

 

[Lord Honk]

Well, IMHO, the worst punishment a person can recieve is being alone in a cell, provided with only the biological neccessities to survive (ye olde "water and bread" treatment). How is putting him out of his misery a form of punishment?
Lemme ask the other way around: Would you rather die a (relatively) fast and painless death, or be left alone with your twisted mind and nothing else for 50 years? What is more painful, dying for murdering someone, or having to wake up every morning after 20 years of darkness and loneliness fed your sense of remorse and guilt to the point where it becomes unbearable?

Meh, that's just my view, as long as I don't suddenly get the urge to run around killing people I guess death penalty won't be an active issue in my life.

 

[Aulleas123]

Capital Punishment is the ultimate form of state control. It is basically a trial by jury (perfectly acceptable form of judgment) then a judge decides whether you live or die. I disagree with capital punishment, yet I cannot be too angry with its supporters. There are many reasonable arguments on both sides, I just believe that the ends (making a safer society) do not justify the means (state sanctioned killing of surrendered criminals).

 

[Ironic Pirate]

It is human instinct to do everything in our power to survive.

The death penalty doesn't really do anything different than life in prison, DIRECTLY, but the fact that it exists is a much bigger deterrent to crime.

I personally think we should punish each person on a case by case basis, but that's just me.

For example, 100% proven child molesters (through DNA or something) should have their dicks cut off... 100% proven murderers should be shot... and 100% proven pot smokers should have to smoke their whole bag.

DNA is actually sort of unreliable. All kinds of ways it can get planted, or messed up.

Sort of off-topic, I guess. Anyway, I think criminals with a life sentence should be given the option of the death penalty. Some people can't stand the whole prison thing.

 

[kidwithxboxlive]

Well, IMHO, the worst punishment a person can recieve is being alone in a cell, provided with only the biological neccessities to survive (ye olde "water and bread" treatment). How is putting him out of his misery a form of punishment?
Lemme ask the other way around: Would you rather die a (relatively) fast and painless death, or be left alone with your twisted mind and nothing else for 50 years? What is more painful, dying for murdering someone, or having to wake up every morning after 20 years of darkness and loneliness fed your sense of remorse and guilt to the point where it becomes unbearable?

Meh, that's just my view, as long as I don't suddenly get the urge to run around killing people I guess death penalty won't be an active issue in my life.

Yes, this is why we shouldn't re-instate the death penatly. If someone has murdered someone, they have MADE that choice to do it. They might be depressed but they knew the consequences and they chose to carry on.
If someone killed your mother/father/ children or whatever, would you want them to just die? I wouldn't because that makes you as bad as them. I believe they should brood over the things they have done and feel ashamed about that

 

[Zombie_Fish]

Moved to Off-topic Discussion.

--Zombie

 

[Emissary Laito]

Sort of off-topic, I guess. Anyway, I think criminals with a life sentence should be given the option of the death penalty. Some people can't stand the whole prison thing.

I think this is the only situation in which the death sentence should apply.
The risk of killing someone who turns out later to be innocent is too high for it to be a standard sentence in my opinion.
But here, a choice between the two would be nice if you knew you were never getting out again.

 

[LogicNProportion]

I am fully for the death penalty, of course, for a crime that has you directly pointed out doing something heinous.

But the worst of the worst offenders of the law (who are cowards) should be given life-sentences. To sit in a cell for decades, bored out of your skull is a much worse punishment then dying. I'm religious and all, but the whole matter of life after death is still an unknown, and forever will be. If nothing happens, well, you got off scott-free, huh?

 

[ALuckyChance]

It is human instinct to do everything in our power to survive.

The death penalty doesn't really do anything different than life in prison, DIRECTLY, but the fact that it exists is a much bigger deterrent to crime.

I personally think we should punish each person on a case by case basis, but that's just me.

For example, 100% proven child molesters (through DNA or something) should have their dicks cut off... 100% proven murderers should be shot... and 100% proven pot smokers should have to smoke their whole bag.

DNA is actually sort of unreliable. All kinds of ways it can get planted, or messed up.

Sort of off-topic, I guess. Anyway, I think criminals with a life sentence should be given the option of the death penalty. Some people can't stand the whole prison thing.

I know DNA can be unreliable, but there are thousands of open and shut cases for all sorts of charges with like 10 eyewitnesses, DNA, and all kinds of evidence every year. This is just speculation, but at least 1000 of the 20,000(ish) murders that happen every year are probably decided before the jury even convenes due to overwhelming evidence.

Also, death is way scarier than life in (most) prisons. No one would ever take up that offer. With the amount of money pumped into the prison system of the US, prisons are generally safe places to live out the rest of your life with hundreds of guards, free food, and entertainment from time to time. Sure it's not fun, and you run the risk of gang violence, or rape, but I think you underestimate the human will to live.

You sure about that? Studies have shown that large amounts of prisoners are sexually assaulted, physically harmed, and much more. I refer you to this link, which holds large amounts of information and anecdotes on the prison system in general:

http://216.86.148.111/showthread.php?threadid=3331921

....

Personally, I believe that the death penalty should be allowed for heinous crimes. Contrary to popular belief, death can be much more humane than prison, and it also guarantees that no more crimes will be committed by that person. Yes, it very well might cause undue stress on the family, but I have trouble believing that even parents would care for, say, a son who's a convicted serial killer and rapist.

Some men or women may be innocent, but that's inevitable in any kind of crime system. People WILL be wrongfully punished, but there's nothing we really can do about it. Either we let them live in prison - where they could be raped, assaulted, and where criminals may even escape to do more harm - or we can be practical, and end their life as painlessly as possible. To me, death seems to be the lesser of the two evils.

 

[TheRightToArmBears]

I'm against it. The entire idea of institutionalised killing doesn't sit well with me at all.

 

[Baradiel]

My stance on it is:

Someone murders another person.

There is irrefutable evidence that they committed the murder.

They show no remorse.

They have a chance to hurt/kill again.

The death penalty should be used where it is beneficial to the greater public, there is adequate reason for it, and the criminal is unlikely to be rehabilitated.

Plus, it's cheaper. It costs alot to keep criminals for decades. Because they really need plasma screen in each cell...

 

[Shock and Awe]

I think it should be an option for cases such as treason and premeditated murder. This is only if the case against the accused is rock solid.

 

[ALuckyChance]

snip

Wait, all the sources? That sounds like a lot of information to get through. Anyway, as long as they DO have sources, whether it's another forum or not should be irrelevant.

Making the death penalty painful would go against the US Constitution, with the whole "cruel and unusual punishment" thing.

Personally, I think if death does become more humane than prison, then we should leave them in prison.

But as they're supposed to have the same effect - one less person committing a crime - then making them suffur would be a needless display of brutality and vengeance, even if they deserved it.

Also, overcrowding is probably a large reason for problems in prison communities today - it undoubtedly leads to a reduction in the quality of prison life.

Of course prison should be safer, but the death penalty is simply the more practical and effective solution for getting rid of criminals.

As it stands, even a potential for rape, assault, and physical/metal abuse is worse than death, because with the amount of prisons and the amount of inmates in them, the percentages inevitably increase.

 

[Knusper]

I'm against it for a few reasons:

- What if new evidence comes out proving your innocence after your execution? With life sentences at least you can free them with an apology and a hefty amount of compensation.
- The loved ones of the prosecuted suffer also.
- You're bringing yourself down to their level.
- Punishment should be more about rehabilitation than getting their just desserts, and so the prison sentence can be more productive, by teaching the what is morally right.

But that's just my 2 cents.

 

[Julianking93]

Being the supposed radical liberal pussy that I am, I'm completely against the death penalty.

I personally don't believe anyone should have that much control over another person's life, especially the state. Far too many people have been found innocent that are either on Death Row or were already executed for this to still be a legal form of punishment.

What makes things interesting is that it costs more money to execute someone than to keep them in prison for life...

 

[supermariner]

plus the death penalty has next to no effect on crime rates
most murders are comitted on the spur of the moment so the death penalty will hold no deterrent
and most murderers in countries that don't have the death penalty (Britain for example) never reoffend

 

[xdom125x]

My opinion is that there should most definitely be a higher burden of proof if the death penalty is going to be the punishment instead of jail.