Death penalty

[el canadiano]

I would look at it as a case-by-case basis, but generally, I would give the person a choice in most cases whether you want a life sentence or a death penalty. If he's sincerely remorse and such, let him pay his punishment and he should be welcomed back.

But if he/she wants death, kill him. After all, it costs a hell of a lot on a Taxpayer to keep one in jail. But it also depends on the type of execution. I'm against hanging, guillotines, and electric chair.

 

[MissTake]

To quote from the last two posts above me......

The people who are murdered do not have the choice to live or die, they are not given a second chance?
So why should this be allowed to be given to the murderer? :shrug:

 

[SheepishWolf]

The people who are murdered do not have the choice to live or die, they are not given a second chance?
So why should this be allowed to be given to the murderer? :shrug:

Because if you don't your just as good as the murderer him/herself.

 

[freebird]

Because if you don't your just as good as the murderer him/herself.

There are some sociopath type murderers that would have to be kept away from general population even within prison. I guess we can just keep them in a cage tied up so they don't hurt themselves or anyone else but it doesn't sound any more humane. On top of that max security prisons are horrible since most don't care anymore cause they will never get out.

 

[Watch Me Sink]

Tax payers should not pay to keep these evil people alive and in comfort. If you kill someone you should pay the price.

Tax payers are still paying for the drugs and manpower involved in executions, as well as the sometimes lengthy legal process that it will take for the criminal to finally receive their conviction and death sentence.

It's still far cheaper than keeping them alive for the next 30-40 years 😉

Though the taxpayer cost of the trial is more for cases that seek the death penalty. I forgot my source (possibly TIME?) but cases that seek the death penalty cost on average $3,000,000 while cases that seek life in prison costs $1,000,000. And keeping somebody in prison does not cost $2m.
I'm against in all cases. Let them rot in prison.<br /><br />-- Tue Nov 16, 2010 5:08 pm --<br /><br />

In the developed world, states that don't have the death penalty have lower prison populations and fewer homicides than the USA, where people are executed for jaywalking in some states.

Thats the most absurd thing I've heard today. You have to commit murder to get the death penalty (or maybe rape, I forgot the result of that Supreme court case).
And the reason why there are so many people in prison is drugs. The death penalty hasn't been used in a long time in my state, but the prisons are packed because of drug crimes.

 

[MissTake]

Though the taxpayer cost of the trial is more for cases that seek the death penalty. I forgot my source (possibly TIME?) but cases that seek the death penalty cost on average $3,000,000 while cases that seek life in prison costs $1,000,000. And keeping somebody in prison does not cost $2m.
I'm against in all cases. Let them rot in prison.

I'm going to sound really Dickensian here but in my mind if a murderer has been found guilt beyond any reasonable doubt once then why the need for so many appeals, what would the point of a trial in the first place be? One appeal should do it, if that failed.....don't waste time and money, just get on with the job at hand. I don't see the point in lurking around for 10 -15 years?

 

[Watch Me Sink]

Because they can argue that there was bias. Read the book or watch the movie Dead Man Walking, and you'll see the many flaws in the death penalty.

 

[Deleted member 1609]

And the reason why there are so many people in prison is drugs. The death penalty hasn't been used in a long time in my state, but the prisons are packed because of drug crimes.

I believe that the United States has the highest homicide rate in the developed world. If it's not the highest, then we're doing our part. Countries (and U.S. states for the most part) without the death penalty have fewer homicides.

 

[katy perry is hot]

First of all, as for the mention of the killing of the Queen or of Obama, that would be a different case, because, at least here in the US, murdering political officials has different sentence levels. Murder of the President or Vice President is exceptionally a worse charge than if I were to kill my neighbor or something. Not sure about the Queen though, but I'd imagine there are higher charges of assassinating the monarch/royal family members.

And it costs more to do the death penalty than life imprisonment. That's mostly due in part to legal fees. There are numerous appeals that are called by death row inmates, which ultimately ties up our legal system, and stops us from getting more murderers behind bars. Unfortunately missclaus, numerous appeals can go through. These people can charge anything. If the death row inmate is a woman she could claim that the jury was biased, black man could claim bias, those are just two examples. It's not just bias that they can argue for... there are a ton of ways they can keep appealing, and that's where the tax money is going to.

As for the whole eye for an eye thing, that's really not applicable. The main reason is that there is never any true way to prove someone is TOTALLY GUILTY without ANY doubt. I could be sitting there admitting that I killed three people, but what if I'm mentally insane, or what if I had been under the influence of some sort of non-voluntary drug, or what if I'm saying I did this out of threat to my family.. there are so many things that could go wrong. If we wrongfully convict someone to life, and we find that he is innocent, that can be reversed. We can't reverse government sanctioned murder of its citizens.

 

[Watch Me Sink]

And the reason why there are so many people in prison is drugs. The death penalty hasn't been used in a long time in my state, but the prisons are packed because of drug crimes.

I believe that the United States has the highest homicide rate in the developed world. If it's not the highest, then we're doing our part. Countries (and U.S. states for the most part) without the death penalty have fewer homicides.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_co ... icide_rate

 

[katy perry is hot]

Gotta love how low the rate of homicide in Japan is.

And according to that list, out of all the super power nations, US has the second highest (beat by Russia).

 

[Watch Me Sink]

Maybe we're an angrier nation than Japan :/

Also, the drug activity in Japan is much lower than that of the USA

 

[MissTake]

I also suspect that relaxed gun laws have something to do with it too?

 

[Watch Me Sink]

Correct, relaxed gun laws would lower the homicide rate.

 

[Kaiser.]

I dont support the death penalty.
If someone is a killer, and has commited thousands of crimes they shouldnt be killed because that makes us just as bad as the killer. Let him live, and suffer and die. If he is just killed he is lucky, he escapes from all the evil things he has done. If you let them live, you wont be a killer... Dosent matter how bad someone is, if you kill them that makes you a killer just like them. So let them live for years, and get abused in prison and have a horrible life and grow old and die from diseases. It actually makes them pay for what they did. If you just kill theme, they are lucky.

 

[freebird]

Gotta love how low the rate of homicide in Japan is.

And according to that list, out of all the super power nations, US has the second highest (beat by Russia).

Not really necessary to kill your opponent when they will gladly kill themselves for being dishonored. :great:

BTW suicide is huge in Japan.

 

[MissTake]

Correct, relaxed gun laws would lower the homicide rate.

No not what I said......It's the easy access to guns that increases the rate in my opinion (but that's a different debate) 😉

 

[katy perry is hot]

I also suspect that relaxed gun laws have something to do with it too?

Correct, relaxed gun laws would lower the homicide rate.

I don't know what you guys are talking about.. Japan has very strict gun laws.. civilians can't carry handguns, and can only get shotguns or rifles if they are hunters, which requires strict licensing.

 

[Gimgak]

It's obviously all the tentacle porn and toddlercon that keeps them sane.

 

[katy perry is hot]

I wanted to bring this up... what exactly is the definition of innocent? Most of those who support the death penalty will say that if you take an innocent life, you deserve to die. But what's the definition? What if I am a cop and in order to stop a robbery, and save all of the hostages, I shoot two robbers, and one of the bullets somehow ends up hitting an innocent, and killing him. Am I, as the police officer, deserving of death? What if I am defending my home from a home invader and I accidentally shoot a friend of mine who was in the house also, ending up killing him, but also killing the invader?