Is the death penalty right?

[Simon Gnosis]

Some people do indeed richy deserve execution, but I think permenant incarceration is a far worse punishment...

So no I disagree with the death penalty on the grounds that it does not cause sufficent suffering to the child/women murdering rapist filth that truly deserve it...

Plus of course if we have got the wrong guy after all, then we can say were VERY sorry and send our still breathing wrongly convicted guy back to his family (with a fat wad of cash and no tax payment for the rest of his/her life)

Also I do think that felons on the run are more likely to give themselves up peacefully and cooperate with the authorities if they know they are not going to be executed whatever happens.

 

[Ryan2065]

Hrm... I just had a thought...

If you are innocent of the crime you commited you are more likely to be set free from death row than if you are imprisioned for life. Seeing as they spend years to make sure you are actually guilty.

 

[Simon Gnosis]

Hrm... I just had a thought...

If you are innocent of the crime you commited you are more likely to be set free from death row than if you are imprisioned for life. Seeing as they spend years to make sure you are actually guilty.

That would depend on which criminal justice system you are talking about...and besides there is kind of a time limit with death row...

 

[Ryan2065]

That would depend on which criminal justice system you are talking about...and besides there is kind of a time limit with death row...

Depends what state you are looking at... 9 states have no time limit, and 18 states have between a 1 to 3 year limit (the rest are inbetween no time limit and 4 year limit). Also, a governor of the state is able to pardon you after your appeals have been finished if you find compelling evidence of your innocence and you don't have to go through any courts for that.

 

[Simon Gnosis]

Depends what state you are looking at... 9 states have no time limit, and 18 states have between a 1 to 3 year limit (the rest are inbetween no time limit and 4 year limit). Also, a governor of the state is able to pardon you after your appeals have been finished if you find compelling evidence of your innocence and you don't have to go through any courts for that.

Well in the USA perhaps anyway...we have different criminal justice systems here in Europe.

 

[robtex]

*bump*

thread tagging
http://www.religiousforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=38486&highlight=death+penalty

 

[Ciscokid]

I'd be ok with people opposing the death penalty as long as those folks paid the costs to have murderers sit in jail. I doubt I'll see any hands raised in favor of that however.

 

[Callous]

Very emotional subject.
It has flip-flopped for a long time.
I’m not a Christian, but having been raised in a Christian family I remember Jesus taught forgiveness. That’s hard to do when rage is involved.
I’m applauding the Quakers at the moment for their conviction to faith in the aftermath of the slayings in the school.

 

[Ciscokid]

Very emotional subject.
It has flip-flopped for a long time.
I’m not a Christian, but having been raised in a Christian family I remember Jesus taught forgiveness. That’s hard to do when rage is involved.
I’m applauding the Quakers at the moment for their conviction to faith in the aftermath of the slayings in the school.

Absolutely, I don't think I'll be telling any Amish jokes anymore. These people have walked the walk, I have some serious respect for them.

After saying this, if the killer had not killed himself, I would have cheered on someone hooking him up to a 50K volt chair.

 

[Devil's_Chaplain]

The death penalty is one hipocrisy of justice I just can't handle. It is the most disgraceful, unethical and barbaric thing we could be doing.

"An eye for an eye only ends up making the whole world blind" - Mahatma Gandhi

 

[quadrophenic_9]

I think the death penalty is barbaric but I agree it might be necessary for a few unusually barbaric crimes. Really if you think about it there are some people who would really benefit from death....like violent serial killers with no concience.

 

[croak]

I said No.

See, life imprisonment in solitary confinement will make them wish they were dead. So, basically, they get to suffer.

I used to kind of support it for violent crimes, but... I don't know.

 

[quadrophenic_9]

I can see that point of view. But I thought doing away with the death penalty (and I realize that's not what this thread is technically about) was all about not making people suffer, as if death was something to fear.

 

[Devil's_Chaplain]

For me it's not about suffering, it's about the glaringly obvious flaw in the whole idea. If these crimes are so bad (murder, rape or whatever), then an equally horrific crime in return simply doesn't make it all right again. Murder doesn't become different when it's written down on official papers. If you support the death penalty, you support murder.

 

[quadrophenic_9]

But if you're of the view that death isn't the end it's not so horrific. And they do do it painlessly now with lethal injection and all. Well ok I don't know if it's painless but it's not the gallows at any rate.

 

[Devil's_Chaplain]

So, your argument is that because some people believe in life after death, and execution isn't painful, the death penalty is fine?

 

[quadrophenic_9]

Well, yes. From my perspective, death is not the end. If you want mercy, it's much more merciful to be taken than it is to suffer emotionally and psychologically for the rest of your natural life. It's not a great answer I know. It's not what you believe I know. It shouldn't happen I know. But neither should murder. It seems to me that it's one acceptable solution to dealing with violent crime. But you are right it's not the only solution. If the people in our country vote to ban the death penalty then I am right with them.

 

[robtex]

I am noticing in the newer posts on this thread that the posters are using the term death penalty in a generic sense. I would like to point out that there is some context and variables to view when talking about it including, motive, meathod of prosecution and nature of the crime. Could I ask for the newer posters under which circumstances would the death penalty be good/bad factoring in motive, meathod of prosecution and nature of the crime?

 

[dawny0826]

I think I answered "no" a while back but I've sense changed my mind.

 

[Devil's_Chaplain]

All circumstances, it's bad.