Should We Bring Back The Death Penalty?

Seafret1412

Yes. With prisons overflowing and society being in the belief that "bad boys and girls" are more worthy than the rest of us, things can only get worse.

Criminals will be released, regardless of their crime, murderers, rapists, paedophiles - out you go, you can do it again, all because you didn't throw your dishes in prison so we'll call that good behaviour and say it is a solution to the overcrowding.

In prisons now, we have comfortable rooms, private WCs, sports, games consoles, televisions, good meals, the list is endless. Where is the punishment? Of course people don't mind a few weeks, months or years in prison, they won't pay tax, and they get all this, for free!

Because there is no reasonable threat to potential criminals, everything seems so easy. There used to be a punishment to fit the crime, now, it is easy to do the crime, get a short sentence, then get time off for good behaviour. What message does this send to victims? You're unimportant, just keep paying your taxes so that your rapist or potential murderer can live a life of riley.

The sooner we bring back the death penalty the better. People behaved when they knew there were dire consequences to everything they did. Sure, there were still murders etc, but nowhere near as many.

It will only get worse.

Kennelwood

Personally I think we should. But how do you guarantee that the person you execute is guilty of the crime?

We can say that we have DNA nowadays and it's foolproof... but like fingerprinting, will we look back at DNA techniques in 50 years and say "Oh dear we shouldn't have hanged him / her, it was all flawed"?

A difficult one.

Susan S

Why not look at the death penalty system in action in the US, where murder rates are higher? You would find that the only purpose it serves is retribution or revenge, it is seriously (and intrinsically) flawed in application and that there is a serious and continuing risk of executing innocent people. And, it costs much more than life in prison. Sources below.

130 people wrongfully convicted people were sentenced to death and were lucky to be exonerated and released, eventually. DNA, available in less than 10% of all homicides, canâ€™t guarantee we wonâ€™t execute innocent people. If someone is convicted and later found innocent you can release him from prison, but not from the grave.

The death penalty doesn't prevent others from committing murder. No reliable study shows the death penalty deters others. Homicide rates are higher in states and regions that have it than in those that donâ€™t.

Life without parole, on the books in 48 states, also prevents reoffending. It means what it says, and spending 23 of 24 hours a day locked in a tiny cell is not a picnic. Life without parole costs less than the death penalty.

The death penalty is much more expensive than life in prison. The high costs of the death penalty are for the complicated legal process, and the largest costs come at the beginning, for the pre trial process and for the trial itself. The point is to avoid executing innocent people.

The death penalty isn't reserved for the worst crimes, but for defendants with the worst lawyers. It doesn't apply to people with money. When is the last time a wealthy person was on death row, let alone executed?

Families of murder victims are not unanimous about the death penalty. However, even families who have supported the death penalty in principal have testified that the drawn-out death penalty process is painful for them and that life without parole is an appropriate alternative.

Problems with speeding up the process. Over 50 of the innocent people released from death row had already served over a decade. Speed up the process and we will execute innocent people.

Sources:

Death Penalty Information Center, www.deathpenaltyinfo.org, for stats on executions, reports on costs, deterrence studies, links to FBI crime stats and links to testimony (at state legislatures) of victims' family members.

FBI http://www.fbi.gov/ucr/cius2006/data/table_04.html

The Innocence Project, www.innocenceproject.org

http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/COcosttestimony.pdf page 3 and 4 on why the death penalty is so expensive

And, for statements of victimsâ€™ families:
http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/news/past/54/2005
http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/news/past/54/2006
www.mvfhr.org and www.mvfr.org

oldmarine08

Only if they actually use it!

Two rocks

Absolutely not. If it is wrong to kill then it is wrong to kill, whether it is done by an individual or by the state.

â™« â™« Strawberry Swing â™« â™«

For rapists, paedophiles, murderers, and people who are cruel to animals, i think the death penalty would be perfect

Aberdeen Tyke

No. The last person to be hanged in Britain was posthumously pardoned because it turned out he was innocent. It's dangerous to bring it back when the system, particularly the judges, are fundamentally bent.

AlwaysAlone x

No we shouldn't!
Why end their life when we can keep them alive and make them suffer for what they did.
I strongly believe that Corporal punishment is wrong and should never be used, its inhumane to take someones life and illegal for people to do, so why should the government do just that despite how bad the crime is.
As i said don't take their life, make them suffer, this sounds sadistic but if we didn't make them suffer than whats the point of punishmentat alll.

Sorry for babbling on, hope this help.

randall flag

we still have it here in california...we just need to make the process faster...ten years of appeals is not fair to the victoms

kaykay

yes, but only people who deserve it. Plus, its our taxes that pay for them to be in jail.

London NW3

People will be executed who later will have turned out not to have committed the crime.
In the 1950/60s several innocent folks went to their deaths,this way.
In a court of law,guilty means,beyond reasonable doubt,but that is still too much doubt to actually end their lives

Obsessed

Not in the current climate as there is no guarantee that suspects are actually guilty due to unreliable police evidence, stitch ups, failed operation stings and even DNA, CCTV evidence is being questioned. There is not much confidence in prosecutions or the police force.

scratchy

yeah damn right!!!! the prisons would not b over crowed-ed &people would think twice bout breaking the law!!!!! &im sure there would be a tax deduction somewhere along the line as we wouldn't have 2 pay 2 keep crims!!!

buggerlugs

no and its never going to happen in the UK

blue_eyesandy10

yes bring it back in next hour and watch how crime figures go down ie those who kill rape mess with kids . it got to come back in time uk just two soft

Lily B Talus

no, as that puts us on the same moral level as the criminal...and then we all become guilty.

funnelweb

My opinion is no but look at my blog for explanation.

frankturk50

The simple answer is we cant we have accepted European law and without quitting the EU. we must abide by the law.

J.W

This is my RS homework too! I think we shouldn't because we can't take peoples lives even if they have raped of killed because there's a reason and the guys who rape probably have been abused before and should be punished and helped and not killed when they make a mistake.

Trish

We can never be 100% sure that everyone found guilty is actually guilty. There have been cases in the past of innocent people being hanged. we cannot risk that.
If there is a death penalty, someone has to actually do the killing - this is not a role we should inflict on anyone.
In a civilised society we cannot legally murder people even though they themselves are murderers.

andrew c

NO,definitely not it would cost more of the taxpayers money with all the liberals appealing for stays of execution.Let life mean life and let them die in jail.

Fennel47

No. Most murders are spur of the moment and not premeditated, therefore when emotion takes over reason, so the consequences aren't in people's minds. Often people are drunk, and not thinking of the consequences either.

No. Because i think prison is a life sentence. Knowing you cant go anywhere without someone watching you. And chances of being beaten up etc...
Also, i think if they did bring back death penalty, the one to be executed will come back and haunt us and maybe do the same thing they did on Earth, in the spirit world.

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