The death penalty. Does anybody actually deserve it?

Susan S

You don't have to sympathize with criminals or want them to avoid terrible punishments for terrible crimes to ask if the death penalty prevents or even reduces crime, to look at alternatives and to think about the risks of executing innocent people. Your question deserves facts with credible sources, not sound bites.

128 people on death rows have been released with proof that they were wrongfully convicted. DNA, available in less than 10% of all homicides, canâ€™t guarantee we wonâ€™t execute innocent people.

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.

We have a good alternative, life without parole, on the books in 48 states. It means what it says. Life without parole costs less than the death penalty.

The death penalty is much more expensive than life in prison, mostly because of the upfront costs of legal process which is supposed to prevent executions of innocent people. (upfront=before and during the initial trial)

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?

The death penalty doesn't necessarily help families of murder victims. Murder victim family members 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

http://www.njadp.org/forms/signon-survivor.html for statements of victimsâ€™ families

Ahwell

Death by Coronation Street? That's far too inhumane! Being ripped apart by dogs would be preferable.

Yes, I think it should be introduced for murder where there is no doubt.

Derek G

let the punishment fit the crime.

The Thing

In my opinion, the death penalty vindicates the rights of the victim...I don't care if it is a deterrent or not, when you take someone's life, you need to be made to pay the ultimate price.

Î¾Î®Ä¢ÅÄÅžÄ¦ Å—Ç¾ÅŸÎ¾ Â©Â® áƒ¦à®áƒ¦

no, i don't see how a life for life is just . if its illegal to murder, why is it legal to death penalty someone .. its the same thing

anybody who people think deserves the death penalty, would actually get a fairer sentance having to live with their crimes, death is an easy way out for them and their crimes

makes me laugh all these people agreein wth the death penalty.. seriously .. do any of you know an hardened criminal ? they actually think differntly .. and dont give two flying monkeys if they live or not

------------------

interesting question, but I don,t think if it was reintroduced you could fairly differentiate between one murder or murders than another.The problem with convictions now is that too many people are being let out on licence and committing again.

Platobeenz

Legal murder is now mostly frowned upon. It never was a deterrent and provided a spectacle which today's society, with all it's other horrors, can do without.

Walter C Vaughn III

The system is failing because those that run it want it to fail to aquire more money from the system. Its not about fixing issues, its about money.

Now should people be killed because of the things they have done on earth? The word Death Penalty just removes the harsh fact that we are putting somebody in the grave because of the things that they have done on earth.

So, do we house a man for life and or remove him because of what he did. Death penalty is just to big to answer in a yes or no fashion so I am going to have to say nothing until we narrow the subject.

Justme

It depends how heinous the crime, serial killers yes, child killers yes

Since I am in the U.S and the supreme court has just declared it humane to kill by injection then that is the way to go

alsaser

The problem is we are more concerned with the perpetrator's rights then the victim's! If your sister is murdered, the person had no regard for her, murder is disgusting and heinous! He might have tortured her, left her pleading for her life. Why are we so concerned that the murderer be executed humanely, with as much comfort as possible?? Was the victim given a last meal? was the victim given a chance to say good bye to family and friends?
Murder is a person ending someone's else's life. Justice is that that person's life should be ended. How about in the same fashion they murdered? Is that too inhumane?
Hopefully the death penalty would be a deterrent for others intending on committing that crime.

bud

Bring back the death penalty, it will be a deterent, I think deep down everyone thinks the same

Fanshawe

Yes, I think so. The lad who shot Rhys Jones deserves it. The lads who kicked that girl to death just because she was a Goth, they deserve it.

Why should the tax payer have to pay to keep these people in jail?

On the other hand, I cannot imagine spending 20 years in jail. I think I would rather die than spend that time in prison. So, jail might be a worse punishment than death.

What about giving criminals the option of the death penalty?

A bullet to the head has got to be quick. The problem is clearing up the mess afterwards!

The major problem with the death penalty is the possibility of killing innocent people. So, I think my vote will be for long term jail.

That One Dude

I believe the death penalty should involve putting the perp in a room and giving the victim's families baseball bats to let them have at it.

Rommel

yes they do. there are too many people (men women and children) lying in graves because some tosser decides to kill, for what ever! reason......i was a kid in the fifties. murder was rare! then. about three a year. now its three a day. 'the difference' you hung by the neck untill you were dead......and thats how it should be. young people kill. and they're back out on the streets within 7 years. and they wonder why no one has any fear of the law. and to every one that thinks I'm an animal for thinking this way. go look into the eyes of your kids. give em a cuddle, then try to think how the parents of that poor kid who was gunned down in liverpool feel. they will never have the cuddle you just had AGAIN!!! EVER!! hang! the b@stards. thats how i feel about it.

ky_60416

Absolutely, it should be reinstated. a person who murders someone is violent and should never be allowed back into society. Especially serial killers and child killers. It is not the best choice for life improsinment, because the tax payers have to pay for them to reside in their prisons and why should they have a roof over their head, 3 squares a day and able to have family visits, etc. The victims were never given that right and the family suffers badly too. I believe the death penalty is justification for the rights of the victims and the victim's family.

me2

Yes some people deserve the death penalty! I think that lethal injection is too easy for the ones who do deserve it. Let them suffer.

General H

One man kills 144 people at one time in a horrid bombing and confessed, should he be put to death?

Your GD right he should be. A person pulls a knife and stabs another person 5 times in the heart and gets caught in the act, should he be put to death? Yes he should be.

A drunk walks into the line of traffic and gets killed by someone, should that someone be put to death? No.

Yes some people deserve nothing less than death while others not, that's the reason we have courts.

stanthemansmum

I think mass murderers and child murderers deserve it but only if it is completely proved. We have had too many miscarraiges of justice, with some people spending most of their adult lives in jail only to be found to be innocent after many years. We have to be 110% sure they are guilty before executing them.

SCHUMIGIRL1956

well if they have killed somebody yeah they deserve the death penalty after all the last women to be hanged in 1956 was Ruth Ellis and crime them days were much better than they are today, the law are to stupid and soft.

Lola

Yes, people to deserve it. Although I think that child molesters shouldn't get that, they should suffer a bit.

Peter17

It could be reintroduced for politicians who lie to their electorate about the reasons for taking a country to war (which of course involves more killing)

The question should be: "Why is the human race obsessed with killing?"

maca

where do i learn the trade and i will sign up tomorrow

The Nibbler

Yeah, it should be reintroduced, do you want me to name, names who should go first. There has to be a deterant for this stupid killing spree behaviour by the lawless, death is a fine deterant!

me again

what if someone murdered your family member? how would YOU feel about it.....ask yourself that question
Guilty of murder = Death penalty
simple as that.........thats the only logic I need.........

TATRAFAN

I would support the death penalty for child molesters and internal terrorists.
They should be finished off by lethal injection and not Coronation Street.
Nobody deserves that !!

louise d

Yes they should bring it back for the likes of Ian Huntley, The Yorkshire Ripper to name but a few. They should let the victims families decide their fate.

roadhazzards

Yes I believe there are people who actually deserve it. If it were up to me (fortunately it never will be) there would be capital punishment for the following crimes.

1. Premeditated murder

2. The killing of a Police Officer or Firefighter.

3. Any terrorist act by a foreign national

4. Any terrorist act by a citizen of the country where anyone is injured or killed.

5. Providing aid of any kind to a Terrorist

6. Upon conviction of a 3rd non violent felony or upon conviction of a 2nd violent felony

7. All drug dealing convictions

8. All child molestations

9. Treason

10. Immediately upon 2nd conviction for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs (legal and not)

11. For anyone caught wearing a mullet or failing to remove their hat when entering a building (not really, just had to throw that in)

This is not an all inclusive list by any means

Enter Your Message or Comment

User Name:
User Email:
Post a comment: