Why is capital punishment ineffective?

El Guapo

Good question. Capital punishment is wrong on many levels:

- Mistakes happen. In the last 35 years in the U.S., 130 people have been released from death row because they were exonerated by DNA evidence (DNA is not available in most homicide cases).

- It costs taxpayers MUCH more to execute someone than to imprison them for life.

- It is not effective as a deterrent - violent crime rates are HIGHER in death penalty jurisdictions.

- It is inconsistently and arbitrarily applied.

- Jesus was against it (see Matthew 5:7 & 5:38-39, James 4:12, Romans 12:17-21, and John 8:7).

- Life without parole (LWOP) is on the books in most states now, and it means what it says. People who get this sentence are taken off the streets. For good.

A Plague on your houses

Who says it's not effective? If the purpose is to deprive someone of their life if they have deprived another of their life, then it is 100% effective. Criminals, especially murders, are not known for rationality. Talk of deterrence is foolish. Capital Punishment. is an effective punishment, and a guarantee that they will not be able to murder again, either in prison or on the outside.

hitech.man

I live in China so I will give you a different viewpoint.

I saw a caravan of green, army, stake bed trucks going through town, slowly. The first truck was filled with uniformed guards, all with rifles, the next 4 trucks were filled with prisoners, they all has a large X across their bodies and a sign around their necks noting what offense they had committed. Each prisoner had a guard behind them with a rope around the neck. These prisoners were going to a barren plot of land on a mountainside to be executed. Their bodies would remain there for families to claim as they wished, or they would rot, no one cares.

In the case of China, capital punishment works because it is swift, final, and very public.

In America, it takes years to execute a felon, and then is is not done in public. This has no effect of deterrence, it only makes a few people feel good. To be effective, executions must be violent and public.

huscafat

Probably because of low amperage.

Coke

It is , there are NO repeat offenders in the executed group of offenders!
The question should be is why people who break the law t end up on death row figure they are above the laws of Nations and of man and a higher power.
Why does anyone who commits a capital crime figure it is their right.
Why are prisons full of people who think their rights are more than societies.
Why are laws of property violated because of greed
What moral right does anyone have to render another individual subservient to them out of fear or power.

mesndblues

your question is quite moot...It's called "capital PUNISHMENT"..it is not intended to be used as a deterent, it's intended as punishment and it's implimentation is anything but "ineffective"...there is no, bar none, more effective punishment..

hambnjns13

Because the argument is that it is in place for deterrence purposes. Studies have shown that capital punishment does not deter the sorts of acts which garner its use. There are usually other factors which are on the person's mind when they commit these acts, and the death penalty isn't one of them.

doc bob

Because it takes too long.

Exitwound

Because poverty trumps it all.

Dee

I believe capital punishment can be effective, but I think we go about it all wrong.

I don't think the convicted person should serve "traditional" jail time, when sentenced to death. I believe they should be allowed enough time to appeal at least twice, but not exceeding 4 years.
I also think that the convicted should be allowed to get the court dates needed before the 4 year limit. ( in other words- they should have some priority)
Maybe a 4 year limit is too short but it would send a message.

Randy F

It is highly effective. Every criminal that completes their sentence never commit another crime.

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