Views on Capital Punishment

[Cylos]

After seeing peoples opinions on other threads I thought that I'd ask the questions:

• What do you think of Capital Punishment from a moral standpoint? And...
• Should it be used in a modern civilised society?

For me personally I think society has to take a moral high ground and not use death as a deterrent. I don't think it should be used.

 

[Judas]

I read a story(this morning actually) about five men killing a 12 year old girl. If it were up to me, those assholes would hang in the middle of the city. There are people in this world sick enough to do things like that knowing they won't be put to death, but live out their lives in jail with three meals a day, a bed to sleep in, access to a gym, and sometimes access to getting a tv in their cell.

Remember the Colorado movie theater shooting? Do you think James Holmes should have the privilege of getting to live the rest of his life after consciously murdering 12 people and hurting almost 60? And I don't want to hear the whole "He's crazy. He can't help it" thing from anybody. He has a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of California. Remember Ted Kaczynski(The Unibomber)? He was accepted to Harvard, later got his PhD at the University of Michigan and was an assistant professor at the University of California. They can't be but so out of their minds. The system is too lenient on people who commit these heinous crimes. There is no fear in a criminals mind anymore. There's no sense of consequence. I would much rather have a gang banger living in fear of being put to death if they decided to pull the trigger on innocent people than myself living in fear of being shot to death in the mall one day along with 10 other people.

Now, I'm not at all saying to put a guy who robbed a bank to death, but these people who go out with the intent to harm innocent people need to be dealt with properly. Without consequence, there is no order.

 

[nordicowboy]

I think the DP is pretty easygoing on a few people. Like the guy that beat his grandparents to death with a pipe wrench back in January. If he had received the DP (he got life in prison), then he would have a needle slipped into his arm and gently euthanized like a family pet. He in no way deserves to go out quietly, much less getting 3 healthy meals a day / warm bed / recreational time (not to mention that my tax dollars pay to take care of him). I'd go back to public torture personally for certain cases.

 

[Judas]

I think the DP is pretty easygoing on a few people. Like the guy that beat his grandparents to death with a pipe wrench back in January. If he had received the DP (he got life in prison), then he would have a needle slipped into his arm and gently euthanized like a family pet. He in no way deserves to go out quietly, much less getting 3 healthy meals a day / warm bed / recreational time (not to mention that my tax dollars pay to take care of him). I'd go back to public torture personally for certain cases.

I agree 100%

 

[Brittani]

With the DP enforced, those who have committed such terrible crimes do not learn from their mistakes. They are put to death, which is what some of them want. Death is a get-out-of-jail free card in my opinion. I don't think the DP is much of a punishment. I do think that prisoners are handled too well but putting people to death doesn't quite solve the problem. Another thing to think about is that who are we to make that decision that they should die? I don't believe it is our decision, it isn't our place. If it were, then it would excuse criminals for murder because they could simply say that they deserved to be dead. The Death Penalty is not only wrong, but it is also not presenting itself as much of a punishment. Creating new ways of punishment, or simply rethinking the way we treat the prisoners in jail would effectively substitute the DP.

 

[Judas]

With the DP enforced, those who have committed such terrible crimes do not learn from their mistakes. They are put to death, which is what some of them want. Death is a get-out-of-jail free card in my opinion. I don't think the DP is much of a punishment. I do think that prisoners are handled too well but putting people to death doesn't quite solve the problem. Another thing to think about is that who are we to make that decision that they should die? I don't believe it is our decision, it isn't our place. If it were, then it would excuse criminals for murder because they could simply say that they deserved to be dead. The Death Penalty is not only wrong, but it is also not presenting itself as much of a punishment. Creating new ways of punishment, or simply rethinking the way we treat the prisoners in jail would effectively substitute the DP.

Not trying to sound like a dick or anything, but it was Holmes decision as to whether or not those people deserved to live? None of them got a jury decision. They were killed, in cold blood. Somebody that sick will never "learn their lesson". Bank robbers learn their lesson. Car jackers learn their lesson. Sick fl*ffs like the guy that went in to Sandy Hook Elm. don't learn their lesson. Jail isn't enough for people like that. People that show no mercy should be given none in return.

 

[sticky runes]

if you rape somebody, you should be castrated. If you murder somebody, you should be put to death. You've had your chance at life just like everybody else, and you chose to hurt and kill people, so society has no use for you.

 

[Brittani]

if you rape somebody, you should be castrated. If you murder somebody, you should be put to death. You've had your chance at life just like everybody else, and you chose to hurt and kill people, so society has no use for you.

Our only purpose is to serve society?

 

[nordicowboy]

Our only purpose is to serve society?

Maybe not necessarily to serve, but at the very least, don't commit evil acts. No impact is better than a negative impact.

 

[Medea]

My view is some people deserve to die. If you lived during WWII and captured Hitler, wouldn't you be for putting him to death? Some things are just unforgivable, and when people show no remorse for what they have done and show no signs of redemption at all, they do not deserve to live another second so they can make more people suffer.

However, I think our justice system is broken. In cases where there may be ANY kind of doubt that the wrong person was convicted and sentenced to death, I don't believe in the death penalty for them. I guess what I'm trying to say here is that I believe in the death penalty, but not in the justice system that doles it out. Too many times they have let the rich walk for murder, while sending poor people to prison for life for drug offenses.

 

[Crooksin]

Yes, it should be allowed and I do agree with it, for the worst of crimes involving murder though. Not everyone can get locked up in prison, it does cost money and do you want to spend money on these people to suffer or do you want to rid them from society? I want to rid them from society, they don't deserve the life (if proven).

Lets be honest though, the DP is rarely actually carried out. Thousands of inmates on death row for 10-odd years that are still waiting. So for you people who want an alternative method of making someone's life hell, the waiting process of capital punishment will do it for ya.

 

[Brizzle Kicks]

If proved without any shadow of a doubt the death penalty should be brought back for paedophiles and murders imo.

 

[SukieK]

Death to those who Rape & Murder! However, to those who rape: They should first have their genitals sheared off!

 

[FullmetalHeart20]

If one would accept any argument against capital punishment, consider this. Death is mercy.
Seriously, we all get 90 odd years of life. It's a relatively small amount of time. So inmates that commit capital crimes could either reform over the decades, or not. However, if they do not reform, it will be hell. Capital crimes are normally so horrifying, even most inmates treat the perpetrators like plops. I'm of the belief that life sentences are actually worse. One has death. The other has punishment, then death.
In other words, both sides have a reason against it.

 

[Brizzle Kicks]

If one would accept any argument against capital punishment, consider this. Death is mercy.
Seriously, we all get 90 odd years of life. It's a relatively small amount of time. So inmates that commit capital crimes could either reform over the decades, or not. However, if they do not reform, it will be hell. Capital crimes are normally so horrifying, even most inmates treat the perpetrators like pl***. I'm of the belief that life sentences are actually worse. One has death. The other has punishment, then death.
In other words, both sides have a reason against it.

I know this is from a few years ago but things haven't really changed that much in prisons in the U.K I don't know what there like where you're from but this is far from a deterrent.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/yourview/1905125/Is-prison-life-too-soft.html

 

[FullmetalHeart20]

I can't speak for other countries, but here's something from the American Declaration of Independance.
"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."
Now I know the legal standing of it is debatable, but this is a very important document. So can someone please explain how 32 states simply disregard this? I mean really. They say all men there.

 

[Crooksin]

I can't speak for other countries, but here's something from the American Declaration of Independance.
"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."
Now I know the legal standing of it is debatable, but this is a very important document. So can someone please explain how 32 states simply disregard this? I mean really. They say all menthere.

Things change when you murder someone

 

[FullmetalHeart20]

Things change when you murder someone

And responding in kind with murder is like punishing theft with theft, or assault with assault. To respond to one crime with the same offense doesn't seem to make much sense.

 

[Nighthiker77]

Makes sense to me. Live by the sword...

 

[FullmetalHeart20]

Makes sense to me. Live by the sword...

But aren't we supposed to be better than that? This isn't Skyrim. Killing isn't a casual thing.