Sentenced to Death

[Mirage]

What do you think of the Death Penalty? Do you think it is justified ever?

I have no problem with it. Granted there have been people that have most likely been executed while actually being innocent, which is extremely unfortunate, but, with today's advanced scientific and technological advances, the chances of that have gone WAY down.

If a person is found guilty of something "deserving of death", as defined in individual states, I have no problem with them getting that sentence. Is it inhumane? Well, is it inhumane to keep somebody alive that is a threat to society? Which is the worse of the two evils?

There HAVE been cases where people on death row have gotten out of prison, for various reasons, and have gone out and killed again. At some point, the fact that these people have taken life from another individual, or individuals, I don't have a problem with them getting the "eye for an eye" treatment here.

Some people don't view life in prison as that much of a drawback to killing somebody. Death, on the other hand, is something that everybody can relate to fully. It is also something that most people are afraid of. Even knowing that they could be executed is probably enough to keep some people from killing somebody else.

Nowadays most states don't sentence people to death for one murder anyway. It seems that the laws have lightened up a lot when it comes to this. People are given second chances a lot more often.

I do think that some people can change, and perhaps a second chance or a lighter sentence is justified given the right circumstances, however, there are also other cases (such as first degree thought out and planned murder), where I believe "change" is something that is not an option. Can it happen? Sure, it has happened. However, in certain cases I think that no matter that change the person goes through in prison, they should not be freed, given a lighter sentence, etc. Otherwise anybody could just "change" in prison, and once they are out they could easily go back to whatever they felt like.

This is a touchy issue for some people, but it's also one worth debating. What are your thoughts?

 

[Mr_Snipes]

Yes, I do believe that there are times when the death penalty is justified. Pre-meditated murder is definately one of those times.

 

[Teorropy]

Yeah, I don't have a problem with the Death Sentence.

I actually think we need to start using it, taxes would go down a little.

I mean some of these convicted murders and serial killers have been sitting there getting three meals a day of better food then I do, for a while.

It is time to get it done, if they are on death row, then they need to be put to death.

 

[dDave]

I definitely agree with the death penalty, it encourages people not to kill because the crime will be returned onto the person who murdered the other.

One problem with killers being in prison is the fact that they can work out. Why should the people who killed others be able to eat, and work out? Why should the people who aren't working hard trying to make a living be allowed to work out in prison? People can be completely healthy in prison without working out.

 

[Major]

I always go back and forth on the death penalty, but right now I do think it's justified. I also think the execution should be long and painful, otherwise it just seems like the death penalty would be the more preferable option than spending the rest of your life in prison.

 

[Doc]

I'm actually against the death penalty for the simple reason that it's cheaper for a person to sit in jail the rest of their lives (around 500k per prisoner), and around 1.5 million to execute (ten years of appeals, housing, transportation, and misc. fees).

I haven't looked the numbers up recently, but these numbers were for around 2001.

As for the death penalty as a deterrent, I totally agree with it. I feel that most (or all) rapists, murders (not certain revenge, pity, or defensive purposes), and most child sex offenders should be executed within a month or two of their trials. It would save the money.

 

[Mirage]

I agree on the quick execution but it needs to only be for the cases that are proven from multiple sources, or at least 100% no doubt in anyone's mind that they did it. If the proof is there, such as video surveillance, or anything else that can be proven to be concrete, I say get it over with and move on. More people would be scared to do anything death penalty-worthy if they knew that they could be executed just months later.

 

[Doc]

I totally agree, and the appeal process is necessary for the tougher cases and to give the innocent their real shot... but we do have a few flaws in our judicial system.

 

[MenInTights]

other nations actually view our appeals process for the death penalty as cruel and unusual. Not that I care what other nations think, but that idea is something to think about.

 

[Psyco]

The death penalty, in my mind, is a just and should be used more often. (Note, i'll probably come off as a psychotic, demented asshole by saying this, but its my opinion.) And half the problem with our "appeals process" is that genuinely horrible people end up getting off scot free because of a "complication" or something. The appeals process (while this might not always be the case) is less for justice than it is an attempt to keep on living, and have the possibility to attack another person.

Would you really want a serial murderer/rapist sitting in jail for years, and then possibly be able to get paroled for "good behavior"? (most of the time, they just play along with the rules, so they can get out and strike again.) Our jails are getting overcrowded by the day, and to be honest, a handful of these prisoners don't even deserve to live (because of the heinous acts that they have perpetrated.) An execution would (a) be one less madman locked up somewhere, who could easily hurt another human being, and more importantly (b) show that we are not going to tolerate any sort of heinous acts.