[Matt Chylak]

Do you support it?

I was looking for a thread to read some opinions, but I guess someone's cleaned up the politics forum.

[Jake Gyllenhaal]

No, for three fold:

1. It's not a deterrent for committing violent acts of crime.
2. Through the appeals process and current Death Row system, it costs taxpayers more to house a Death Row inmate than housing a convict with a life sentence.
3. The death penalty is an easy-way-out for eliminating criminals and provides no real closure for the families and friends of victims.

In addition, if there was ever the case where a family member or close friend of mine was convicted of a crime that would warrant the death penalty, then I certainly would not want to see them executed.

[daftpunker45]

No. Because of this.

I've met Mr. Bhuiyan personally and capital punishment isn't a punishment as much as it is an award from slow death and hurts the tax payer more than life without parole due to the appeals for those on death row in order to satisfy the legal process. An eye for an eye isn't really applicable here because it isn't justice as much as it is an easy way out.

[open mind]

no.

it's a waste of money, and it's immoral.....and america (or any other nation with similar laws) cannot convincingly proclaim itself to be on a higher moral ground when "eye for an eye" is the rule of law.

[Healthy Scratch]

in certain circumstances, yes.
but due to the overwhelming backlash that opinion will bring here, i will refrain from discussing it further.

[brook183]

Originally Posted by Healthy Scratch

in certain circumstances, yes.
but due to the overwhelming backlash that opinion will bring here, i will refrain from discussing it further.

It's good discussion, please post.


Personally, no, for all the reasons mentioned above.

[jawstheme]

In the system we have in place when you have capital punishment it inevitably becomes the "high mark" for the DA. So, basically you have a system where "the best and brightest" DA's are judged and rewarded on the death penalties they mark, because that is the highest mark. Thus there are numerous cases where the death penalty is pushed for or forced for prestigious reasons. See The Thin Blue Line for a clear cut example.

So short answer, in our penalty system the death penalty is awful.

[domotime2]

nope, but our society isn't even close to understanding this. so it's a futile fight really.

[majinsharingan]

Personally I think having to sit alone in a dark room for 20+ years is far worse of a punishment than being gently put to sleep.

[mike'smannequin]

Originally Posted by majinsharingan

Personally I think having to sit alone in a dark room for 20+ years is far worse of a punishment than being gently put to sleep.

this.

[phillipjacob]

Personally even the most vile and evil chasms of people don't deserve an honor as quick as the death penalty.

Should they be housed in maximum security for a lifetime sense, yes.

The previous statements above mentioning why they don't support it, I very much agree with.

I would also like to add

- A lifetime spent behind bars not only can the convicted spend that time providing service and work (a lot of prisons have their prisoners learn traits, do work, etc) I'm sure there's a useful idea in there somewhere.

- A lifetime for examination of why/how/etc can be done to help diagnose even further what makes people commit the types of crimes that would call for the death penalty

-A usefulness in helping catch other criminals in exchange not for freedom or reduced sentencing but maybe better living conditions/something small and for the criminal knowing they can never take away the pains they've caused but they can help stop other people from receiving pain someone else is causing.

[undotheroots]

Nah.

[anthonydarko]

[only the clouds]

No. Dozens of convicted criminals have been proven innocent when they were on Death Row. No one knows how many were killed before they could be exonerated.

[_veges_]

I don't support it. It's not that I don't think some criminals deserve to die for their crimes, but allowing the death penalty sets a very dangerous precedent for potentially killing innocent men. You can always set an innocent person free but you can't bring them back to life.