Open Discussion: The Death penalty

[Dodotorpedo]

I thought I'd open a discussion on this subject, I talked about it with Metroid on msn and on WoW for a few days and I thought it would be interesting to know what everyone's thought would be on this subject: Should the Death Penalty be allowed or not? And if yes, why? and under what circumstances.

I myself think that the Death Penalty shouldn't be allowed in any cases, ever. Revenge doesn't solve anything.

Your thoughts?

[M.Steiner]

Depends what the person has done, and under what circumstances tbh. I'm not totally pro death penalty but there are some things i think even prison is no punishment for. We could go on for hours and list crimes that we think should or shouldn't warrant the death penalty but just as one example, someone who goes out and hurts children doesn't deserve to live imo. Prison is no punishment for a sicko like that, and they certanly shouldn't be walkin the damn streets.

Also another thing that annoys me about prison sentences. When someone does a terrible crime and gets a life sentence, life should mean life, not 15 years or some crap.

[Eolas]

In my opinion no man should ever have the power to take the life of another man. If the crime is serious enough or the criminal is a relapser and beyond reasonable redemption there is always life imprisonment. Death penalty as a deterrent is not of much use anyway as in the states/countries in which it is in force it hasn't helped reduce the crime rate. Just my 2c.

[Drongnel]

someone who goes out and hurts children doesn't deserve to live imo. Prison is no punishment for a sicko like that, and they certanly shouldn't be walkin the damn streets.

Totally agree with MS here, it's not for revenge or that we have the right to choose life & death but some people by their action forgo there right to live by taking that right from other's, Im not talking accidental death or killing in a fit of passion I mean the types who kill & rape as they get off on that sort of thing, imho people like that should be removed from this world. But at the same time it's a really tricky one as there is always the risk that an innocent could be wrongly convicted and killed.

[Linkie]

someone who goes out and hurts children doesn't deserve to live imo. Prison is no punishment for a sicko like that, and they certanly shouldn't be walkin the damn streets.

Totally agree with MS here, it's not for revenge or that we have the right to choose life & death but some people by their action forgo there right to live by taking that right from other's, Im not talking accidental death or killing in a fit of passion I mean the types who kill & rape as they get off on that sort of thing, imho people like that should be removed from this world. But at the same time it's a really tricky one as there is always the risk that an innocent could be wrongly convicted and killed.

i agree with drong and MS here

If some1 does rape/kill childeren they are just FUBAR imo

[Sondemon]

But at the same time it's a really tricky one as there is always the risk that an innocent could be wrongly convicted and killed.

Indeed, and with this risk of taking someones life, who was innocent. Do you actually dare to have a death penalty?

[Dodotorpedo]

If somewone is a danger to society, locking them up should solve the problem. I don't really see a reason to murder somewone nomatter what crimes he did. Punishments are there to change criminals (so that when they get released, they won't do it again). If the crime is so horrible that people believe he/she can never be a part of society again. That person can simply be locked up for life.

Even childmurderers are still people, deranged and probably insane people but still people. What they did was wrong, but killing them won't bring back the people he/she killed.

IMO the Death Penalty has no other real use then to avenge those that have been killed by the murderer, since imprisonment for life(without parol) has the same effect.

Also another thing that annoys me about prison sentences. When someone does a terrible crime and gets a life sentence, life should mean life, not 15 years or some crap.

In some cases people do indeed deserve the life sentence, and life should mean life. Why some courts call 15 years in prison life is beyond me.

[Drongnel]

Ahh but life inprisonment is expensive, if they are gonna never see the world again anyway then why not fry em and save our tax money? ^^

[Gryphon]

Practicality:

Life sentences -

As the population of the state/country/world as a whole grows, so will the prison population. It's inevitable. The scope for population expansion is limitless, people will always breed. New land however is not limitless. Prisons are going to fill, and there will be no space for new ones, therefore no space for new offenders.

Rehabilitation is an option, but then, if they've done it once, whats to stop them doing it again? Nothing. Rehabilitation requires support staff. These cost money. Not every governing body has that kind of money, and more importantly, not everyone wants that kind of job as an occupation.

For a lot of crimes, I'm absolutely for like for like punishment. Rape? Incarceration as an option, but i'd much rather see someone rendered unable to ever do it again. I'm serious when I say this. Castration.

Theft? Penalty in kind, be it monetary, or possesion.

My opinion:

Prison, solves very little, they get more support in there for personal development, that the state pays for than law abiding citizens do. Some of them may well take advantage of that, but very few do. And even then, those that do are not always going to find employment using these skills due to thier records.

Corporal punishment. Not everyone agrees, but I thnk for petty crimes, it would free up a lot of prison spaces for those dangerous individuals.

Yes, my thinking is offensive to some, but then again so is the though of a rapist, a peadophile, oir a murderer getting a reduced sentence due to lack of prison space.[/b]

[Inquisitor]

Be extremely careful with political discussions folks. These sorts of things can destroy online groups.

Invariably, someone will be offended by someone elses politics or attitudes.

[Dodotorpedo]

But don't you think it's crual to murder people just becouse the prisons are full and keeping them is too expensive?

I like your idea about castrating rapists though... xP

[M.Steiner]

Not one person can say what is definitely right or wrong with something like this. Everyone has their own believes (opinions, politics, religion..) on whether the death penalty is right or wrong, cruel or kind. Its a very controversial subject tbh.

[Messiah]

Invariably, someone will be offended by someone elses politics or attitudes.

I resent that, Quis!

[Gryphon]

There is way too much scope for p*ssing people off here

I think I'll hang fire on any other contribution in this thread.

[Inquisitor]

If this post stays open, I STRONGLY encourage people to type their posts in a word processor, and re-read before posting. This is the kind of topic where people can unintentionally say extremely mean things to one another.

That is all.

[BlackDove]

I think Inquisitor deserves the death penalty!

...oh wait...

I meant, I'm for the death penalty of Inqusitior.

...

DAMNIT!

[Brittfire]

castration is a viable option, so long as it is somebody who is guilty beyond doupt and has commited the crime repeatedly.

and as for corporal punishment, they should of took away the cane at school, the standards in school were i live dropped beyong unrecoverable becouse nobody has the power to punish except the kids themselves.

when school detention becomes an afterschool social club its beyond a joke...


anyways, the death penelty..... in many ways i'm against it, becouse the thought of rotting in a cell is quite nice, but, the truth is, thats not what happens. curranty in the uk we have an illegel immigrant trying to abuse the human rights act to get him into an open prison, even tho hes a child murder and his sentance was upgraded due to puplic outcry.

but, on the uphand, knowing that the criminal is dead can bring peice of mind to many, knowing that theres never a chance for them to do it again, due to the multitude of legel loopholes in the system and the human rights act (non availability of a retrial being the obvious problem/solution).

i'm full to the brim with thoughts on this, but, like many other times, i can to bothered to type much.

also, i really hope they scrape the human rights act in the uk, becouse since its start, its caused more problems than its solved and been abused so much to get so many people out of jail or into the country to commit further crimes, its just crazy.....

[Padishar]

Boo Death, Yay Beer!

[esd]

To me offenders are society's responsibility. It's known these tendancies and occurances exist, and it's up to us to deal with it in a civillised manner without resorting to "uncivillised" means.

Some may call it justice, but does wanting someone dead because they killed someone really see justice served? I'm an advocate of "Life means life" sentancing for serious crime, and I don't mean at the sort of Prison Hotel affair Hindley got before she snuffed it, I mean penal institution with a military-style regime, few luxuries which can easily be taken away (eg, limited TV access, limited food other than basic-rations).

Also consider that death is a release. It seems that by sentancing someone to death you're actually granting them release from facing the consequences of what they have done.
Even those of religious belief can't be sure these criminals would go to hell, as confession and pennance (and some would say being executed is a lot of pennance) absolve a sinner of their sins. Priests are generally readily available at such an event.

Then of course there's the whole "got the wrong man" argument, which I don't feel needs explaining as it's pretty clear what's meant.

[SoulSeeker]

Many Nations of the world have had a Nuclear Arsenal for decades acting as a Deterrent and outwith Terrorism,its worked.

The Fear is a greater Deterrent...also with the Death sentence...I'm for the death sentence as i think it would be a Deterrent for others to think first before raping a child or whatever.

It would have to have a system like death row for a few years to not get the wrong guy type scenario also the type of Sentence is of question.

In the UK it would prob be Death by Hanging which is quick unlike The Electric Chair,Leathal Injection imo is just like hanging...quick....

Fear rules humans and the fear of possably getting the Death Sentence might save many lives but ultimatly someone will die...kinda morbid subject ......

Tho forced to watch Eastenders 24/7 might have the same fear effect......

[requiemdreamer]

I am deffinitely against the death penalty. Without getting too much into it, all I would say is that I understand the thought behind it being closure for affected parties, preventing outrageous costs for keeping prisoners in prison, intimidating criminals to not commit crimes, etc. However, I feel all of those fall short of a greater picture that should be seen.

Now I'm not a very religious or political person in any way, but I personally feel that there is something very wrong with condemning anyone to death for any reason. Of course people will want to, when terrible things happen, and that is only natural and part of dealing with pain/anger. But to actually allow it is morally wrong.

I try to put myself in the situation of someone affected by these criminals to see if from another perspective. For instance, if the life of one of my loved ones was taken, I hope now that in that situation I would find the clarity of heart to not wish the death penalty on that person. I feel that I would only regret it later and that it would destroy the type of person that I am. Honestly, I think that the progress of society will eventually root out the death penalty.
(This is just my opinion and nothing more)

Boo Death, Yay Beer!

QFT

[Unimatrixx]

This is a never ending discussion that already started since humanity and a discussion that also will never end, there is no option that everybody would agree..

My view; Is too long to type.

[Brittfire]

i agree with the penal institute, it will give offenders a life of endless thinking about wats its like to see tv again :O, only problem, human rihgts activist start getting uppety becouse they have an issue with people not being able to watch tv.....

and the death penelty as a deterant by fear? doesnt work as its planned in the end, people do thing in most cases without thinking of the consequences

[Stracius]

I think the idea is that if it deters at least one crime, then it has succeeded. And yes, capital crimes will still occur, and still do. We already know of the people who weren't deterred by its presence, but we can't judge its merit based on that.

So how do we know about the people that may have actually considered the consequence of the death penalty, and decided not to break the law? Can't exactly look back and say "Yep, that nice fella there woulda murdered his brother if the death penalty hadn't been present." But just because we can't identify them, doesn't mean they don't exist.

Anyway, deterrent or not, I've no desire to voice my position on the death penalty as a form of punishment. There are topics that I don't care to bring into my gaming world. This is one of them. Nice work on keeping it civil though

[esd]

people do thing in most cases without thinking of the consequences

I think most people simply assume they won't get caught.