Death Penalty

[Nate5]

I definitely do not believe in death penalty. The fact that there is an entire page in Wikipedia article that is dedicated to a list of people wrongfully executed shows us how unnecessary and potential there is for wrong that exists in death penalty. It costs so much money to keep a person on death row. People say that it's a deterrent for crime, but there is no point when the alternative is something worse, such as starvation on the streets. I believe that people can be locked up for life, that's a much harsher punishment than death anyway.

 

[Carfer]

The death penalty is not without flaw, and is considerably more expensive than life without parole, because the Constitution requires a long and complex judicial process for capital cases, however, the risk of executing an innocent person can not be completely eliminated. Wrongfully convicted individuals appear in all corners of the judicial system, not just when it concerns the death penalty.

As far as reform goes, the entire judicial system will always carry with it a margin of error, therefore will always necessitate reform. The existing systems for handling capital appeals is not perfect and it can be dysfunctional and need reform. Without change we could end up with a permanently malfunctioning death penalty system, and state Supreme Court increasingly unable to fulfill its essential role in our governmental system, or in worst-case scenario--both.

Do I believe in the death penalty? You can bet on it. What would you suggest for a man or woman who rapes an infant, dismembers the body, and buries it? Are you going to suggest "3 hots and a cot"? I would surely hope not.

 

[Carfer]

I definitely do not believe in death penalty. The fact that there is an entire page in Wikipedia article that is dedicated to a list of people wrongfully executed shows us how unnecessary and potential there is for wrong that exists in death penalty. It costs so much money to keep a person on death row. People say that it's a deterrent for crime, but there is no point when the alternative is something worse, such as starvation on the streets. I believe that people can be locked up for life, that's a much harsher punishment than death anyway.

My college professors always made it clear to their students that if they cited "Wikipedia" on any papers or projects, they would get a failing grade. Wikipedia is not a trusted site containing factual information. Anyone can alter the content on Wikipedia pages.

Also, I have not come across any resources that cite the death penalty as a deterrent to crime. If it were a deterrent, crime probably would not be an issue today, since the death penalty has been around since the Ancient Laws of China.

 

[Carfer]

No. I don't believe in the death penalty because it's only an act of revenge and does nothing to discourage the same crimes from recurring. I believe that another approach should be taken to reduce crime, and life in prison is best because it at least gives the criminal a chance to evolve and realize the difference between themselves then and the future. In fact, there's a documentary on Netflix about lifers in prison for a crime they committed when they were a teenager. These men are different now, more matured, and remorseful for they did, which is eliminated with capital punishment. The wrong doer never has the chance see a change in themselves.

Don't turn a blind eye to those men. Not all incarcerates reform, mature, or have the ability to conjure up any minute shred of remorse for anything they have done. Recidivism rates in the USA are some of the highest in the world.

 

[LitoLawless]

I think the death penalty is a bit extreme in most cases. I think everyone should have the chance to either prove their innocence or rot in jail. I really don't understand the logic behind killing someone because what they did was so bad. It would only bring temporary peace at best. I think making them live with what they have done is a lot worse.

 

[missbishi]

This is a tricky question. When we hear about horrific crimes being committed towards children, our initial reaction is to think they deserve to hang. You start to question why government money should be spent on keeping these criminals fed and sheltered and looking after their health requirements. On the other hand though, is killing these people simply exhibiting the same degree of barbarism that they have?

 

[Sarz]

As I have said in a previous post I have mixed feelings on the death penalty. I agree that death seems the easy way out they should lives out their days, suffering as the victims of their crimes did. But I do also understand the argument that it cost a lot of our money to home these parasites and keep them breathing.

 

[downsouth]

If there really was a way to know if these people that commit these atrocities are mentally insane and damaged as opposed to just plain evil and barbaric then I would be for the death penalty. Unfortunately even with every single psychological test administered you can never be 100% sure. But you toss 'em in prison for life and us citizens have to pay to keep them alive and fed.

 

[SamClemensMT]

I believe in life in outer space, and the death penalty on Earth for really horrible human beings. I'm not happy to see a person condemned to death for their actions, but if you can't face the penalty you shouldn't commit the crime. Hang'em high, and let it be a lesson to anyone who wants to follow a similar path. When people become angels we won't need a death penalty.

 

[weepforsweep]

The death penalty should never be an option. There isn't a 100% way of finding some guilty of a crime. Beyond reasonable doubt means they most likely did the crime but there is still that small sliver of doubt.

 

[Mackmax]

I do support the death penalty, but I do think that it needs some reform.
I support it because I simply don't believe that a gruesome criminal deserves to live. If the criminal's lawyers wouldn't repeal the verdict so many times, the death penalty system would be a lot quicker and less expensive. However, the lawyers just repeal and repeal so the cost of court time and etc gets very expensive.
I do think the death penalty system needs some reform because there have been instances where innocent people were put on death row, which I think is a shame. I would rather have a guilty man who deserves death put in jail than an innocent man put to death.

 

[Sweetheart]

The death penalty. "An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind." I am more for reform. I don't even believe that executing someone is a punishment. It is freedom. They're dead, they are gone. They go where ever, heaven, hell. How is that a punishment? The game is over. Prison and jail can be a punishment. Some that go into prison frequently like it there so I don't know. Is that punishment for them? Executing someone because they committed murder? There are other things that could be done with them. I guess jailing them is like putting a wild animal in a cage. I don't think there is reform for a murderer though. Charles Manson is still alive. He is a classic deviant. Gets other people to do the dirty work. There should be another planet for these people, put them all together.

 

[SamClemensMT]

If there are 100 people on death row in January 2015, how many of them do you suppose are innocent? I bet it's less than one percent. To the innocent we can pray for forgiveness, but the other 99 have got to be out of here.

 

[shilpa123]

Death penalty is a serious punishment and I think it should be given carefully to those people who deserve it. But one should be very careful while giving such punishment as I think it can never be changed. One should know what they are doing while giving death penalty.*

 

[Kittyworker]

I support the death penalty. Pretty much all the people who were are finding out are innocent are from before DNA testing was done everywhere. Cases that are being tried today use DNA testing when needed and there's less doubt. I don't buy into that whole "It is better that ten guilty persons escape than that one innocent suffer" because I can guarantee that those ten guilty people are going to make more than one innocent suffer.

 

[sunrider]

As a general principle, I'm very wary of giving the state the power to kill (I mean more power than it already has - war, for example). Yes, if someone I loved were brutally murdered, I would absolutely want the killer to be put to death. The whole point of a justice system, though, is justice. We are supposed to have an unbiased system judge the accused and dole out an appropriate sentence. So taking my personal feelings out of the equation, no, I would prefer we get rid of the death penalty and stick with life in prison.

This is in addition to the fact that we so often get it wrong. One innocent person put to death is too many innocent people put to death. That alone should put the death penalty on pause; we can argue principle after we figure out practicality.

 

[fliktor7]

I support it, but only with criminals that are found 100% guilty. Not 99%, it must be 100% because it's a very heavy punishment, and it only should be used in the most extreme causes.
In my country it isn't allowed, and I believe it should be when we are talking about terrorists, those who have raped children and horrible stuff like that.

 

[dez97]

I do not believe in the death penalty. I believe that taking ones life, due to the lost life of another is simply murder itself. Even though the justice system don't get in trouble they are also still committing a crime. There are also a lot of other factors to take into consideration like the emotion damage that it leaves on the family of those getting the death penalty and also the emotional damage that it leaves on the family for which the death penalty is being given, this also stresses them out as the blood is also on their hands, something that they themselves also have to live with. Another thing to take into consideration is what the case is with the jurors they have to convict someone tot he death penalty, that's one life hanging on many people's heads at nights sometimes even for a career they have no background in. Some changes and improvements to the system can definitely be made.

 

[Muthoni]

I think that the death sentence should be abolished. Someone who commits a crime should be given time to pay for it. Killing them actually gives them a free ride to the worlds beyond. Most of them have nothing to live for and killing them is actually doing them a favor.

 

[PriscillaKing]

Considering some of the things some people in prison have done, I wonder whether society should bear any responsibility for feeding them during their prison time. Let the people who oppose the death penalty provide food for somebody who shoved an old lady out of her car in order to steal it, but first drove across the owner's body three times...if they feel like it.