Opinions on Capital Punishment?

Question

For? Against? Method preferences?

Update:

sunshine, thanks for the article. And if the person in this article had been a child?

Answer 1

Favorite Answer

Sunshine's article is a perfect example of someone who needs to be taken off the streets. For good.

But capital punishment is a horribly flawed system that is ineffective at deterring crime, and is outrageously expensive.

I live in Texas, and I supported capital punishment for a long time, but the more I learned about it, the more I came to oppose it. In the end, several factors changed my mind:

1. By far the most compelling is this: Sometimes the legal system gets it wrong. In the last 35 years in the U.S., 130 people have been released from death row because they were exonerated by DNA evidence. These are ALL people who were found guilty “beyond a reasonable doubt.” Unfortunately, DNA evidence is not available in most cases. So, as long as the death penalty is in place, you are pretty much GUARANTEED to occasionally execute an innocent person.

Really, that should be reason enough for most people to oppose it. If you need more, read on:

2. Because of higher pre-trial expenses, longer trials, jury sequestration, extra expenses associated with prosecuting & defending a DP case, and the appeals process (which is necessary - see reason #1), it costs taxpayers MUCH more to execute prisoners than to imprison them for life.

3. The deterrent effect is questionable at best. Violent crime rates are actually HIGHER in death penalty jurisdictions. This may seem counterintuitive, and there are many theories about why this is (Ted Bundy saw it as a challenge, so he chose Florida – the most active execution state at the time – to carry out his final murder spree). It is probably due, at least in part, to the high cost (see #2), which drains resources from police departments, drug treatment programs, education, and other government services that help prevent crime. Personally, I think it also has to do with the hypocrisy of taking a stand against murder…by killing people. The government fosters a culture of violence by saying, ‘do as I say, not as I do.’

4. There’s also an argument to be made that death is too good for the worst criminals. Let them wake up and go to bed every day of their lives in a prison cell, and think about the freedom they DON’T have, until they rot of old age. When Ted Bundy was finally arrested in 1978, he told the police officer, “I wish you had killed me.” Khalid Shaikh Mohammed (the architect of the 9/11 attacks) would love nothing better than to be put to death. In his words, "I have been looking to be a martyr [for a] long time."

5. Most governments are supposed to be secular, but for those who invoke Christian law in this debate, you can find arguments both for AND against the death penalty in the Bible. The New Testament (starring Jesus) is primarily ANTI-death penalty. For example, in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus praises mercy (Matthew 5:7) and rejects “an eye for an eye” (Matthew 5:38-39). James 4:12 says that GOD is the only one who can take a life in the name of justice. In John 8:7, Jesus himself says, "let he who is without sin cast the first stone."

Answer 2

i remember seeing this once:

the willful destruction of human life is morally wrong

the death sentence is the willful destruction of human life

therefore, the death sentence is morally wrong.

think i saw it on wiki but it wasn't an article on capital punishment...

i think many would agree it would be a good deterrant, but if you convict someone innocent, the price is very high - and it has happened.

i think there should be punishments alot less flimsy than the tap on the wrist they give to people nowadays

i dunno, cut off burglars hands or summut - they won't do it agen lol

Answer 3

Against.

I think capital punishment can cause rage or terror to citizens.

Answer 4

Against.

Cheers

-Will

Answer 5

We don't live in the 1800's anymore, move on people.

Killing the murderer isn't gonna do anything. Make them suffer in a"cooler", sweatbox whatever you wanna cool it, until they die.

Answer 6

the problem with capital punishment is it isn't used enough

Answer 7

For it. I say hang 'em in public like they used to.

Answer 8

"why do we kill people who kill people to teach people that killing people is bad"

i use to live on this quote...but after reading this story, i have never forgot it;

http://www.canada.com/reginaleaderpost/news/story....

and can you honestly say that you don't want this sick b**tard to die?