Do you believe in the death penalty?

Question

And if you do are you like me and wonder why this is over population in the prisons. I mean if someone gets the death sentence shouldn't we just carry it out? If this were done wouldn't there be less overcrowding in the prison system?
Especially if the inmate is a murderer, I think eye for an eye. What is the hold up and why is there a death row, does it take that long to put someone to death?

yes, only if we are positive they committed the crime. But we have prisoners who admitted to more than one murder and they are still just being held in this case shouldn't the outcome be more swift.

Especially if we know without a doubt about one murder and they start to tell about others they have committed

Answer 1

I believe in the death penalty. The delay in the process is that they are allowed time to appeal their cases to ensure all was accomplished to prove his guilt or innocence. Each state has different processes to try and ensure that everyone gets a fair chance. Oer the years, several individuals that have been convicted have eventually been released since they overall found out htat they were innocent in the end. So it takes time to make sure the right person is sentenced.

Answer 2

Thanks for letting me put my many years of study of this subject to good use. I have studied the death penalty for about twenty years now, and although I have read only about 20 books on the subject, I am still quite knowledgable compared to the average adult American.

The reasons that the system takes so long to kill the condemned is that any error tremendously undermines the whole system. In a fascist system there are no cautious requirements and safeguards (Saddam Hussein never took very long to kill somebody he did not like.). But in a liberal democracy people are very alarmed about the idea of deliberately killing someone and then discovering that it was a mistake. In England, during the early 1960s there were two highly publicized cases where the government killed a person who was later proved innocent. England abolished the death penatly provisionally in 1965, and permanently in 1969 (the same year Vatican City formally abolished its death penalty).

So the death system follows what is called "super due-process." Everybody wants to make absolutely sure that no innocent person is executed, so the defendant/inmate/condemned get a lot of appeals rights and many ways to reintroduce their cases. Still, the governor of Illinois, halted the Illinois death penalty around 1988 because during the most recent period, Illinois had executed 12 people and released 13 on evidence or either innocence or prosecutorial misconduct, etc.

You approve the death penatly because you are far on the outside of the issue. You see it is a simple way (the quote "eye for an eye" reveals this. It is, by the way from Romans. Jesus directly addresses this in the Gospels, by saying, "You have heard that it was said, 'an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth' but I tell you Do not resist an evil person.") You may want the system to move faster, but people actually involved want to make sure their consciences are protected too. They must try to kill and also make sure they aren't burdened by pangs of conscience after a miscarriage of justice occurs. And the system still reveals everybody pointing at the others as the ones truly responsible for the execution: the legislators claim to be representing " the will of the people"; the prosecutor is just doing his job; the judge is required to implement the law, not make up his own; the prison warden is only doing what he is hired to do; the people themselves claim that they did not approve of the system that killed the innocent people, but just that "guilty" people should be executed; the strap down team does not take responsibility either... they're just doin their jobs. Many people want the killing to take place, but they don't want the responsibility for it.

Answer 3

Yes, I believe that the death penalty exists.

There aren't that many people on death row, so it wouldn't ease prison populations.

Also, "activists" scream that the USA has the highest incarceration rate of any industrialized nation. So what? There are less than 3 million people in US prisons - that's less than ONE PERCENT of the population. I'll take that as reasonable.

"Activists" also scream that our prison system is racist, because there are so many minorities behind bars. That well may be true, but isn't the sysem SEXIST as well? After all, 94% of prison inmates are MALE.

Love Jack

Answer 4

The best past of death row is , the more they spend time on death row the less proof there is to keep them even in prison. I believe they should not stay in prison no more then a year. That's it!!! We shouldn't have to pay for people who has killed some one or many!!!

Answer 5

Our legal system allows it. They want to be sure that they are not making a mistake. My feeling is that the death penalty should be consistent. If it is an unprovoked murder, then POOF!!! Nowadays with DNA testing and all that, the sentences should be carried out in 5 years. Is it a deterrant? It is hard to tell. If it is applied consistently and within a short period of time, it will make people think twice.

Answer 6

Yes, we need to exterminate the extremely evil people off of this planet, but only in a 100% sure case. Why should we pay taxes so some scumbag can have 3 square meals a day, cable tv, sports and access to a library...hell thats more like a hotel then a punishment.

Answer 7

To another statement on hypocrisy in the bible, we must remember the bible was written by men under the influence of God, all men are in perfect there is only one that is perfect and we strive to be like him. Jesus taught tolerance and justice through love and forgiveness. Yes, I am for the death penalty if you can give me absolute proof that this person did it, but it would not bring the love one back again. BUT ask me again if my child got the death penalty if I was for it and I wold say NO!

Answer 8

I believe many crimes justify the death penalty.
The argument against the death penalty is ususlly, what if we're wrong, you can let them out of jail, but you can't bring them back to life.
In cases where there is no doubt, I think the appeals process should be sharply curtailed.
Actually using the death penalty is a deterrent, no matter how the bleeding hearts try to twist the statistics.

Answer 9

Yes I more than agree,If we have death penalty that would stop so many horrible crimes.If you murder, rape a child , rob and beat the elderly and as seen in this weeks news beat homeless because "it is fun"they should be put to death not put on Prozac and walk free.Yes if we do impose death penalty kill than before sunrise,the counrty would not be in such a deficate.

Answer 10

The death penalty is murder. All studies show it does not act as a deterrent, and countries without it have lower crime rates than countries with it. It's a holdover from a more ignorant time in history, and should be abolished.