Do you agree with death penalty?

Question

Is the government use the death penalty, is the government also a criminal?

Answer 1

no, and there's heaps of reasons why, here's four:

1: courts get it wrong sometimes. If a person is convicted of murder and sent to prison for life, and they are later found innocent on appeal and released then it sucked they were ever in prison but they're free now. If they're executed and later found innocent, that's not so great. This happens a lot.

2: it's very costly - people on death row will appeal as much as possible to save their life. The cost of the appeals often exceeds the cost of imprisoning them for the rest of their life. And you have to let them appeal, because they could be innocent: see point 1.

3: it's incredibly hypocritical to say "its wrong to kill someone. Your punishment for killing someone is that we'll kill you". The government is not "a criminal" for doing this, because "a criminal" is somebody who has broken the law. If executions are legal, no law has been broken.

4: it is very well established that the death penalty has no greater deterrent effect than a life sentence on a person about to commit a crime. If you disagree with me, read a few books on the topic. If you're worried about the offender re-offending, lock them up for life - simple.

And as for the "if it was yr grandma that got raped you'd want the death penalty too..." argument: that's exactly why victims dont sentence offenders - the punishment would ALWAYS be way too harsh. people would get executed for theft every day of the week.

Answer 2

There are two problems with the death penalty; one moral and the other financial.

Over 100 men have now been freed from death row after DNA tests were able to prove that they did not commit the crime; these tests were not available when they were convicted. So - how do we reconcile as a society the possibility that we have put to death the wrong person?

In terms of finances, it costs about half as much to keep a man in prison for 35 years as it does to put on a capital trial. This is because far more is spent on the initial trial, and then the death penalty phase and an automatic appeal, than would normally be necessary for a non-death penalty trial.

I don't want to kill the wrong person; and I don't want to spend more money than is necessary on criminals and their defense. So for both moral and financial reasons, I oppose the death penalty.

Answer 3

No. The government doesn't use it. It has to be brought by citizens of this country. If a jury doesn't find the criminal guilty of a crime punishable by death, that criminal wont get the death penalty.

Answer 4

Okay, I know the christians are going to take away points but here goes.... I agree there is a place for it.. I think each case has to be individual, I dont believe in case law because it sets the bar for future criminals when in fact every crime should be tried alone and decided alone as not all are the same, or even remotely.... if someone is a predatory killer, its best they not be alive, they will kill again as soon as they are released... or predatory child molesters or killers... for sure... get rid of them, you cant help them, they arent right in the head... domestic crimes..... well.... depends.. usually someone who kills someone they know isnt going to go on a rampage.. usually but again... try the case in its indivuality and make a decision based on it and it alone... if the law was set up this way it would be better... case law should not be part of the equation in any seeking of the death penalty. And for all those people who cry "what about executing the innocent" well yes, it will happen but the numbers will be miniscule compared to the saving of future innocent victims... so accidently kill two people as opposed to about 100 who are victims of violent senseless crimes... i could live with that.

Answer 5

My mind is telling me Yes and my heart is telling me No. Yes, in a very distinct reason of kind of criminality committed something heinous is worth executing. No, because I always remember Jesus when He told everyone that those without sin let him casts the first stone. If I will be to judge this, I will cast by lot for all to be put into death so let God decide on it.

Answer 6

A person is only a criminal if they've been convicted with due process of law.

I agree with the death penalty. Take 'em out into the street and smash 'em under a steamroller.

Answer 7

I live in Canada and we don't have the death penalty.. but I do agree with it if they have check everything through and they are prosecuting an Innocent person. I also agree with it if the person has done something like murder, or rape and murder, or something equal to that.

Answer 8

Depends on the nature of the crime and the circumstances preceeding it. Terrorists, rapists, serial killers deserve nothing but the lethal injection. It will be a lesson for similar 'convoluted' thinkers. But the law is such that it doesnt involve emotions and the jury doesnt always get to decide the sentence, so, it will be hard distinguishing one case from another.

Answer 9

Death for certain crimes, yes. 10 years of appeals and trials before the execution takes place, no. The families deserve the piece of mind that these people are dead soon after the trial is done.

Answer 10

I'll answere your question with a question. If some asshole broke into your 82 year old grandmothers house, rapped her, robbed her, then beat her to death, do you think the death penalty is called for?