Why have we not got a death penalty when?

Question

it is plainly obvious the majority of us want one?

Answer 1

The death penalty was stopped in this country in the 1960's,as a lot of truly innocent people were executed.
Okay we only had hangings,but i think it should be brought back now,as we've advanced so much.
What with d.n.a testing and other ways of gaining evidence,i don't think we would have a problem apart from people crying out about their `human rights`

Answer 2

It is not true that the majority want a death sentence. Where did you get that idea from?

Even if it were true, bringing it back would be a big mistake for practical reasons (i.e. mistakes) and ethical reasons (i.e. killing someone is wrong).

Membership of the EU also strickly prohibits any member state from having the death penalty, so it is not possible on these grounds as well.

The death plenalty is neither a deterent nor a punishment. It does not deter crimes for which it is instituted, several US stated have resumed the use of the death penalty, but this has not diminished the level of crimes for which it applies. It is not a punisment either because once dead the criminals are spared further punishment. Surely a true life sentence is a real punishment?

As to why other countries still have it...they are still developing.

Answer 3

Well I don't know what state you live in. I live in Texas so your question is a little wierd to me considering we have a death row express lane. But if you do some research and compare states with a death penalty to states without one, you'll find that the states that do not excecute people have lower murder rates than the states that do excecute people. The death penalty does not deter crime because you either 1. commit a crime in the heat of the moment when you are not thinking about the consequences, or 2. you are a professional criminal and make your living off of it in which case you have accepted the consequences and don't care.

But here's what I finally used to determine whether the death penalty was right or not: If I was faced with life in prison, I would try everything I possibly could to kill myself. Enough said.

Answer 4

In the U.S., the majority does in fact support the death penalty, and many states have the death penalty. Unfortunately, in states like California, the liberal politicians have turned the death penalty into a joke. Those receiving the "death" penalty can count on a minimum of twenty additional years of life while their cases wend their way slowly through appeal after appeal, and then some smart-*** lawyer (why doesn't Yahoo ban that word as obscene?) comes up with the objection that lethal injection constitutes "cruel and unusual punishment" -- excuse me? No means of death is too cruel for some of these animals, and you all are familiar with examples to which I'm referring.
Most problems in the U.S. can be traced back to one of two groups: lawyers and liberals. The misuse -- the lack of use -- of the death penalty is certainly one of them.

Answer 5

It is not plainly obvious at all that the majority of us want one. Most people who actually stop and think realise that it is barbaric and that too many mistakes are made. It is no deterrent (ask the Texans how many murders in their execution happy state) and is used disproportionately against minorities.

Perhaps a majority of people you know want a death penalty, but don't assume that your friends are representative of the thinking population.

Answer 6

Now what majority is that? Who are us?
What do you (the majority who want the death penalty) do when you find you've made a mistake? Call in the God squad for a swift resurrection?
Only God has the power of life and death. And the Queen's pardon given to relatives 20 years after an execution isn't much good to a person who's 6 foot under.

Answer 7

Because of fear. Fear that an innocent person may be fried or juiced or necked for a crime they did not commit. A lot of people worry about this. The judicial system is flawed as jurors are only human and influenced whether they want to believe so or not - by a whole range of prejudices and values. If there was absolutely, positively no doubt whatsoever that a criminal was guilty - then many more people would be in favour of execution. I would be too! Unfortunately - in too many cases - there are too many doubts and even when the accused is found guilty - there is doubt. I personally would not like to sit on a jury where a guilty verdict would result in another human to be executed. Would you?

Answer 8

quite simply...the government wont pass it, There have been at least 13 attempts to bring back hanging for various categories of murder since 1969. All have failed, and the trend has been towards ever greater majorities in Parliament for abolition.

On 27 January 1999, the UK Home Secretary (The Labour MP Jack Straw) signed the 6th protocol of the European Convention of Human Rights in Strasbourg. This move formally abolishes the death penalty in the UK.

Members of Parliament have regularly debated the reintroduction of capital punishment since it was abolished for murder. In the last death penalty debate in 1994, MPs voted 363 to 186 against its return for people who had murdered a policeman. MPs voted 403 to 159 against introduction of capital punishment for all murderers.

Answer 9

I know you will think I am weird but I would hate the death penalty to come back. Its so barbaric. I know they might have committed heinous crimes but somehow I feel sorry for the mothers, sisters brothers and fathers of these people. I know victims also have relatives but I cant bear the thought of anyone being executed. Man wasnt meant to kill man. We are human beings not animals. Let God give out his justice. We are not Gods and God will judge us by our judgement of others also.

Answer 10

If this goverment was brave enough to stand up to lily livered do gooders and held a referendum on capital punishment I suspect the vote would be for a return of hanging. It would not deter all killers but I am sure that casual murder would be reduced.