If murder is a crime, then why is there a death penalty?

Answer 1

It's a worldwide, well-known fact. Societies that allow capital punishment have much more violent crime because when leadership sends the message out that to kill in certain circumstances is sometimes justified, that to punish and seek revenge is justified, the people of that society then have permission to kill and horribly seek revenge in their own "special" circumstances. Societies, on the other hand, that send the message that humans do not conduct themselves in murderous, revengeful ways at any time, there is dramatic declines in violence and crime in their lands. Any nation that allows such feeble-minded, barbaric violence as murder by lethal injection as a legitimate way to manage themselves deserves the social chaos and poverty of the spirit that ensues.

Answer 2

I think that the facts about the death penalty need to be known.

1. The death penalty is not a deterrent. States with the death penalty have higher homicide rates than those that do not have it.

2. Our criminal justice system makes mistakes. Over 120 people have been released from death row with evidence that they were innocent. DNA evidence gets the headlines, but in most of these cases, the evidence was not DNA.

3.The death penalty costs significantly more than life without parole. A great deal of the extra expense comes before appeals begin. Once a suspect is caught, the prosecutor must do a separate investigation into the crime and into the suspect himself, that is, does the suspect have mental retardation (if so, he cannot face the death penalty) or mental illness (he can face the death penalty). If the prosecutor decides to seek the death penalty, the trial will have two separate phases, one to decide guilt, one to decide the penalty. The process of choosing jurors is much more complicated in death penalty cases. Many more pre-trial motions are filed by both sides and have to be answered. Prosecution teams use more lawyers, and where the money is available, the defense does as well. Death penalty cases take much longer to try. If the sentence is death, the prisoner will be locked up in a separate prison facility, which is generally much expensive to run and to maintain. These are just the tip of the iceberg.

3. The system is biased. The race of the victim plays the biggest role in this. It is two times as likely for a death sentence to be sought if the victim was white than if the victim was non white.

4. Sentences of life without parole are available in more and more states. This means what it says. The prisoner will be locked up with no hope of ever being freed. Twenty three out of 24 hours in a tiny cell is no picnic.

5. Death sentences can be very hard on victims family members. Each time the case comes up, the family is forced to relive its ordeal in court and in the media. Life without parole is swift and certain and can allow family members to deal with their pain in private, and with the people they love.

Paying attention to the facts and making common sense choices as a result does not mean we condone vicious crimes or excuse depraved killers.

Answer 3

Murder is a crime if a citizen kills another citizen under a certain set of circumstances. Human beings kill:
1. During war;
2. During unsuccessful surgery;
3. In self-defense, at the highest level of the force continuum, after all other avenues have been exhausted;
4. If society (or its representatives) deems an individual unworthy to live;
5. To gain, reinforce or express political power; and
6. For any reason one can use to justify it.

Politically, killing the killers promotes "getting tough on crime" rhetoric.

For the family, it gives a sense of vengeance. The justice system can do little more than organize and systematize vengeance.

For people who like to talk, it's something emotionally stirring. The irony alone can spark a huge discussion. And at some level, aren't we all a little afraid that maybe, through a serious of terrible events, we might be the one hauled off to stew in a cage, only to be trotted out and given some lethal Kool-Aid?

I'd rather go by firing squad, personally. Or thrown off of something really high. My nickname in hell could be "Splatz."

Answer 4

So you're saying Ted Bundy deserved to live? After he raped and killed more than 30 girls or if we ever find Bin Laden we should be nice to him and just put him in a cell? In the bible, there is the eye for an eye verse and I think it is a fair punishment. I get disgusted when I hear that a child rapist isn't killed because we have to "respect" his human rights and only gets a couple of years. Did he respect the child's rights before he raped him? People that hurt those who can't defend themselves are inhuman that shouldn't receive mercy from anybody, they don't have feelings. The death penalty is a just punishment and though it may sound harsh, the result is better.

Answer 5

Because once a person crosses that line, they are forever changed, and more prone to kill again. For some it is a thrill.
When I think of serial killers, Adolf Hitler, etc. it is especially hard to understand why some feel that these killers should not pay the ultimate penalty for the ultimate crime-that of taking an innocent human life.
And yet, if someone breaks into your house while you are at home (the most dangerous kind of criminal), they must be fully across your threshold before you can legally drop them in their tracks. Otherwise the family can sue you for wrongful death!
Even then, you must be prepared to justify that you acted in self defense due to fear of imminent danger to your life/severe bodily harm.

Answer 6

You would be assuming the death penalty is murder. Some crimes are so heinous that the perpetrator forfeits his right to live. Instead of lethal injection, gas chamber etc. I believe the guy should be locked in a room with the victim's family members. They all have baseball bats.

Answer 7

murder is a crime but you are not committing murder when carrying out the death penalty. you are extracting the price for murder. can't do the time (pay the price)? then don't do the crime

Answer 8

that is a very good question, and I have asked the same many times, please ignore the answers of these holier than tho idiots ,who should not be allowed outside with out supervision,
I wonder how they would feel if one of their family or them selves were executed especially for a crime they did not commit, like the 47 men in Illinois, or the100s in the Rampart fiasco I n Los Angles, Calif , or the men who were executed in Penn, they don't have enough sense to know that our court system is so damned crooked that there is no such thing as justice, with a 98.8 %conviction the only ones who get a fair trial is the ones like O,J, who had millions to buy justice with, how many of us have that kind of money??? so if you are arrested , you can bet your butt, you will be convicted, think about that before you vote death penalty.

Answer 9

Well, that's why it's controversial! Why are we KILLING the killers? This is an issue that I'm still split on, but I'm leaning towards no on the death penalty. *shrugs*

Answer 10

I would not call it justice but state sanctioned murder. Funny how the President can call certain countries the Axis of Evil, but they share similiar qualities such as execution.