Death Sentence? Right or wrong...?

Question

and why can you explain your reasoning

Answer 1

It's wrong. Many arguments in favor or capital punishment are emotional, and while it's heartbreaking to see the victim's family demand the death of a murderer, it's still not justice.

The bottom line is, it doesn't work. Even though you (eventually) execute a convicted murderer, that's just one person in a very large population. Capital punishment creates an environment where killing is sometimes acceptable, so crimes become more violent. This is easy enough to check, statistics are available.

Also, it's unfair. Black people are executed more often than white people, even if you take the different crime rates into account. So if you're black, you need a better lawyer. O.J. might have been able to pay for Johnnie Cochran, but not all minorities have that kind of money.

It's expensive. While just killing a man can be cheap, deciding to do it isn't. It's usually cheaper to sentence him to life without parole.

It's irreversible. You have to be really, really sure that you're executing a guilty man. From time to time they discover an innocent man is on death row. How many innocent people were never discovered?

Answer 2

Short answer I am for it. We can not allow murders to be repeat offenders. If we let them just stay in jail there is a chance they will escape, kill a prison guard, or kill someone who deserves death less then the person in question.

Long answer it has allot of problems some of death row inmates are on death row for twenty years, with the loved ones of the victim have to re-live the death of the loved one with every appeal, it drags the pain of the loss out far to long.
And the death penalty isn't carried out with any regularity. It is wrong that some people who killed ten or more people, are still alive, but some who killed just one or two have been executed.
Murders should know that when they kill someone for reasons other then self defense they will get the chair. And as it stands now no one knows how many murders one can commit without getting the chair.

Answer 3

I really feel it depends on the situation. I do believe in the death penalty. But only if the person is convicted truthfully. Meaing that they were not convicted on circumstancial evidence. If there is undeniable physical proof. Like for example the crime was caught on camera or was caught in the act. I can justify the death penalty. But if you only have circumstancial evidence to prove your case. Meaning that this person was in the area. then no I do not believe the death penalty should be used. It seems as of late there has been a lot of people released from prison for crimes they did not commit because dna evidence has proved they did not do it.
so if you kill someone by death penalty and they really did not do it and it was proven years after the fact, you can't bring them back. But with clear and true proof like dna or a solid witness to prove it then yes i agree with the death penalty.
I also believe that the appeals process needs to change for it too. Families of the victim need closure of the crime not more waiting. The victim did not wait to die.

Answer 4

I'm against it because I feel it diminishes us as a society. We try to convince ourselves that it's justice we're after when really it's just revenge. Aside from that there is also the issue of the legitimacy of the executions. There have been many cases where people on death row have been exonerated and released from prison due to new evidence, such as DNA. Does anyone really believe that all of the people wrongly convicted have been found and that no innocent person has ever been put to death?

Answer 5

The death sentence is rigt because it acts as an effective deterent to crime. Think of a lighthouse, you CANT prove how many ships get saved but you know it helps out. While statistics in Europe may suggest otherwise, it is important to note that our societies are completely different. If your crime was horrible then you deserve the punishment.

Answer 6

The death sentence is Right for murder, rape, child molestation and drunk drivers. People who murder & rape should die. They don't belong in society and they can't be rehabilitated. As a secondary victim of a violent crime (sister murdered by her husband), I watched the murderer see very little jail time and was released to murder again. Once re-imprisoned, he killed an inmate and severely injured a guard during a fight. Yep, that blows the keep them imprisoned for the rest of their life theory.

Having lived in Saudi Arabia for 15 years, I happen to agree with how they handle criminals (though I disagree with almost everything else about their laws & practices): From the time a criminal is caught and tried and punishment executed, it can take as little as 20 minutes depending on the witnesses. Also when people are jailed for crimes aside from murder or rape, the government does not feed them. The family/friends/workplace of the incarcerated has to feed them. As you can imagine, there is very little crime amongst their own. Works for me!

Answer 7

I have two answers for this question. I don't think that people with cerebral palsy, retardation, low iq, slow witted etc. should be put to death. I think this happens too much in our society and shouldn't be happening. The rest of them who are smart enough to know better and do the horrible crimes anyway should receive the death penalty.

Answer 8

If the Accused and Convicted chooses to die, kill em. Otherwise, no way. To many have gone to thier deaths as Innoccents so death penalty is a wrong that cannot be righted.

Answer 9

The deat sentence is right.

It is an effective deterrent when practiced appropriately and when people sentenced to death actually DIE in a reasonable period of time.

Answer 10

Death sentence...right.
Waiting 20 years to do it...wrong.


Why? When people know that they can commit violent crimes and what they get for it is room and board for the rest of their life what kind of message is that?
In a world were there are no consequences for one's actions, many will take the low road.