If a criminal were given the choice between death and life in prison, which would he choose?

Question

I'm guessing most would choose life in prison. So why support criminals and oppose the death penalty? If you kill people or have them killed, you yourself deserve to die.

Answer 1

Willis.....I agree with you 100%.
Obviously, most murderers would choose life over death.
Unfortunately, they didn't give their victims that choice - so why should they be given the choice?

Answer 2

Never mind the criminals. Think of it this way:

Most people would agree that murderers need to be locked up for a long time and, in many cases that means the rest of their natural life. Now, you might think that a quick execution would be a good idea. However, innocent people have been released from death row, years after the event. It is feared that innocent men have actually been executed. Sadly, we also have prosecutors who are less than ethical. (Heck, Mike Nifong eventually got charged by the NC State Bar today, so they do really exist.) So we need a system to protect against all that. Hence the voluminous appeals, even after the Effective Death Penalty Act. Those appeals cost money and, as most murderers cannot afford their own lawyer, the Constitution sticks the taxpayer with the bill.

In short, a life sentence is better for society for two reasons:
1. The innocent always have hope.
2. It is cheaper than administering the death penalty as it is currently imposed.

Answer 3

It depends on the criminal and where you are imprisoned. In many nations their prisons are just a cot and toilet. I'm not sure how I feel about the death penalty I'm for and against it. I think about those here who are in for life and can carry on their evil deeds from their cells. Then on the other hand if theres a chance the person is innocent that's not good and it's not good some get it and others don't. I feel tho it's a deterrent. When kidnapping was automatic death you didn't see much of it, same with cop killing.

Answer 4

Speaking from personal experience - in the jail system, not prison - it is a horrible experience. Not the other inmates, they aren't a problem, but being stuck in a cage like an animal is awful.

If I was looking at a life-sentence, I'd rather have death. America is so humane in its killings, thats a cake-walk compared to living in a cage for 25 years if you ask me. But thats only if I was facing a life sentence...

Answer 5

No one who is in the position of such an inmate, deserves the right to decide his or her fate. Some inmates would just as soon die as be locked up. Those are the people who should do hard time with no possibility of parole....if they commit horrid crimes and fear death, then they should die a most horrid death. It is to be punishment. SO I feel that whatever is the most punishment in each case is the sentence they should receive.

Answer 6

They would choose life, of course. Not true that if you support the death penalty you deserve to die. We need to have a punishment that is severe enough to deter citizens being murdered. It is usually administered only in the surest and worst of crimes. Not every person who kills gets the death penalty and those that do usually sit on death row a long time, still alive.

Answer 7

a guy with the will to live...will choose life in prison...he might have the chance to get himself out some time later if he's able to prove he's not guilty and all that stuff

the rest would choose death...that's what i think

Answer 8

I would choose death over loss of my freedom, and having to fight daily to survive. Some would choose life, some would choose death!

Answer 9

I personally would choose Death over Life imprisonment. I wouldn't give the bastards in society the satisfaction of longterm torture over a quick and peaceful death.

Answer 10

You are so wrong, I think the bible supports this. The person who did the crime deserves to die. Not the person who is just carrying out the law.