Is the death penalty justifiable?

Question

Good answer Boscombe.
Bashnik, I think that yes, only God has the right to take a life, but can someone forfeit their own right to life by removing that right from someone else?

Answer 1

Of course is. The penalty for capital crimes has always been capital punishment.

Answer 2

Here are some facts about the death penalty that you can use.

The death penalty is not a deterrent. Homicide rates are higher in states that have the death than in states which do not have it. Most people who commit murder do not think they will be caught (if they think at all.)

The death penalty system costs much more than a system that does not have the death penalty. Much of these extra costs come way before the appeals begin. This money ought to be spent on crime prevention methods of proven value- including more and better trained police, and more sophisticated police methods and for victims services, which are always underfunded.

Over 120 people on death rows have been released with evidence of their innocence. In the majority of these cases, the evidence was not DNA, which is not often available. More often, the problem is one of mistaken eyewitnesses. After an execution, the case is closed. If the wrong person was executed the real killer is still out there.

The death penalty is racially biased, but not in the way you may think. A defendent is twice as likely to face the death penalty if the victim was white than if the victim was non white.

More and more states have life without parole on the books. It means what it says and is no picnic to be locked up for 23 of 24 hours a day, with no hope of anything else.

The death penalty can be very hard on the families of murder victims. As the process goes on they are forced to relive their ordeal in the courts and in the media. Life without parole is sure and swift and rarely appealed.

Paying attention to the facts does not mean that we condone or excuse brutal acts by depraved people. It means we are using common sense.

Answer 3

It’s a tough question to answer – perhaps we should only execute people that we’re SURE are guilty and give the rest “life means life” sentences lol? Or maybe we should just legalise crime and that way we wouldn’t have to deal with the problem? There’s probably no ‘right’ answer to the question but I’m sure that all sides will agree that the video of Saddam’s execution makes for grim viewing.

If we are going to carry out sentences like these then it is surely an expression by the state that we, as a society, accept the fact that we cannot find any other solution to the problem that these individuals pose? When these sentences are carried out they should, in my opinion, be clinical and emotionless - a form of social amputation for the benefit of the whole - not a barbaric act of revenge.

Answer 4

This question is perennially debatably arguable.

I'm against the Death Penalty, however, I would vote for it to be brought back IF - If there were also a law which stated that.....

If subsequent to the death of a convicted individual who were found to have been innocent of the charge s/he was convicted and executed for, then the Prosecution Lawyers and the Jury are all to pay forfeiture with their own lives.
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If the error of wrongful arrest, and conviction is compounded by the Law / Legal System, and the errors are paid for by 'the Victim,' then redress ought to be paid.

If the trial with a possibility of a Death Sentence at the end is undertaken by the legal system, then it ought to be that the ENORMITY of this should be 'pin sharp' in the minds of those involved within the prosecution of this system.

It's similar in concept to the device suggested fitted to cars that would likely stop some 99% of all road traffic accidents....

A very 'sharp' spike, fitted to the centre of the steering wheel and pointed at the chest of the drive.


Sash.

Answer 5

Yes it is justifiable and to those who use God as their judge... 2 things.

1) God (allegedly) made man in his own image, therefore if God made murderers, then surely God must be a murderer too. Why would a good deity deliberately put evil on his world if they didn't approve of their actions?

2) Acts of God usually result in the deaths of innocent people, thereby backing up the claim that God is in fact a murderer.

Of course, all this assumes God actually exists...

Answer 6

Death penalty is an unretractable act. IMHO, it is unjustifiable, even discriminatory, given the following:

1) court cases, by nature, are replete with inductive arguments, ie, the strength is measured but not validity (absolute true or false).
2) the judiciary system is very much fallible like all other things
3) more blacks than whites were sentenced to death; more men than were women (proportionally computed)
4) legal proceedings require huge sums of money and the poor clearly have no means to buy a great lawyer's service.
5) white collar crimes as exemptions to death penalty. If it were not, then we'd all lose our politicians, for better or for worse (but I think it is the former)
6) it is a form irrational retribution since a dead person cannot taste the revenge served cold unlike in a prison cell
7) it is assumed that people's behaviors are fixed so whatever rehabilitation you induce the offender to undergo, he'd be hopeless all the same so better kill him.
See the dissonance between the assuption and the existence of rehab institutions.
8) death penalty as a form of deterrence has not been found to effect significant reduction in crime rates

Answer 7

If it is, it is only when there is absolutely no doubt about guilt. Judging from the fact that there have been well over 100 persons freed by DNA evidence recently who were convicted by a jury, I have to say that many on death row are apparently innocent.
Are we prepared to deal with the fact that we are killing innocent people in a vain attempt to curtail homicide?
I'd rather 20 killers go free than one innocent be executed.

Answer 8

Definitely not on two counts.First, the justice system relies on the integrity of all of those involved in Criminal Justice and recent events with the Guildford 4 and Birmingham 6 etc would have sent innocent men to death. Second, capital punishment is morally wrong and hence never justified.

Answer 9

May be it should be available for foreign criminals in this country, this would stop them coming here and killing our police and citizens. It seems to me that Europe is emptying its jails into this country, probably to force the law abiding to leave after which a referendum on entry would be held and would be passed, with the foreigners making up the majority. I note that Britain has become a more dangerous place since we were tricked into Europe and that most European laws are designed to remove our rights.

Answer 10

Think about David and Goliath.
David had GOD's blessing to kill Goliath.
I think GOD even gave the under-dog the skill needed to do so.
So does GOD think it's justifiable?

Ecclesiastes 3
There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven:
2 a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot,
3 a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build,..........

So it looks like there may be a time to kill.

Answer 11

I don't know about justifiable, I just see it as pointless. After all, what does it achieve? What did hanging Saddam achieve? Nothing, except sparking a ferocious civil war in Iraq and making Saddam a martyr in Sunni eyes.
The americans say Saddam was NOT hanged for revenge. Why make such a statement if it wasn't true. It's a paradox and everyone saw it as being a paradox.