Do you think the death penalty is a just way to punish a criminal or should the criminal be kept in jail?

Answer 1

Executions do not rehabilitate or "punish" anyone; executions are a form of revenge and in doing so, makes society guilty of murder. Executions remove those found guilty of heinous crimes FROM society on a permanent basis. While I do not believe in revenge, I also do not believe in executions except for child molesters that are found guilty a second time, or those child molesters that torture or kill children, or for those that rape and murder or rape and torture, and for those prisoners that kill while in prison doing life, or kill or attempt to kill prison personnel. I believe in eliminating those that are incorrigible and continue to be a menace to society.

I do not believe in executions under other circumstances because of the remote possibility that the prisoner may have been found falsely guilty; too many so-called "guilty" prisoners have been innocent after years in prison or while on death row through DNA and other exculpatory evidence has been found (tainted or questionable evidence, evidence withheld by unscrupulous prosecutors and/or police personnel, or mistaken testimony by coerced and/or coached witnesses, or witnesses that did not testify or simply mistaken identification, etc).

Revenge is not justice. ANYONE can be falsely accused of any crime and too many have been found innocent after years in prison or on death row that might have been executioned if not for modern science NOW available; what will science provide us with in a few years... to show innocence or guilt without a doubt? I often wonder how many innocent prisoners have been executioned (all investigations cease once the prisoner is executed).

Our justice system, while among the best in the world is far from perfect, and there have been far too many mistakes based on the heinousness nature of the crime where the accused have been found guilty by accusation; that is not justice!

No matter how unpopular a person may be, justice should be fair and equal for all (but poor prisoners get the worst defense attorneys and not always successful in defending them fairly).

Answer 2

This is an issue that needs to be considered using verifiable facts. Here are a few.

Re: cost
The death penalty costs far more than life in prison. The huge extra costs start to mount up even before the trial.

Re: Alternatives
48 states have life without parole on the books. It means what it says, is swift and sure and is rarely appealed. Being locked in a tiny cell for 23 hours a day, forever, is certainly no picnic.

Re: Possibility of executing an innocent person
Over 120 people on death rows have been released with evidence of their innocence. If we speed up the process we are bound to execute an innocent person.

Re: DNA
DNA is available in no more than 10% of murder cases. It is not a miracle cure for sentencing innocent people to death. It’s human nature to make mistakes.

Re: Deterrence
The death penalty isn’t a deterrent. Murder rates are actually higher in states with the death penalty than in states without it. Moreover, people who kill or commit other serious crimes do not think they will be caught (if they think at all.)

Re: Who gets the death penalty
The death penalty isn’t reserved for the “worst of the worst,” but rather for defendants with the worst lawyers. When is the last time a wealthy person was sentenced to death, let alone executed??

Re: Victims families
The death penalty is very hard on victims’ families. They must relive their ordeal in the courts and the media. Life without parole is sure, swift and rarely appealed. Some victims families who support the death penalty in principal prefer life without parole because of how the death penalty affects families like theirs.

Opposing the death penalty doesn’t mean you condone brutal crimes or excuse people who commit them.. According to a Gallup Poll, in 2006, 47% of all Americans prefer capital punishment while 48% prefer life without parole. Americans are learning the facts and making up their minds using common sense, not revenge.

Answer 3

I think the death penalty is a just way to punish someone who has commited a horrible crime against others - I know that life in prison is no cake walk - but life is precious and someone who has hurt others should not be allowed that precious gift.

Answer 4

Death penalty is a way for vengeance to be done by the state for the victim's relatives. Should be kept in jail.

Answer 5

Keeping them in jail, costs the taxpayers way too much money!!!
If they expedited the death penalty, to where the criminals would be exectued FASTER, i think that would be a deterrant to OTHERS!!!

Answer 6

Yes in most cases such as premeditated cold blooded murder, mass murder, and or those found guilty of attempting, aiding, and or causing the genocide of a particular race of people, and as far as long term and life sentences in jail, I'd prefer to make most of them "do the work that Americans won't do" rather than illegal aliens.

Answer 7

The penalty should mirror the crime.

Murder somebody.. get executed.

Answer 8

I think it depends upon the Crime, If someone kills someone he should die the same way. Julst my opinion.