Do you believe in the death penalty?

Answer 1

Only if the person is 100%, beyond the shadow of a doubt guilty.

If that is confirmed, then the person should be given 30 days to tie up all their loose ends, say their goodbyes, then put to death. This multi-decade stay on Death Row is a farce and a travesty of justice.

Answer 2

This is an issue where the facts are needed. Then you can apply common sense and make up your own mind. Here are a few verifiable and sourced facts.

Re: Possibility of executing an innocent person
Over 120 people on death rows have been released with evidence of their innocence. Many had already served over 2 decades on death row. If we speed up the process we are bound to execute an innocent person. Once someone is executed the case is closed. If we execute an innocent person we are not likely to find that out and, also, the real criminal is still out there.

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: Appeals
Our appeals system is designed to make sure that the trial was in accord with constitutional standards, not to second guess whether the defendant was actually innocent. It is very difficult to get evidence of innocence introduced before an appeals court.

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: cost
The death penalty costs far more than life in prison. The huge extra costs start to mount up even before the trial. There are more cost effective ways to prevent and control crime.

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: 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

Let me give you an analogy.
Suppose someone was driving out their driveway and became blinded by the sun at the instant your daughter stepped off the curb. She was hit by the car and unfortunatery killed. The police said it was an unfortunate accident which could have happened to anyone. They did not press charges. Now lets say the person driving was you. Would you believe in an Eye for an Eye? Would you believe in the death penalty?
People want to enfore the ultimate punishment upon others but not themselves. Is that justice? Justice should apply to all no matter what offence they have committed.

Answer 4

No i don't. When the death penalty is given it seems to me that people are taking life into their own hands and passing judgment when only God can give and take lives. Yes i know that there are some people that take life into their hands and kill people but when a judge and jury turn around and find that person guilty they killed someone but they used the law. I agree with letting them stay in prison for a long time but after that when death comes in the line is crossed. so I'm sorry but no i don't agree with the death penalty.

Answer 5

Absolutely. But it must be used in only certain cases such as murder, mass murder, serial killers and even then the evidence must be far beyond any doubt.

Funny though, isn't it, that those against the death penalty have no problem locking people up for the rest of their life's. That sounds like cruel and unusual to me. But then the prisoner does get free health care so that we can keep him locked up even longer.

I also believe that those convicted should have the choice of life in prison or death. There are those that would accept death for what they did.

By the way, the death penalty was never meant to deter others, it was punishment for what one did. Not to deter others from doing it although there is some fear that comes from it.

Answer 6

Yes i do. Death penalty is there to prevent criminals from doing wrongs. IF they know that they have a price to pay, then they wont do something that can hurt others. You wonder why there aren't much crimes in china and other countries that have strict laws?

As for others that are against the death penalty, basicly you are supporting crimes. And you must be rich and want to use that tax money to feed criminals that likely can hurt your friends and family.

So in all, If you want to put yours life at risk then have no death penalty.

Answer 7

I am conflicted about this. I really understand the reasons for the death penalty . It is just so many people are being released because of DNA testing which was not available until recently. We had a case in my state. The man was released from prison/death row because DNA proved he was not the perpetrator. I would hate to see an innocent man put to death.

Answer 8

I used to agree with the death penalty, but no longer do. I now believe in God, not a particular religion, and I know God does not approve of killing, not even when it is done in his name. At the same time I agree we cannot allow violent criminals to repeat their crimes, and further endanger society. The problem boils down to a broken legal system. Wrongful convictions, crooked police officers, lawyers more interested in money than truth, and undue inprisonment for crimes not worthy of punishment, ie pot users etc. I think any violent crime, including murder, rape, sexual assault, should be severely punished by a lengthy period (10-20years) in solitary confinement, no frills, no priveledges, with compulsary counselling/rehabilitation. Perhaps if prison meant a small cell with just the bare minimum, no tv, no visitors, no smokes, drugs or sex, it might actually be a deterrant. I also think prisons should have to strive to be as self-sustaining as possible, ie grow their own food/livestock, make their own clothing/necessities. This way prisoners are also learning skills to help them reintegrate into society when their sentence is up.

Answer 9

Yes, Yes, Yes.
Human nature is such a screwed up thing. They used to kill criminals in the old days. Didn't deter crime much, if you look at the history books. We stopped doing that. Now we have millions of incarcerated, useless people who will never positively contribute to society again. It's an industry. I don't like the idea of making money on someone else's misery. I believe in the death penalty. I also believe in corporal punishment. There are certain people, with certain personalities or disorders, who thrive in the prison environment. They get down with the bad dawgs, they feed each other's egos, and they ain't trying to rehabilitate. Take some of those guys, with that special mind-set, and put them in a place where they are shamed by the common citizen for their acts, and some will work to improve themselves. I think public humiliation could possibly work on some specific fellows. As for corporal punishment, Id rather take lashes over a time sentence, personally. Maybe that could be an option for the Sentenced?

Answer 10

No---the death penalty is barbaric--& flawed--the fairly recent introduction of DNA evidence have proven that many of those murdered by the state were as they claimed --innocent--yet no-one has to pay for their death--now there's hypocrisy for you!!!
Christ--himself a victim of Capital Punishment--said that an "eye for an eye" was against Gods laws.
Fortunately most civilized nations have removed the death penalty from their criminal code--& hopefully it will soon be seen as barbaric as stoning someone to death.

Answer 11

In theory, I believe in capital punishment. In practice however, I don't like our death penalty.

If we could prove someones guilt beyond ALL doubt rather than a "reasonable" doubt, then affirming the guilty's humanity by ending it is most gracious (rather then caging them for life like an animal).

If we could prove that capital punishment in fact deters others from committing the same crime (in which the evidence is rather shaky) then, yes capital punishment seems to be the way to go.

I don't like it that death row inmates stay on death row for years upon decades.

Since we can't PROVE that the death penalty is deterring murders, consoling the widowed, and in fact ONLY being applied to the guilty, I must say that our death penalty is wrong.

"Better that one hundred guilty go free than just one innocent person be convicted"

Kennedy's interesting quote:
"We live in a country that kills people for killing people to teach people that killing people is wrong".