What do think about the death penalty?

Question

What do think about the death penalty? What are your thoughts on it? Do you approve of it or do you oppose it?

Answer 1

Yes, I support it, but I don't support the years of misery for the victims from the time of sentencing to the execution. If they are guilty beyond reasonable doubt by a jury, and sentenced to death, they should be executed the next day.

Answer 2

Several of the people who answered this do not have the facts. The death penalty is an issue to be decided on the basis of solid facts, and common sense. Here are some 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 (as several of your answers advocate) 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.) Note to some of the folks who answered- deterrence means that others will not commit the crime that someone has been punished for. Incapacitation means the person who committed a crime cannot do it again.

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. Life without parole incapacitates a criminal, and it costs far less than the death penalty.

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 have mixed feelings about the death penalty...When a crime is done that is so ha-nus ,torcher,violent, and sadistic....you feel the person should give up his life,but then I read and have just read ,where a man in Georgia was on death roll and just found out to be Innocent after 14 years ...... I guess I would rather see 1000s of killers like this get life with out parole then 1 person exacuted that was innocent.

Answer 4

Hard to take one position on this issue.. It's not black or white... It's gray... support and oppose... both... I guess support then... Whatever the decision, whether to support or not, it should not be made under emotional trauma or stress... The personal decision whether to support the death penalty or not should be a logical decision based on a thorough analysis of the issue... From a political, social, psychological, et al, perspective... Whenever I think about the issue I tend to get emotional.. therefore my perspective ought not be legally sanctioned, at least not yet (maybe one day I will devote more time to the issue.)

Answer 5

I totally approve of that form of punishment. It will definitely eliminate having them commit the same type of crimes compared to if they were paroled for some reason.

One thing, answering a question with a question, why do the liberals and democrats stage demonstrations and vigils in front of San Quentin Prison when a convicted killer is about to be executed? Dont they know that our tax money is wasted on housing killers and especially when they have stays of execution. For some sick reason, it looks like they want to disrespect the victims by doing this also.

Also, do the liberals and democrats support murderers and killers by their demonstrations to save their lives? Maybe they know what goes on inside the convicted killers' heads and can determine if they are healed or suddenly ready to live among the outside population again.

Answer 6

Being the sister of a murder victim, I see justice from a unique side. My brother was murdered while buying milk for his young children. A robbery attempt gone array - they stole $8.60 from him & his life with his family. A four time loser only 18 yrs old who showed no remorse except for himself. During trial he winked at my Mom & called my sister in law, the widow, by her 1st name during hus addressing the jury. He got the death penalty but it was overturned the murder was not henious enough - he was just shot point blank & left to bleed to death in car.

16 yrs later he was out for 7 months before the FBI arrested him for selling cocaine ( major quantities). The death penalty would have saved us all a lot of time & money. Most murderers have no conscience & are a blight on society. Give them the needle & let God forgive who He will.

Answer 7

Too much discretion is given to prosecutors in deciding whether to pursue the death penalty, which is why 5 times as many minorities are sentenced to death than whites who commit the same crime.

Answer 8

i definately am for the death penalty, i dont believe that it is fair that the family of a victim of a killer should have to support the killer of thier loved one for the rest of thier life, i also think that we should speed up the process in the death penalty forget the whole stay on death row for ten years i think that if there is undisputable proof that someone comitted a crime serious enough to warrant the death penalty then they should be hanged on the front lawn of the courthouse ten minutes after they have been convicted and sentenced to death and for anyone of you that think that the death penalty is to harsh needs to get real and ask yourself what they would do if thier child was raped beaten and killed by someone would they say oh its ok if they go to prison for the rest of thier life as long as they are not on the streets, no they are going to want vengance for thier fallen child

Answer 9

I oppose it, but for different reasons than most people. The death penalty should be a means of imposing justice upon murderers and rapists. However, the main justification for capital punishment anymore is to provide "closure" to the families of the victims. In other words, the death penalty equivilent to human sacrifice performed to chase off evil spirits.

Answer 10

I oppose the death penalty, always have. I just don't believe in the "eye for an eye" thing. Plus, I think it is very contradicting for the state to kill a person, yet say killing is wrong. There is no such thing as a "legal killing". Also, people have been freed from death row, whose to say no innocent men or women have been put to death?
The death penalty sucks!

Answer 11

I approve. I think there are too many people out there committing incredibly heinous crimes and honestly believing that they'll just get sent away to prison. Yea, in prison you might get beat up or have to be someone's *****, but you'll get TV (with cable), 3 squares a day, and some company in most cases that you'll have something in common with. Lots of these nutso's don't have that in the real world. So how is that worse for them? If the crime fits the punishment, then do it, that's what I say.