Death penalty to murderers?

Question

A person that came up to me said, no way josé. We should not have death penalty for murder in this civilized country. I feel that is wrong. You take a life and pay with your own, fair and square.

Answer 1

The whole reason the death penalty is not a good deterant, is because we don't use it enough and noone ever sees it happen.

If we took one of these sick murders and put the whole execution on TV, mandate that all major networks carry it and make it so every one sees how horrific it is, maybe that will deter people from murdering others, when they actually see how horrific their death will be.

Right now when we execute someone, it's done at midnight in a small room with only a few witnesses. How can this be a deterant if noone gets to see how horrific it is.

Exacute more and widely publicize it.

Answer 2

Before making up your mind, you should have some of the facts. Here are a few, all verifiable and sourced.

Re: Speeding up the process
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: 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: 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 killer (keeps him from re-offending) and costs considerably less than the death penalty.

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 or an eye for an eye mentality.

Answer 3

The main and number one reason I am against the death penalty, is because sometimes and this has happened a number of times in the past, that the person they kill, sometime later, they find out that, that person was innocent.

Answer 4

I feel that it is a controversial option that has been upheld by the courts to be legal. It is just like stem cell research and abortion. The medical communities have evidence, and in abortion's case proof, that both practices have benefits to society. The courts have also determined that both procedures cause no violation in constitutional rights, so they should be available to the public.

Answer 5

more importantly we should have the death penalty for the child molesters that the courts give a slap on the wrist to and turn them back out into society to prey on our children again. if we became less worried about criminals rights and tried to rid our society of these criminals we would have a happier and safer country. and lets not leave out the drug dealers also.

Answer 6

what about the innocent men that have died because of false imprisonment? the only way the death penalty should be instituted is if there is undeniable evidence and absolutely no doubt what so ever.

Answer 7

It depends on the case. The worst type of criminal is a child murderer. If you kill a child, you have no heart and are not civilized, you should be executed.

Answer 8

I agree..

Answer 9

i agree, we should punish people for their crimes