Capital Punishment?........?

Question

I was thinking about the strong disconnect many Americans have when it comes to crime and punishment. I am neither pro death penalty nor anti death penalty, but I cant help but wonder why public executions no longer take place?..I know the thought is terrible but when did we decide it was more humane to execute someone in the bowels of some dark jail rather than in the public square where the citizens are involved (like they should be)? Is it a way for citizens to shelter themselves and absolve themselves? We have an enormous crime problem and one reason for it is the average citizens refusal to get involved with the moral consequences of dealing with crime and punishment...Just for the sake of argument, do you think public executions would demand that citizens get involved and shoulder the responsibility they seem to be running from?

Answer 1

ColinAndy-I don't think I can give you an answer that's any better than the question you asked. It is a way of eliminating public responsibility for the death penalty. If you support the death penalty, you should watch the executions. I haven't read the answers, but you'll probably get a lot of people you say they'd love to watch an execution. I have done so as part of my job. It was horrible and I'm not an overly sensitive person.

Answer 2

I guess I am a bit confused, as usual. Are you asking us if making executions public would cause citizens to realize exactly what type of punishment is being inacted? Or are you saying that public executions would make citizens become more "morally" involved in fighting crime? Do you want the citizens of the states in question to pull the lever, inject the needle? In my opinion, public executions no longer take place because there should be no glory in watching someone die.

Answer 3

I see the point you are making. Yes, if executions were public, maybe people would stop and think about what is being done in their name. Let us not forget that real people get executed by the people of the state. It's just that some public servant who, by definition, cannot have adequate training to carry out the task does the deed in relative privacy. I believe Virginia requires that every execution be attended by private citizens otherwise uninvolved by the case. You have to apply to be on the list but I wonder what the reaction would be if it was like jury duty? The People decide to execute someone so representatives of the People are in attendance to see the deed being done and those people are chosen at random. It could be your turn next. Or your next door neighbor's.

As for the comment about antis taking responsibility for rehabilitating offenders. My wife is at work today, at the state psychiatric hospital. She is the sole Registered Nurse on duty in charge of a unit which houses forty rapists and/or murderers. She seeks to rehabilitate every one of them. In some cases she will succeed and that gives her much satisfaction and comfort. In other cases, she is doomed to fail but she never stops trying. In cases where she and the rest if the team have not yet succeeded, the patient remains in the hospital, away from the outside world. So yes, antis do take responsibility for rehabilitation. Come to that, so do pro death penalty supporters. My wife works with some of those too.

Answer 4

This mostly stems from the strong Christian prevalence in America. Citizens realized that they didn't want to be involved in a practice involving death (except a few fundamentalist radicals), since many religions condemn death as an unclean, sinful thing. In addition, people have become busied with so many other things, that most citizens don't really have time to sit around and watch a few executions every week.

But no, I do not believe that public executions would demand that citizens get involved. The citizens would simply be led to believe anything state wanted them to, like sheep. If the state said that the executee was a horrible person, the citizens would believe that.

Answer 5

I don't think that televising exectutions will help get citizens involved, judging from what we saw of the Saddam execution and the mostly voyeurist reaction.

I believe that one of the most important things is for people to be educated about the death penalty itself. Here are a few verifiable and sourced facts about the death penalty system.

Re: Possibility of executing an innocent person
Over 120 people on death rows have been released with evidence of their innocence, many having 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 the real criminal is still out there and will have successfully avoided being charged.

Re: DNA
DNA is available in less than 10% of murder cases. It’s 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 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. Life without parole incapacitates a killer (keeps him from re-offending) and costs considerably 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 6

Your disertation is perfect - for the 18th century. Certainly, civilization and society should have evolved to the point where they realize that murder is murder, no matter who commits it.

There is no difference between state-sanctioned murder and the street thug who takes part in a drive by shooting. The death penalty is NOT a deterent - if it was, there would be no more murder... The only reason for a death penalty today is simply revenge....and, the darker your skin, the more revenge will be imposed. If you are wealthy and white your chances of getting a death penalty is practically nil...even getting convicted of murder is not assured (I point you to the O.J.Simpson trial - and others). If you are poor and dark skinned - they're gonna getcha....

Life in prison for serious offenders should be a reality. It is cheaper than the appeals process for death penalty prisoners. That should be life without parole and MEAN it.

Answer 7

You are very right everyone should be involved.Let those that have no moral objection to the death penalty pay for all cost of the public execution.Those that have the moral objection pay all the continued cost of the criminals punishment and any cost related to any future crimes by those individuals.

Answer 8

No..do you think the last thing a person...even a guilty person should hear before they die is jeers and taunts from the crowd? Justice and vengeance are 2 different things and to be executed is enough...it shouldn't be made into a circus.
I support capital punishment....But It would only increase a disregard for life to do public execution's....I do believe the victims families should be allowed to witness it if they want to.

Answer 9

Several TV producers have tried to have executions broadcast on live TV; all have been denied. Regardless of the 'official' reason given for not allowing it, most people who've been involved in advocating for this have claimed they believe it's because it will increase the percentage of people who oppose capital punishment.

Answer 10

death in any form should not be trivialised & made into a public specitacle, after so many years of 'progress' are we going to throw everything away & go back to the middle ages where 'justice' were cruel & swift, where 'justice' is in the hands of the few powerful person? i know my argument will have many ppl disagreeing with me, i respect your right to your opinion