Do you think capital punishment should be abolished?

Question

Regardless of religion. Is it immoral? Does it solve anything? Please give reasons.

Answer 1

Is it immoral to kill? Ask the person on death row. That is why they are there. And most of them didn't just kill, there was usually torture, or worse involved with the killing. So, is it immoral, yes. Is it justice, for the survivors of the murdered, perhaps.
One thing about the death penalty. If we are going to have one in this country, then we should carry it out within a reasonable period of time. It is a form of torture to keep someone on death row for years, or decades, not only for those condemned, but for those waiting for justice. Though the murderer doesn't deserve mercy, mercy should be extended to him/her via lethal injection. A far more merciful death than they offered their victims.
The death penalty does solve one problem, and really, it's the only one that matters to the family of the dead. It guarantees that the murderer will never, ever, ever do this to someone else's loved one again. For many, this is justification enough.

Answer 2

I think that people should make up their minds about this after they have the facts. They should ask themselves whether the death penalty is an effective way of keeping us safe. Here are a few of the facts, all verifiable and sourced.

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 about the consequences or even that 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, 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: 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. (Note to shermynewstart: 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: 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 or an eye for an eye sloganeering.

Answer 3

I don't think it should be abolished, but I think every test, DNA, etc should be done to make sure the person is guilty. Also, they should go through the appeals process in a timely manner & not sit on death row for 20 years. What it solves is never being able to commit such a crime again.

Answer 4

I take it you have not experienced something someone done to hurt you or those you loved otherwise you would go for capiatl punishment. I believe in an eye for an eye and if someone for example raped and killed my daughter i would want him dead and gone not be able to see the light of day again. People like this should not have the chance to do it again ever..........get rid of all the bad people.

Answer 5

It doesn't make much sense to kill people as a punishment for killing people. Or, to put it another way, if killing people is such a bad thing then why would it be right to kill someone for doing it? Emotionally I can understand the need for revenge but logically it doesn't really work.

Answer 6

if you knew that your life is in danger if you put other`s in danger, you should rethink then.
however, once it`s not executed rightly and fairly, it`s better be abolished.

it is immorally honey to let the killer out of punishment, and it`s pathetic not to punish as cruel as the crime is.