How can anyone call capital punishment civilised?

Question

Capital punishment will always be open to abuse through political expediency, corruption, racism and poor judgements.

To take someone's life is a terrible thing.

In a civilised society, no one has the right to decide who should live or die.

In most western countries, this is a principle that crosses political divides.

Why is it still practised in the USA?

This question was meant for the political section, but it'll be interesting to compare the answers from the two sections.

Answer 1

We are a punitive society. Besides that, many people support the death penatly because they do not yet know about the issues surrounding the system. Here are answers to questions that are often asked about the system. The sources are listed below. The interesting thing is that in the light of what Americans are going beyond sound bites by learning and observing, and we are rethinking our views about the death penalty. (See last topic in my answer.)

Isn't the death penalty cheaper than keeping criminals in prison?
The death penalty costs much more than life in prison. Much of the extra costs is due to the complicated nature of both the pre trial investigation and of the trials (involving 2 separate stages, mandated by the Supreme Court) in death penalty cases. There are more cost effective ways to prevent and control crime.

What about the risk of executing innocent people?
Over 120 people on death rows have been released with evidence of their innocence, many having already served over 2 decades on death row.

Doesn't DNA keep new cases like these from happening?
DNA is available in less than 10% of all homicides. It is not a guarantee against the execution of innocent people.

Doesn't the death penalty prevent others from committing murder?
No reputable study shows the death penalty to be a deterrent. Homicide rates are higher in states that have it than in states that do not. Most killers don't think about the consequences anyway. They do not think they will be caught (if they think at all.)

So, what are the alternatives?
Life without parole is now on the books in 48 states. It means what it says. Supermax prisons are terrible places to spend the rest of your life. Life without parole is less expensive than the death penalty.

What about the very worst crimes?
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??

Doesn't the death penalty help families of murder victims?
Not necessarily. Murder victim family members across the country argue that the drawn-out death penalty process is painful for them and that life without parole is an appropriate alternative.

So, why don't we speed up the process?
Many of the 123 innocent people released from death row had already been there for over 2 decades. If the process is speeded up we are sure to execute an innocent person.

But don’t Americans prefer the death penalty as the most serious punishment?
Not any more. People are rethinking their views, given the facts and the records on innocent people sentenced to death. According to a Gallup Poll, in 2006, 47% of all Americans prefer capital punishment while 48% prefer life without parole. Americans are learning about the system and we are making up our minds based on facts, not eye for an eye sound bites.

Isn't the death penalty cheaper than keeping criminals in prison?
The death penalty costs much more than life in prison. Much of the extra costs is due to the complicated nature of both the pre trial investigation and of the trials (involving 2 separate stages, mandated by the Supreme Court) in death penalty cases. There are more cost effective ways to prevent and control crime.

What about the risk of executing innocent people?
Over 120 people on death rows have been released with evidence of their innocence, many having already served over 2 decades on death row.

Doesn't DNA keep new cases like these from happening?
DNA is available in less than 10% of all homicides. It is not a guarantee against the execution of innocent people.

Doesn't the death penalty prevent others from committing murder?
No reputable study shows the death penalty to be a deterrent. Homicide rates are higher in states that have it than in states that do not. Most killers don't think about the consequences anyway. They do not think they will be caught (if they think at all.)

So, what are the alternatives?
Life without parole is now on the books in 48 states. It means what it says. Supermax prisons are terrible places to spend the rest of your life. Life without parole is less expensive than the death penalty.

What about the very worst crimes?
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??

Doesn't the death penalty help families of murder victims?
Not necessarily. Murder victim family members across the country argue that the drawn-out death penalty process is painful for them and that life without parole is an appropriate alternative.

So, why don't we speed up the process?
Many of the 123 innocent people released from death row had already been there for over 2 decades. If the process is speeded up we are sure to execute an innocent person.

But don’t Americans prefer the death penalty as the most serious punishment?
Not any more. People are rethinking their views, given the facts and the records on innocent people sentenced to death. According to a Gallup Poll, in 2006, 47% of all Americans prefer capital punishment while 48% prefer life without parole. Americans are learning about the system and we are making up our minds based on facts, not eye for an eye sound bites.

Answer 2

To Susan S's excellent answer, I'd like to add just a couple of things. California and Florida (Jeb Bush no less, so leave off the bleeding heart accusations) have recently imposed moratoriums on executions because lethal injections go so wrong so often. When this process was introduced, it was touted as a 'humane' method of execution, the reality is severely different. That so many U.S. Americans will shrug and say who cares just shows the dehumanizing effect capital punishment has on the general populace. It's not a deterrent, never has been, never will be. It teaches us that revenge is what matters and that killing someone you don't like is appropriate. Lest anyone doubt that this is what happens, consider that serial killings used to be simply mourned. We just saw something truly horrific and the common response was that more people should have been packing weapons. That's lynch-mob mentality. And a long way from civilized thinking.

Answer 3

Why is it still practiced? Because there exists a "Christian" undercurrent in the US that would prefer the "eye for an eye" approach when is comes to capital punishment.

On the other hand, these are the same people who plead with women not to have abortions based on some warped sense of morality-----BUT THEN GO SHOOT THE DOCTORS! Pregnancy and giving birth kills more women AND their fetuses than abortions.

So you have the "cowboy mentality" on one hand and the Christian church on the other that professes to SAVE lives.

People should not call themselves pro-life if they are only antiabortion and yet feel no twinge of conscience over the unfair application of capital punishment or wars fought for dubious motives.

According to our Constitution, it's OK to own a gun, 2 guns, LOTS of guns. You never know when a cougar will jump out at you in the downtown areas of major cities. (...sheesh...)

But, they say, THEY are law abiding citizens who can't wait for a murderer to be executed. "Justice," they call it.

Trust me, we Americans are not all alike. Some of us think it is not only immoral, but irresponsible to have guns in the home. The only people who get shot are the kids, fooling around, trying to immatate video game characters.

And then there was Virginia Tech. See how well some individuals "learn?" They take all their frustrations out with the same guns "legally" purchased but seem to have no idea that death actually ENDS an innocent life. Now they clammer for the death penalty.

Some people are unable to understand the concept that you can't have it both ways.

Answer 4

It depends on a person's values and beliefs.In my religion (Hinduism/Vaishnavism) we believe in karma,the fact that every action has an equal and opposite reaction.We believe we were sent down to the material Universe because we were once against god,and we will keep going through the cycle of birth and death until we advance spiritually.In the Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 1 (Chapter 9 I think) there was a text about capital punishment.
There is also a refference to capital punishment on canto 6 when Sukadev Goswami talks to King Parikshith and explains the values of life,Mahraj Parikshith was one of the last heirs to a dynasty which would protect Earth from evil in our age of evil and destruction which began 5,000 years ago according to our beliefs.

Although my religion is one of the few peaceful ones in the world we support forgivness,but since we believe in karma we believe capital punishment is the best thing that could be done to a criminal.

Why?Simply because do to the laws of the Universe they will suffer in their next life and be punished by whom they killed,capital punishment is the least punishment that can be given since they are punished in the present life by the king (or president in this case).And so they will not suffer later on and may be liberated.

As ye sews,so shall ye reap. This is stated in the bible.Every action has the reaction and capital punishment is the least terrible reaction.


In the Bhagavad Gita (Westerners are more familiar with this) it is stated that at some point we will all die,our death is arranged by god (god's servent Yamaraja in our case).God has already killed everyone,its just the simple instruments that will soon kill us.Lord Krishna states this to Arjuna who was hesitant to fight his cousins,friends,teacher and grandsire,since they were on the side of evil in one of the most horrible wars which every took place in history,some of them were on the side of evil because they were there by unchangable circumstances.Krishna explained to Arjuna that to protect righteousness he must fight and it is for the benifit of the world,Lord Krishna knows that at the end of every age some huge event is going to happen and he should not interfere with it.Some might ask "why would god let so many people die" and Lord Krishna states that we are not the body but the soul,everything that happens to us in life is predetermined by our past actions and present and that is the law of nature.God can forgive the people who are evil,it is the people who are good who have the duty of arranging the meeting with evil people and god.
So still some might be concerned about how one billion were killed in that fight,but all of them on the battle field who were killed were sent to heaven,except for the one person who could have stopped the battle and that was the evil Duryodhana who was the leader of the evil side of the other cousins,the liberation of all the soldiers and the commanders on the other side of the battle proves that god is always fair.

It is terrible to take someone's life,but if you have a religion (I am sorry if I offended you incase you are an Athiest) then you know very well that the best way to punish evil is to give them capital punshment.

But over all it depends on your values.

Answer 5

Agreed. Capital punishment is not civilized at all. Of course, that we feel anger at murderers, serial killers, rapists, and pedophiles for what they do and what they have done.

But when you or someone close to you becomes a victim of one of such individuals, your personal view on the matter will change. Giving a life sentence is like rewarding them for what they have done. Most do not repent for their actions. And if they escape, they will indeed do it again.

Capital punishment, however, is not flawless. Innocent people has been put to death, and cleared after they are killed (like if that would bring them back).

We do need a reasonable alternative to capital punishment, that is worse than Life Imprisonment.

Answer 6

If this type of behavior goes on in America (the most civilized country of our time) imagine what goes on in other countries.
Capital punishment is a horrible thing, I agree. But, if a repeated sex offender (who's been in and out of jail several times) offended and killed my child---I would want that person taken out of our society permanently. That would mean killing him. He has proven that he can not live normally in society.
You also must remember, the people who are victims of capital punishment have no regard, what so ever, for human life. Not yours, or mine. Not any body's.

Answer 7

The USA today is a violence-loving nation. Simple as that. We love anything that's bloody and ends in death. It's America's idea of a properly civilized society.

Answer 8

I never said it was.

But what you suggest, some guy who killed a child, for example, just let the creep live?

They go on living too long already. Cause of all the appeals.

Jesus kills, why shouldn't society.

Answer 9

Why is it still practiced? Because killers are still killin'.
And Americans believe, "You kill someone we get to kill you back".
It's an attitude I rather like.

Answer 10

It is not civilized but Americans themselves love vengeance and so they love the death penalty.

Answer 11

Tell that to all the people whose love ones were heinously murdered for no reason.