Do You BELIEVE in the DEATH PENALTY!!!!?

Question

I DO!!!!

I only wish we had a better system in place to find out who is guilty or not!!!

Oh, and we also need to find a way to more humanely kill them even the electric chair is more humane than the needle in my opinion unless the person doesn't die.

I am a huge fan of the GUILLOTINE

Answer 1

Undoubtedly YES!

But isn't it funny that I am also Pro-life. Don't kill innocent babies, just kill all of the criminals.

Answer 2

I don't. You talk about being humane, but where is the humanity in murdering somebody? OK, there are people who for various reasons do terrible, terrible things, but to my mind it's the sign of a civilised society that learns from the mistakes that created these people, and doesn't take some Eye for an Eye approach. An Eye for an Eye leaves the whole world blind, as somebody said round here a few days ago.

Edit - And to all those above me saying it worked in the middle ages, it will work now - How exactly did it work in the middle ages? As far as I can tell we still have murderers, rapists, child molesters etc. If we're harkening back to those days for help in the modern age perhaps we should take up slavery, stop women voting and be forced to go to church at Sword-point. I mean seriously, guys, come on.

Answer 3

I believe the death penalty is not an effective way of preventing or reducing crime. You have received several answers that are mistaken on the facts and some that just ignore them.

Here are answers to some of the questions that people often ask about the system. The sources are listed below.

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 4

Yes. I believe in the death Penalty. It is a reality.

The real question should be: Do you support the death penalty.?

Of that, I can say that it should be used only in very exceptional circumstances.

You are a fan of the guillotine? Yet you claim that we need to find a more humane method. The brain can remain concious for up to one minute after the beheading. That is not very humane.

Answer 5

God gives life and only God has the right to take it away. There has been too many times that a person has been found innocent after they have been put to death. Man is fallible. He makes mistakes. The only alternative or fair way to punish someone is life in prison. That way, if at some later date it is determined that the person really is innocent, they can pick up what's left of their life and live on. "Thou shalt not kill". For those that do, let God be the judge as to whether they live or die. Meantime, get them off of the streets. There is no such thing as a "humane way to kill" another person.

Answer 6

No, here is why:

-Financial costs to taxpayers of capital punishment is several times that of keeping someone in prison for life.
-It is barbaric and violates the "cruel and unusual" clause in the Bill of Rights.
-The endless appeals and required additional procedures clog our court system.
-We as a society have to move away from the "eye for an eye" revenge mentality if civilization is to advance.
It sends the wrong message: why kill people who kill people to show killing is wrong.
-Life in prison is a worse punishment and a more effective deterrent.
-Other countries (especially in Europe) would have a more favorable image of America.
-Some jury members are reluctant to convict if it means putting someone to death.
-The prisoner's family must suffer from seeing their loved one put to death by the state.
-The possibility exists that innocent men and women may be put to death.
-Mentally ill patients may be put to death.
-It creates sympathy for the monsterous perpetrators of the crimes.
-It is useless in that it doesn't bring the victim back to life.
-DNA testing has proven that 200 innocent people spent nearly 2,500 years in prison for crimes they didn't commit, some of whom were executed

And one thing to really think about, what if your father was at the wrong place at the wrong time, you knew without a doubt he was innocent, but he was put to death anyways? Really, would you still be for the death penalty?

Answer 7

There are so many criminals and so many crimes out there that make us hate so much that we wish they were dead. But who out there has the right to take a life? There is only one judge who can make that decision and that is God himself. Now the problem is, what to do to separate evil people from the good in the world.

Answer 8

Yes I do. I'm also a big fan of "an eye for an eye", meaning they should have done to them what they did to another human being. Plus, I don't want to pay my hard earned money to keeping these people in prison giving them hot meals everyday and educating them.

Answer 9

Yes, I do believe in the death penalty, as it does exist. If I didn't believe, would it still not exist? haha
I actually believe that it is a good deterrent and should be publicized more. I know public executions helped keep crime down in the middle ages, and it would work now too.

Answer 10

Yes I do! I don't care that they now die inhumane. Most of those people get death for killing someone else and they didn't take into account then how humane killing was. Should be the same for them.