For Brits: Do you ever wish you had the death penalty back?

Question

As an American, I live in a country in which the death penalty is used in many of its states. However, I have reservations about the death penalty, mainly because innocent people have been wrongly executed and imprisoned, and I don't think that we should run the risk of executing innocent people. That being said, though, I also think that there are some people out there who are absolutely worthless and should be done away with. In Britain, Rose West, Dennis Nilsen, and Ian Brady are some good examples. When you consider that tiny, evil element of British society, do you ever wish that you had the death penalty back?

Answer 1

No,there is too many innocent people in jail and if one innocent person was hung thats one too many.For the people you have mentioned i would lock them up in solitary for the rest of their lifes,never seeing daylight or another human being till the day they die.

Answer 2

Well, we have had awful cases of people bwing wrongly hung (like Derek Bently who was hung for a murder, dispite having the mental age of an 11 year old, and therefore being easily lead by his accomplice - he should not have been killed, but it took his family 30 odd years to get an apology).
However, we have so many overcrowded prisons, prisoners who are given a sentence, and then released before they have done half the time, and prisons where more money is spent on the food, than is spent on food for school children.

Perhaps if we brought back the death penalty, it would reduce crime rates, because prison scares nobody, where as dying would. Also, it would free up some space, and protect society. Yes, some innocent people may be killed, but that would be rare now, with DNA and so on.

Bring it back!.

Answer 3

How about a virtual death penalty, or 'The penalty of the living dead'....

A medical operation that would take away all the concious faculties of a convicted felon for a period of, say, up to 25 years. After that....the end

Then they would be still alive and could be revived if new evidence was found in their favour.

I'm sure Myra and Ian deserved at least that much deprivation.

Answer 4

Abso-bloody-lutely!

ALL paedophiles and sex offenders should be first to go and that eejit still in jail for the Soham murders!

I truly believe that we no longer have an adequate deterent in this country and therefore crime often DOES pay.

All criminals can expect is nowadays at worst is a lengthy stay in a prison with satellite TV, games systems, pool tables and 3 cooked meals a day. Where the hell is the deterent there?? In a lot of cases, that's more than these criminals got on the outside!

The death penalty would be a great addition to keeping the numbers of criminals down and although I appreciate that it is possible to get the wrong man sometimes, is that not already the case with some sentenced to life so where's the diference?

I have faith in the justice system to get the right people, I just lack faith in the sentences they issue to them :(

Answer 5

Given the number of miscarriage's of justice, no. In order for the death penalty to be restored we would need a much more robust justice system.

I personally would introduce a points system (like a driving licence) so thal a person would have to commit a number of crimes to run out of points. Not perfect, but at least the repeat offenders would get it!!

Answer 6

yeah, but maybe with better guidlines like a set minimum amount of solid evidence against someone and only have it used in extreme cases like Ian Brady. at the end of they day keeping them locked up is just a cost to decent tax payers and no length of punishment can ever be enough for someone like that so they are worthless people anyway. I also think such people should lose certain human rights, stick them in an empty cell and feed them gruel if they decide to take their own lives then good. Prison is too much of a luxery these days, they get more tv channels and better food than i can afford. we treat them too well. its ridiculous - AND TO THE GUY WHO PUT THAT PAEDOS NEED TREATMENT NOT PUNISHMENT I JUST GOTTA ASK - EVER BEEN A VICTIM OF A PAEDOPHILE MATE?!!!?

Answer 7

Yes i think corporal punishment should be brought back but am sure the last person hanged in Britain turned out to be innocent so it will never be brought back here and Britain's legal system is too lenient with sentencing so i don't know if too many judges would use it anyway if they could

Answer 8

yes I think it should be back.killers live while victims families have to live with sadness and hurt.an eye for an eye.these vile people can be out on the streets after 12--14 years but not their victims.there is also the cost of their imprisonment.many thousands of pounds for 1 person paid for by the public.fetch back hanging is not a deterrent but a suitable punishment!!!!!!

Answer 9

No I don't if one person is murdered by the state it doesn't work. How many people in American have been killed when they are innocent? How many women are on death row because they killed abusive husbands who almost killed them on many different occasions. It is not a deterrent, just as jail is not a deterrent. If it was then they would be empty.
The need for money out ways morals for some people.

Answer 10

No, This is irreversible in the case of a miscarriage of justice and it is not any more of a crime deterrent than goal

It is certainly not one of America's greatest characteristics, the long Que of minors incarcerated for life or the people of questionable cognitive ability lined up on death row.