Isn't it a bit ironic? Weren't we taught that two wrongs don't make a right?
Is a perpetrator's life equivalent to what we call 'Justice'?
2007-08-01 19:25:56 · 12 answers · asked by MagicFlakes 3 in Politics & Government ➔ Law & Ethics
I'm quite surprised how people reacted to the question. So you guys think one's death gives justice? How and Why?
2007-08-02 21:31:02 · update #1
There are no studies proving that capital punishment deters crime. Because it doesn't. As for retribution, that's a nice sentiment but violence truly does only beget more violence. Israel and Palestine are an example of that truth. Retribution is not helpful to society.
Revenge is irrational, an emotion that does not act out of what is best for society. It is not a suitable arguement.
And it IS ironic. It's what opponents of capital punishment call the "brutalizing effect." in that it sends a message to the people that killing is a way of solving problems. Sub consciously, it effects our way of problem solving. Consider the fact that the majority of murders are not committed by some sick, sadistic, criminal mastermind who gets off on the sight of blood ... but are crimes of passion. You are more likely to be murdered by someone you know (in particular, a spouse or loved one) than by a stranger. Why? Because we've learned through sociological models, that violence is a means to solve a current dilemma. Violence begets more violence.
I don't have a moral problem with capital punishment. I find it flawed and ineffective. And for as much as you guys talk about how cushy prisons are, maybe you need to take a trip to Pelican Bay. Also consider the fact that capital punishment costs 2 to 5 times more than life imprisonment. Consider that life imprisonment without the possibility of parole is more of a punishment than death. To never be free again? To have no sense of privacy? What if you were in the SHU during that entire time? Isolated from everyone, with only an hour a day for exercise ... that is a far worse punishment than death.
Not to mention, while you can say what you want about appeals. Fact shows that the vast majority of death row inmates shouldn't have been sentenced to death in the first place, and many shouldn't have even been convicted because of serious errors.
Consider also that the death penalty is discriminatory. That a black person is more likely to get the death penalty for killing a white person than if they killed another black person.
There are a thousand reasons why the death penalty doesn't work. And just one more: the majority of countries in this world no longer implement the death penalty. So you can say what you want about most states supporting the death penalty in the US, but most of the world would disagree with you.
2007-08-01 20:43:10 · answer #1 · answered by JR 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Two reasons: 1. Deterrent. Others might be dissuaded by the murderer's death. 2. Retribution. Visiting the ultimate punishment on the murderer is punishment.
Opponents of capital punishment argue that there is little deterrent effect derived from capital punishment and that retribution is too medieval a consideration, but the majority of people in most states support capital punishment.
2007-08-01 19:31:55 · answer #2 · answered by mattapan26 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I don't know why people dwell on this - we kill so few people it would never serve as a deterrent
Now if we could knock off all the folks on death row in a year that might give this some traction!
2007-08-01 22:10:39 · answer #3 · answered by roadrunner426440 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
As opposed to what? Letting them live out their lives while the person they killed didn't get that option? And anyone who rapes and kills a kid should be put to death immediately. That is the whole problem with this country. Criminals get treated better than their victims.
2007-08-01 22:56:07 · answer #4 · answered by Marje E. 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
yes, someone who kills someone else (kills someone we think of as innocent) deserves to die, this world isnt clean cut like people would believe, if you commit a crime such as murder, you should have to pay for your actions, and death is a good way to pay for it, to many times have people who have committed crimes like murder, and rape been set free and only murdered or raped again, so taking them out, is justice in my opinion, why slap them on the wrist, they didnt give whoever they did that horrible thing to a chance, so theyve lost their rights as human and are to be punished by death.
2007-08-01 19:33:21 · answer #5 · answered by VoRtExXSe7en 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
We kill them to make sure they can never hurt anybody again.
It used to be a deterrent, but since they stopped doing public executions, that factor has decreased.
2007-08-01 19:34:24 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
it's supposed to be a deterrent - but with all of the loophole and appeals most people sentenced to death don't actually get executed - some it's lost it's effect
2007-08-01 19:34:18 · answer #7 · answered by lancej0hns0n 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, in my opinion. I certainly don't want the roughest thing a murderer has to face is a long time in prison. And US prisons are...cushy!
2007-08-01 19:34:16 · answer #8 · answered by LIGER20498 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
eye for an eye
i try to be as compassionate and forgiving as possible, but honestly if someone killed my dad or big sister, or close friend, i would probably want revenge not that i would act on it, but i would want to beat his *** atleast
2007-08-01 19:35:39 · answer #9 · answered by Chris 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
no it is not ironic,
the person they killed did nothing to be killed for. they had no trial to determine guilt.
The person executed at least got a trial.
2007-08-01 19:37:49 · answer #10 · answered by Geoff C 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋