Is the death penalty worst than life in prison?

Answer 1

It is certainly worse for those who are wrongly convicted - capital punishment makes these mistakes (and they DO happen) irrevocable. I was pro-death penalty for a long time, but I have changed my stance over the years, for several reasons:

1. By far the most compelling is this: As I mentioned above, sometimes the legal system gets it wrong. Look at all the people who have been released after years of imprisonment because they were exonerated by DNA evidence. Unfortunately, DNA evidence is not available in most cases. No matter how rare it is, the government should not risk executing one single innocent person.

Really, that should be reason enough for most people. If you need more, read on:

2. Because of the extra expense of prosecuting a DP case and the appeals process (which is necessary - see reason #1), it costs taxpayers MUCH more to execute prisoners than to imprison them for life.

3. The deterrent effect is questionable at best. Violent crime rates are actually higher in death penalty states. This may seem counterintuitive, and there are many theories about why this is (Ted Bundy saw it as a challenge, so he chose Florida – the most active execution state at the time – to carry out his final murder spree). Personally, I think it has to do with the hypocrisy of taking a stand against murder…by killing people. The government becomes the bad parent who says, ‘do as I say, not as I do.’

4. There’s also an argument to be made that death is too good for the worst of our criminals. Let them wake up and go to bed every day of their lives in a prison cell, and think about the freedom they DON’T have, until they rot of old age. When Ted Bundy was finally arrested in 1978, he told the police officer, “I wish you had killed me.”

5. The U.S. government is supposed to be secular, but for those who invoke Christian law in this debate, you can find arguments both for AND against the death penalty in the Bible. For example, Matthew 5:38-39 insists that violence shall not beget violence. James 4:12 says that God is the only one who can take a life in the name of justice. Leviticus 19:18 warns against vengeance (which, really, is what the death penalty amounts to). In John 8:7, Jesus himself says, "let he who is without sin cast the first stone."

Answer 2

Death is final. As for "life in prison" it can mean a minimum of 25 years, there may be appeals or whatever. There is hope. Indeed with new evidence, one may be found to be totally innocent and set free on the spot - as has happened in numerous cases in the US.

Answer 3

well..the death penalty is final, thats it..but there is also no suffering in jail, and being miserable until you die..its kind of an easy way out for the criminals i would say..unless you are religious and know that you must face God with what you have done, and know you are going to heaven/ hell..then you have even bigger problems to deal with..but i think overall life in prison would be worse..because everyone has to die eventually..but you would have to spend the rest of your life locked up probably wishing you were dead.
~sonny

Answer 4

No but it is a whole lot cheaper then keeping someone alive. It would make more sense to have the death penalty for those who have no chance for freedom or rehabilitation. Why should we continue to support them if they are never going to be of any use to society!

Answer 5

It is for the taxpayers. It cost more to keep someone on death row for twenty years than it cost to keep them in the general prison population for forty years.

Answer 6

Not in my opinion. Life in prison is unimaginable, probably why many inmates and criminals choose to kill themselves prior to arrest or do so shortly after arrival to the facility.

Answer 7

If I were ever put in that position, I would be praying for the needle.... Live free or die

Answer 8

not to me it isn't, give me liberty or give me death.

Answer 9

absolutely

Answer 10

ask any inmate