are you for or against the death penalty? explain your reasoning?

Answer 1

You don't have to condone brutal crimes or want the criminals who commit them avoid a harsh punishment to ask whether the death penalty prevents or even reduces crime and whether it risks killing innocent people.

What about the risk of executing innocent people?
124 people on death rows have been released with evidence of their innocence.

Doesn't DNA keep new cases like these from happening?
DNA is available in less than 10% of all homicides and can’t guarantee we won’t execute innocent people.

Doesn't the death penalty prevent others from committing murder?
No reputable study shows the death penalty to be a deterrent. To be a deterrent a punishment must be sure and swift. The death penalty is neither. Homicide rates are higher in states and regions that have it than in states that do not.

So, what are the alternatives?
Life without parole is now on the books in 48 states. It means what it says. It is sure and swift and rarely appealed. Life without parole is less expensive than the death penalty.

But isn't the death penalty cheaper than keeping criminals in prison?
The death penalty costs much more than life in prison, mostly because of the legal process. When the death penalty is a possible sentence, extra costs mount up even before trial, continuing through the uniquely complicated trial (actually 2 separate trials, one to decide guilt and the second to decide the punishment) in death penalty cases, and appeals.

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?
Over 50 of the innocent people released from death row had already served over a decade. If the process is speeded up we are sure to execute an innocent person.

Answer 2

I believe that government has a right to take a person's life as a punishment for lawbreaking.

I am opposed to the death penalty because too many mistakes are made in our criminal justice system, it is cheaper to house these people for life than fight all the appeals.

Answer 3

I am for the death penalty. When someone takes a life, I believe they should have to give up their own life. When I read about Ron Kooey, who tortured, molested and buried a 7 year old girl alive, I am totally convinced that he needs to be put to death; Lacy Peterson's husband should also get the death penalty and many others who kill for the sport of killing. One of our local boys was killed when he went to deliver a pizza to an address at an abandoned home. He was the owner of the pizza place and, out of the goodness of his heart, went to deliver the pie personally. He was set up for the murder; the person who killed him just "wanted to see what it felt like to murder someone"; I say, put him to death. I am not for spending tax payer's money to provide these animals with cable TV, nice meals, clean clothes, exercise rooms, showers, visits with their relatives, etc. when the victims have no such luxuries; they are gone and their families are left to mourn for the rest of their lives. I am sick of hearing how these murderers had sad, unfortunate lives and are misunderstood. I simply don't care. Murder is a terrible crime and the price for commiting murder should be terrible, too. No luxury jail cells with all kinds of priviledges. I say, stop putting it off and giving the ones on death row years and years of permission to appeal their sentence. Sentence them and then get the job done immediately!! Too many releases and good behavior priviledges, too. How many who have commited murder, serve minimal amounts of time only to go and do it again. With the death penalty, there is no chance of doing that.

Answer 4

I favor it. Why should we pay to feed, clothe and house someone who has taken the life of another. To further explain, I favor it in cases where there was premeditation or murder in the commission of a capital crime, a crime against a child. If a person kills someone accidentally they should not be put to death. I believe many murders happen because the perpetrator knows there will not be any retribution towards them. We see so much death and violence on TV and other sources we have become desensitized to it.

Answer 5

I am for the death penalty. The cruel and unusual punishment referenced in our Constitution was to protect law abiding citizens not hardened criminals!

Answer 6

A person sentenced to death should be put to death as quickly as possible. I do agree with capital punishment and the criminal should only be allowed one appeal and when that is exhausted, that's it. We should not keep paying for years and years to keep that prisoner in prison.

Answer 7

Against.

It does not deter. Many DP cases are heat of the moment.

It is merely bringing the state (and by extension you and me) down to the same level as the criminal.

Because of a few rogue prosecutors, we have numerous levels of appeal in DP cases. In fact, an appeal in a DP case is mandatory. Appeals cost lots of money. If we just gave them LWOP and threw away the key we'd save a fortune. According to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, it is in seven figures for your average Death Row inmate.

Finally, please consider the case of Kenny Richey who has sat on Death Row in Ohio for over twenty years. Some years ago he was just a few hours from getting electrocuted when he got a stay. Just as well, because all the credible evidence poinst to him being innocent. How many innocent people have lost their lives in this fashion? Read about the case for yourself at www.torley.org

Answer 8

Against. Murder is still murder, even when carried out by the state. It's not for a government to hold the power of life and death over people. It's inhumane and barbaric. The chance of a miscarriage of justice is too great. Almost every civilised nation has banned it.

Answer 9

Against.

1) it is immoral to intentionally kill a defenseless person.
2) Its the laziest option for dealing with criminals.
3) it i s unfairly administered, with too much resting on a single person, namely the prosecutor who decides what crime to charge with.
4) There have been too many cases of mistakes in the justice system, particularly with poor defendents, to make sure that we are not executing innocent people.
5) You cannot show that you value life by taking it from someone.

Answer 10

yes, i am toatally against it. we shouldn't b able to just KILL anyone we want. if we put them in jail 4 the rest of their life, then they can do anything else bad. they should b able to live, becuz you cant do anything to deserve death. and people might say "well if their in prison, then we have 2 pay 4 it with r taxes." i dont no about u, but id pay a few dollars 2 do the right thing, which is keeping sumone alive. im PROLIFE all the way!!