Isn't rotting in jail worse than the death penalty?

Question

I don't understand how the death penalty is the worst possible punishment for criminals.... the worst punishment would be 23 hours a day in a 6x4 cell for the rest of your life - wouldn't it?

Answer 1

I don't know. People can find pleasure in even the simplest of things. Counting down to the certain premature end of one's life is pretty awful to ponder.

A very close friend of my girlfriend was murdered recently. Most around her want the death penalty for the murderers, but part of me wishes they would spend their lives with two pictures of this girl... one in life and happiness, and the other the way they left her... above their beds... forever.

Answer 2

Yes. In fact, approximately 12% of all executions were by "volunteers," people, who decided to end their imprisonment by ending all appeals.

Note to His Divine Shadow- the reason that the death penalty is so costly is that the legal process is so complex in death penalty cases. It is supposed to prevent executions of innocent people. Of the 124 innocent people on death row over 50 had already served more than a decade (some more than 2 decades.) If the process where sped up we would certainly be executing innocent people.

Answer 3

Not for the taxpayers. I don't want to pay my taxes to keep some scumbag threat to society to get three squares a day and a place to sleep each night. Either the bastard works off his own room and board or put him under the knife.

Our criminal justice system isn't about punishing criminals, or at least it shouldn't be. It should be about seperating them from productive society. Killing them is probably the most effective way of doing this. And for the people who say that executions are more expensive than life imprisonment, the solution to that problem is simple - find a way to make executions less expensive. Done.

Answer 4

I personally favor hard labor, because I can't be anti-abortion and pro-death penalty. I happen to value human life, and realize that sometimes mistakes are made, and people are wrongfully convicted. At least if someone is cleared after 20 years of hard labor, you can compensate them.

Answer 5

Absolutely!!
Add to that complete isolation; no books, no TV; not even seeing another person for the rest of life.
That's punishment!

Answer 6

It's also less expensive than paying for those facing the death penalty.

Answer 7

If it was, sentenced defendants wouldn't so deperately fight the death penalty, would they?

Answer 8

Indeed!