Why does America STILL have the death penalty?

Question

"The death penalty is the ultimate cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment. It violates the right to life. It is irrevocable and can be inflicted on the innocent. It has never been shown to deter crime more effectively than other punishments.

Amnesty International works for an end to executions and the abolition of the death penalty everywhere.

Progress has been dramatic. In 1977 only 16 countries had abolished the death penalty for all crimes. Today the figure stands at 88."

"Don't become a monster in order to defeat a monster."

Answer 1

Good question. It may be a leftover from the days of "frontier justice." As many of the answers above show, not everyone has been thinking about how the death penalty system actually functions.

You don't have to sympathize with criminals or want them to avoid a terrible punishment to ask if the death penalty prevents or even reduces crime and to think about the risks of executing innocent people. Many Americans are rethinking their views on the basis of these things.

124 people on death rows have been released with proof that they were wrongfully convicted. DNA is available in less than 10% of all homicides and isn’t a guarantee we won’t execute innocent people.

The death penalty doesn't 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 don’t.

We have a good alternative. 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.

The death penalty costs much more than life in prison, mostly because of the legal process which is supposed to prevent executions of innocent people.

The death penalty isn't reserved for the worst crimes, but for defendants with the worst lawyers. It doesn't apply to people with money. When is the last time a wealthy person was on death row, let alone executed?

The death penalty doesn't necessarily help families of murder victims. 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.

Problems with speeding 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

The death penalty is the ultimate, cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment? Are you kidding me? The death penalty is the response to the ultimate in cruel, inhuman and degrading crimes committed by people who do not qualify for membership in the human race.

I suggest that you actually research the facts before you issue a statement that is doesn’t deter crime. The only people who say this are anti-death penalty nut jobs who hope you ignore the facts and simply regurgitate their propaganda. Amnesty International is trying to stamp out executions in extremist counties like Iran where teenage girls are executed by religious courts for dating. In America, people are executed after 20 years of due process and judicial review for things like the cold blooded torture and murder of children. Now, is our justice system perfect? Of course not but it is one of the best that the world has seen.

I think there is a place for the death penalty in any judicial system regardless of all the philosophical debate on its use. In my opinion it should only be used on special occasion, for the most heinous crimes and only in cases where guilt is absolute. We have used this type of penalty to liberally in the past so I think there is some reform that needs to happen but that reform should not include the elimination of the ultimate penalty for the ultimate crime.

Answer 3

In a perfect world we would not need to have a death penalty. However we have all types of scum roaming the land who have no problem in taking your life without a thought or care. It is one way that we can insure that they will not KILL again. The death penalty is a good thing. They are not going to give the death penalty to some one who stole a car. We need to insure that the police do a good and proper job in finding the right perp. And insure our prosecutor's are not just trying to wrap up a case to give themselves a high percentage of convictions and giving a fair trial against the accused. Maybe we should hold the system to a higher standard and have them (police and prosecutor's) go on trial for sending innocent people to prison for crimes that they did not commit.

Answer 4

One reason for states having a death penalty is that knowing that they could be executed might prevent many people from committing crimes for which there is a death penalty. Maybe another reason is because some people believe in (an eye for and eye...).

Answer 5

Because the people who run this country love their power more than anything else, they like to play GOD, but we as citizens stand by quietly and pay for it all. On the other hand death row is totally unfair because, those sick, guilty SOB's stay on it for years, and we pay for them to live. So, in a way the situation fucked up no matter how look at it, because we as law abiding citizen are getting fucked out of our hard earned money.

Answer 6

the death penalty is not cruel or unusual punishment. I am for it! There is alot of ppl that deserve it like murderers, rapists, ppl doing heinious acts to children ...etc...I dont think they deserve to waste all their lives in jail, getting free cable, free gym, free education. How do u think the victims families feel? yea, i know there are some ppl that are on death row who are innocent and i hope they get the justice that they deserve. im sick and tired of seeing these repeat offenders who are often released back in the community only to turn around to repeat the crime...

Answer 7

Because some criminals don't deserve to live. Think of how many tax dollars would be wasted if we just locked up people and never used the death penalty. If not that, then they'd have to be loose on the streets to do more harm. Our jails are already too full for the most part anyway and they treat the prisoners like guests rather than criminals....but don't get me started on that.

A lot of countries' penalties are a lot crueler death than America.

Answer 8

We could have all the death penalty recipients live in your house. ?!? If your grandmother was visciously murdered by a chronic criminal, would you care if he lived or died? If some neighbor raped and murdered your child, would you want to wonder every day you wake up if he were still in prison or in your house again? More of these kinds of people should get the death penalty. Many moons ago in America if you were seen doing something worthy of the death penalty, you got hanged the next day. No appeals, no sob stories, no burden on the county. Just gone.

Answer 9

Pretty much agree with you, but am still in favor for it in certain circumstances. For the most heinous of crimes and mandatory for the rape and murder of a child.

Answer 10

It is quite disgusting... I guess they feel that it gives the person or family of the victim some sort of justice for killing their loved ones.... which in the end make up for nothing... they are just doing the same thing as the criminal in all actuality