Why are people against the death penalty for rapists?

Question

A lot of people are against the death penalty for rapists, but if their mom, sister, wife, girlfriend, or anyone close to them gets raped, they would support the death penalty for whomever raped their mom, sister, wife, etc.

But if the rapist rapes someone that they don't know, then it's not a good punishment, and all of a sudden they're pro-life?

Hippocrate much?

DNA testing is possible, if the government isn't willing to do that, then why don't they just reward the rapist for raping the person.

Answer 1

I'm against the death penalty for rapists because in most cases it's too hard to prove. Usually it's just his word against hers. It'd be way too easy to sentence someone to death just because some insecure woman regretted what she did the night before.
Also, I've never been pro life and I don't see how that's the same issue.

All that DNA testing proves is that there was sex. It does NOT prove that the sex was not consensual. So, that doesn't negate my point at all. And they do use DNA testing in rape trials. Are you living under a rock?

Answer 2

Okay. So rape law changes is my thing. Especially the really old stuff. In Anglo-Saxon England, when a woman was raped the rapist (or his family) would have to pay a fine in order to avoid a blood feud amongst the families. When William the Conquerer came to England in 1066, he changed the law so that it was blinding and castration in every single case of rape - seen as particularly fit punishment given that the organs that were instrumental in the crime were lopped off (or gouged out, as the case may be). Things changed in the thirteenth century, and women could choose to marry their rapist (that one still freaks me out), and courts took over jurisdiction in cases of rape. By the time Queen Elizabeth ruled England, the punishment became death for the guilty, but there was a loophole: the neck verse. Because of the dual court system (religious courts and secular) if someone claimed to be a cleric (religious person) they could prove that status by reciting a particular verse which begs mercy. When this system was put into practice, literacy rates were much lower and it seemed that only those in religious orders would be expected to read. The effect of this is that prisons in some cases became schoolhouses as criminals taught one another the verse.
The problem with the death penalty in cases of rape is that our society tends to distrust women, especially when the topic is rape. DNA evidence helps to obviate some of that doubt, but sexual purity for women still seems to be paramount (think of the Kobe Bryant case and how the media had such a prurient interest in the victim's earlier sexual conduct that day).
With New Jersey having just banned the death penalty and other states considering a similar move, would that mean that those states would see a consequent decline in violent crimes as the state itself becomes less violent in the name of justice? Or would the state become more violent as those with violent tendencies move to such states in order to pursue their past-time?

Answer 3

You pretty much left guys out. Guys can get raped too.

Now to answer your question, I'd have to say that it becomes more personal. You don't understand until it happens to someone you're close to. I don't think that rapist deserve to be put to the death penalty, but they should have punishment.

Answer 4

Because it's a logical fallacy. It's what's called an "appeal to emotion". In other words, should we execute a rapist because it feels good to do so? Because it satisfies our sense of justice? Simply put, we don't execute rapists because the punishment doesn't fit the crime. Don't you think it makes more sense to throw them into prison, where the likelihood that they'll be raped themselves increases considerably?

Answer 5

Death Penalty for a Rapist is not common. If he raped and killed them, that is a different story.

Answer 6

If we expanded the death penalty to more crimes than homicide, it would lead to even more people being wrongly executed. I don't believe you are correct in assuming what victims say about their rapist's penalties.

What's a Hippocrate? It is like a dog crate for Hippos?

Answer 7

You're missing the point.

There are two main reasons to oppose the death penalty for rape.

First, it would encourage a rapist to kill his victim so as to leave no witness, leading to a great increase in the number of women being killed.

Second, rape is most often a "He said / She said" crime. The accused says "She said yes", the victim says "No I didn't". That's a VERY weak reed on which to hang someone.

Richard

Answer 8

I m for it for murderers and rapist especially those who rape children. Interestly the libs in New Jersey just commuted the sentence of the POS who killed little Meghan of Meghan's law fame. One thing is for sure, death is a sure way of ensuring that the never offend again and it makes the victims and the victims family feel much better.
I couldnt care less about the feelings of these savages or their families

Answer 9

I'm against the death penalty at all. we do not have the right to take someones life not even that of a murder. our justice system is not without faults, and even with a confession to take someones life is not appropriate.

Answer 10

Call it non conscious hypocrites, but the fact is, killing is wrong no matter how you slice it! Two wrong does not make a right, plain common sense if you have one!