Will the Death Penalty Ever be Abolished?

Question

in all 50 states?

Yeah sure, except for Texas. (kidding).

Answer 1

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. More and more Americans are
finding out the facts and rethinking their views on the death penalty. Fewer and fewer states are carrying out executions and there have been fewer and fewer death sentences in the past few years.

126 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 those 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

I hope so. I am against the death penalty. I believe that there are some people who need killing. There are some crimes that warrant the death penalty. But there is always a chance that the person on death row could be innocent. And I am not willing to take that chance. There was a man who killed an 8 yr old girl in my area several yrs ago. He was guilty of the crime according to all the evidence. He was also sexually abused as a child. He was eventually put to death after several appeals which may have cost the tax payers more than if he were just kept alive in prison.

Answer 3

I do not believe in killing another human being for any reason what so ever. There are other ways of making some one pay for the crime that they committed. So yes I think the death penalty should be abolished. Now whether it ever is or not I don't know but some states have already stop the death penalty in their state.

Answer 4

Right on, Susan S.

Thank you for your insightful answer.

I read about a case, just two days ago, in the NY Daily News about a man who was convicted of killing his parents. He has been in jail 17 years. The man was a teenager at the time of the murders, and the cops tricked him into confessing. He doubted himself and thought he might have blacked out and didn't remember doing it, but recanted almost immediately.

The court convicted him largely based on this coerced confession, but he has maintained his innocence.

New evidence has come to light suggesting that the murder was committed by the father's business partner, who faked his own death and fled to California a week after the killings.

The conviction was reversed and the man will get a new trial.

Why do I write all this? ...to ask the question, "What if he was executed?" After all, the guy was convicted of two brutal murders, right? Shouldn't he be strung up at high noon?

That's the problem with the death penalty, innocent people have and do become executed.

Note that being anti-death penalty does not equal being "soft on crime". That's a common misconception perpetrated by death penalty advocates. Nobody wants to see killers set free. Errors or undue leniency in sentencing are a separate issue.

Peace and Happy Holidays!

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Answer 5

Death penalty is not meant to deter crime. I see here some poor judgment being tossed about. Since when is the life of a murderer placed in higher regard than the victim. And who cares about the cost. The highest cost/price was already paid by the victim. Why is the outcry not for the victim. Have you no shame.
You kill the innocent, then you have zero right to life. You rights end the day the trial finds you guilty.
The death sentence should remain in the books.
New Jersey is now another haven for murderers.

Answer 6

I hope not- I think we need a new law that says if you are given a death sentence, it must be carried out within a week after the sentence went down. Don't sit on our money in prison forever. In Saudi they have a public square where the punishment fits the crime, they don't have repeat offenders that's for certain. Ok so that's just another Texans opinion, you'll be hard pressed to get Texans to abolish it- lol.
I worked as a prison psychologist for many years- to give an injection does not cost more than keeping someone on death row forever, plus I can honestly say those given the death sentence were the same ones that counseling was a waste of time on, they were not inclined to want to change.
I've counseled people who viciously murdered little children and enjoyed it, and even though sentenced to death they had been there in prison for many years and laughed about that fact , like a brag. If someone killed you child and was sentenced to death would you want to see them spend their whole life sitting in prison laughing about it?

Answer 7

I hope not. There are cases that no other punishment will do. Why should they sit in jail ( while we take care of them) and go to school, get a degree and have every little thing taken care of for them? Maybe if more states had the death penalty terrible crimes would cease or at least lessen. I especially think there should be the death penalty for child rape and murder.A child had no chance against an adult. An eye for an eye. Even the Bible says that.
Shermyne, I do believe in birth control but not abortion. If everyone used birth control ( unless they wanted a child ) there would be no need for abortion.

Wickwire, you sure got everyone going, good job!

Answer 8

I sure as hell hope not. I am pro death penalty. I can't see wasting tax dollars taking care of a prisoner for the rest of their life after they have murdered an innocent victim, especially a child. Serial killers live an average of 10 years on death row before they are executed. I got up early to watch Ted Bundy die. My step daughter attended University of Florida when Danny Rollins murdered those teenagers. I drove like a crazy woman up to the University to pick her up, we were terrified.

Edit: I believe that they saved Ted Bundy's brain to study. Supposedly to see if a serial killers brain has any abnormalities to it.

It also costs about $36,000 annually to keep a prisoner in the penetentiary for a year, the injection is far less costly in the long run. By the time the person gets to the chair, we have spent a MINIMUM of $360,000, that does NOT include court costs, defense attorneys, DNA sampling, witnesses, depositions the courts time.. Lets take life imprisonment , say the person lives 50 years in prison, guess how much that would cost?????

Answer 9

No. New Jersey is a start and will be a "telling" ground if it's really a wise choice in America. Sometimes I feel Americans have it "too good". I mean we have freedoms that some people only dream about. I think "repeat offenders" should still be put to death. Otherwise we'll have a "kill and I'll spend life but eligible for parole in 10 years" mentality

Answer 10

No, I don't think so nor do I think it should. If the accused is found guilty of murder beyond a shadow of a doubt and there is DNA evidence to back up the verdict then the death penalty, in my opinion, is justified. What isn't justified is the lengthy appeals process paid for by the public. There should be a reasonable limit to the number of appeals and none should be allowed to be filed by jail house lawyers.