Death Penalty? What's your opinion?

[Alien_from_mars]

The death penalty is an easy way out for people. Id rather them suffer in jail. But jail should be worse I think.. more strict..
There is always a possibility a man could be put away being innocent, so I dont agree with the death penalty.

 

[Showtime]

roximonoxide said:
I think that's a pretty difficult statement to make, considering the kinds of lives the average imprisoned person would have to lead to wind up in jail. I'm not talking about the occasional person who lead your average life and wound up incarcerated after a single incident.

The chances of being jailed for a repeat offender are much greater than someone with only the one conviction on record and frankly most repeat offenders aren't happy go lucky suburbanites from Pleasantville by day and drug dealers by night. The guaranteed meals, beds, and relative security can be a drastic improvement for a lot of people.

It is a difficult statement, and I did rethink it a couple of times before posting it. I stand by it though ... the conditions in jail are completely abhorrent, not to mention an insanely huge gang presence. Of course there will be exceptions, there always are, but how many people have killed, or robbed a bank, or committed arson solely to get into jail?

 

[roximonoxide]

I'm not saying they committed crimes for the PURPOSE of being jailed, obviously most people would choose their freedom if they could, but it's a generalization to say ALL prisons and penitentiaries are squalid, and it's got to be said that a prison cell is a step up(in some cases several steps) from living below the poverty line.

 

[Lunalove]

IMO the death penalty is hypocritical. You punish someone for taking a life by taking a life? Lock them up and throw away the key, but prove yourself to be a better person and let them live.
Also how is death a punishment? Yes, the thought of dying will terrify most people, but when it's over, it's over. They're gone. They can't feel any more. I think it's more of a punishment to let them have to live with what they've done.

 

[June_85]

Thank god that there is no death penalty in the UK, you are sent to prison. (Proud to live in Britain )

The British Justice System is nothing to be proud of. Yes, there is no Death Penalty but life imprisonment is not life imprisonment. Most convicted murderes are out within 10 years. Only the most henious of offenders will serve upto 20+ Even the most prolific serial killers will be out eventually

I don't believe in the Death Penalty myself. I don't have enough trust in any justice system to correctly convict an offender everytime I do feel however that alot of jail sentences, especially in this country are to leaniant (sp?)

-

 

[Showtime]

Lunalove: I grinned as I read your post. Thanks for being so clear-headed in this ... I completely agree with what you said.

If we're speaking of ineffective justice systems, I have to bring to attention the Jena 6. It's this racist case that's going on in Louisiana. A couple of black kids wanted to sit under a tree where the white kids sat. They asked the school administrator who said it was fine, and so they sat their one lunch. The next day there were nooses hanging off of the tree. Tensions mounted, and eventually there was a small fight. Now six black kids are being charged with second-degree attempted murder. One, Mychal Bell, had been convicted and could spend up to 22 years in jail (more than many murderers).

There's a bit more detailed information at Color of Change, a site focused on racism against Blacks on a large and small scale. There's a petition and an email you can send to whomever on it as well.

I know this isn't the best place to put it, but I feel it ties in with the conversation (keep in mind that blacks are around four times more likely to get the death penalty in Philadelphia and 41% of prisoners on death row are black in Texas)

Texas is also coming up on it's 400th execution this month since reinstating the death penalty 21 years ago. The next closest state, Virginia, trails by 300 executions. Johnny Ray Conner is convicted of killing a Vietnamese immigrant during a convenience store robbery. The EU (bless them) has been urging Texas not to go through with the execution, saying it goes against our basic human rights.

Johnny Ray Conner is still claiming his innocence.

 

[Lunalove]

Showtime said:
Lunalove: Thanks for being so clear-headed in this

Well, I think this a very serious subject where you have to be clear-headed. Never attack in anger.

Showtime said:
The EU (bless them) has been urging Texas not to go through with the execution, saying it goes against our basic human rights.

Exactly. I'm very proud to live in Denmark where we do not have capital punishment. In fact we don't even hand over prisoners to countries who do have the death sentence. (For instance Sakajev).

 

[_Hush_]

Lunalove said:
Lock them up and throw away the key, but prove yourself to be a better person and let them live.

Last year (18/08/06) 28 fellons escaped from the prison of Dendermonde (Belgium). Among them, a few murderers. 18 of them have been caught so far. But that means 10 of them are still at large. What if one of them was the murderer of someone you loved? I've said it before. It's not always about the punishment of the perpetrator, but about the safety of the others, the ones who are left behind.

 

[Lunalove]

_Hush_ said:
Last year (18/08/06) 28 fellons escaped from the prison of Dendermonde (Belgium). Among them, a few murderers.
It's not always about the punishment of the perpetrator, but about the safety of the others, the ones who are left behind.

That still doesn't justify taking their lifes. You will be doing what they did. Deciding to take a life. Then where does it end?
That actually scares me more. That a group of so called 'normal' people can sit in a room and sentence someone to die. As opposed to one sick mind, that is.

Yes, there is always the chance that some will escape, and I completely agree that some people shouldn't be anywhere near the rest of humanity, but we can't just kill (and I use that word deliberately) people. That's the entire point.

 

[Detective_Burn]

roximonoxide said: (...) The general public would be better off if certain people are removed from society. (...)

I don´t know. If you kill a killer another killer simply takes its place.



So:
We kill killers, because they killed someone. However then I wonder if we kill killers, doesn´t this mean then killers have to kill us, too?

 

[Missing]

Has anyone ever heard of that jail in Arizona--now that is a good idea. There is an article here http://www.cnn.com/US/9907/27/tough.sheriff/

I have said that I am for the death penalty and still am. The thing is is most people are against it until something happens to someone they care about and then the tide turns,well unless you are one of those who forgives people (in which you are better than I am). I could not stand the idea that if someone killed say my kid that he/she would be on death row and if that killer got sick that he/she would get health care that even I cannot afford to stay alive even though they are on death row/or life sentence. That idea of them to be taken care of like they mean anything or human. If you would put Osama Bin Ladin or Adolf Hitler or some other terrorist in prison would you really want to spend your hard earned tax dollars so that they can live?

 

[babylon5girl]

Missing said:
Has anyone ever heard of that jail in Arizona--now that is a good idea. There is an article here http://www.cnn.com/US/9907/27/tough.sheriff/

I have said that I am for the death penalty and still am. The thing is is most people are against it until something happens to someone they care about and then the tide turns,well unless you are one of those who forgives people (in which you are better than I am). I could not stand the idea that if someone killed say my kid that he/she would be on death row and if that killer got sick that he/she would get health care that even I cannot afford to stay alive even though they are on death row/or life sentence. That idea of them to be taken care of like they mean anything or human. If you would put Osama Bin Ladin or Adolf Hitler or some other terrorist in prison would you really want to spend your hard earned tax dollars so that they can live?

Me 2 I'm pro death penalty for those reasons

 

[Ducky]

Missing said:
I could not stand the idea that if someone killed say my kid that he/she would be on death row and if that killer got sick that he/she would get health care that even I cannot afford to stay alive even though they are on death row/or life sentence.

Means US should fix their healthcare system. The whole insurance/health care system.

 

[allmaple]

yesterday in canada a man named steven truscott was aquitted of a rape and murder he was charged with in 1959. at age 14 he was sentenced to death by hanging. how it was legal to execute a minor i have no idea. from being arrested (without informing his parents) to conviction was only 14 days. so finally the courts ruled that his case was a miscarriage of justice.

there are some criminals that are guilty of violent crimes without a doubt, and trust me there are some i dont see the point of why they deserve to be kept around. but there will always be those few cases where they get the wrong person. and innocent people have been executed, or fought to be acquitted while on death row.

 

[Missing]

DaWacko said:

Missing said:
I could not stand the idea that if someone killed say my kid that he/she would be on death row and if that killer got sick that he/she would get health care that even I cannot afford to stay alive even though they are on death row/or life sentence.

Means US should fix their healthcare system. The whole insurance/health care system.

No sh**. It is so bad for a country supposed to superior to others.