In the United States, we still see people executed for crimes. The death penalty is defended by some, and attacked by others.
     Those who defend it say that it is a specific deterrent; that anyone who is executed will never break the law again. They say that it eliminates the danger of breakouts or parole, which can occur even on a life sentence. They say that it is not true Justice to keep someone safe and feed them when they have committed atrocities against the American public. They bring up stories of mass killers and maniacs who nobody can sympathize with, The defenders also say that the Death penalty is used only in circumstances when the victim's guilt is universally agreed upon.

     Those who disagree with the death penalty say that it is not important that "Justice" is dealt, just that these people are kept out of society. They say that the capital punishment is cruel and unusual, and that there is a possibility that innocent people could be executed accidentally. 

     I disagree with the use of the death penalty, What do you think?

I'm going to be picky here.  The U.S. federal government constitutionally decide whether or not the death penalty is allowed.  It's a state right promised by the 10th amendment.  The states each get to decide how they try capital crimes and whether or not they will continue with their death penalty.

Me?  I don't have a problem with it.  The trouble is the appeal process is so lengthy and expensive it eats up more money than throwing prisoners away.

The United States is extremely aggressive with rights of our citizens.  They always say it's better to set 100 criminals free than let one innocent man or woman go to prison.  I'd like to see prisons that are much more aggressive with how they control their population.  Don't give them television, don't give them exercise or cigarettes, or any privileges.  Take away everything except clothes and bread and water.  I wonder how the crime rate would go if we had something much more terrible than some of the prisons out there.

warmaker : There are prisons like that. They are called CAR Prisons. These CAR Prisons are for profit organizations for housing illegal immigrants, and they provide basically no civil rights. People are crammed together in the most cost-effective manner and put in solitary confinement for days at a time for no reason. But most of our prisons today are focused less on punishment. These newer style of prisons called penitentiaries are more focused on rehabilitation. That's why we have such extensive programs in our prisons, they help criminals get a running start on their lives so they are not forced to back to theft and crime to survive.

Currently capital punishment is really expensive than life imprisonment. Because the government requires that you be more than sure of guilt in a death sentence there are multiple trials rather than just one that it takes for like imprisonment. Because of the numerous trials that are done court costs outweigh the cost of housing criminals for an extended period of time. So from an economic standpoint it is more cost efficient to have people in prison for 60 years than on death row for 10.

From a moralistic standpoint wanting to kill a murderer like Ted Bundy who did countless horrors to innocent people is understandable; however, I would disagree with that sentiment because it lets the killer off easy. You want the killer dead because you are angry not because it is the right thing or will somehow bring about justice. Why release a killer from their guilt instead of giving them 60 years to think about the wrongs they have done. You can't run from yourself.

This issue is one that has come up surprisingly in some recent conversations I was having with a friend from work. She is dead set against the enforcement of the death penalty. Her reasons were many and quite a few were good ones. I myself believe the death penalty should be upheld and enforced. I think the crimes they did were so horrific that they deserve the punishment they are going to receive. Where I differ in opinion is the type of punishment they receive and the crime they committed to receive that sentence. I also am of the mind that if they do get the death penalty then the process needs to chopped in half and be less economically a time bomb or a money pit. A lot of states added
in the rape of a child to be a death sentence. I disagree with that even tho personally I would want to see the maggot flayed alive doing such a thing to a child. Here I think the death penalty does not do justice but I , like a lot of people, would totally freak out for any crime against a child. They have also added hijacking and treason as death penalty crimes. Those two I disagree with and think those people should not be killed and be forced to have long terms in prison. My personal belief is that the death penalty should only be used on those that have committed multiple crimes of murder or cases of murder so shocking that you know that person would never fit back into society. The prison population I have heard many times is way above what most states can handle. If they enforced the death penalty then you can bet we would not be hearing that our prisons are over-flowing. Also a lot of undesirable people would be gone and even if it is a shallow justice in the end those families affected by that monster(s) would have some form of justice and would then be able to get on with mourning their lost loved one. So yeah in closing I think it should be upheld and enforced. 

Brain-Splattered : The unfortunate thing about the cost of the death penalty is that it is necessary. We need to be able to assure ourselves that the person to be executed is guilty, and that takes an extremely long process. When parts of that process are ignored... Cameron Todd Willingham.

@ archaicConsul  No disagreement there and we could wish till cows fly over the moon that it'll improve but we all know it will not. I just stated my opinion on the matter as it was asked of me in the thread. Will it happen ... doubtful. Should it happen .. to me that is a yes. To the half that disagrees with that take it as it was meant to be. Wishful thinking and not to be taken so seriously. It's an opinion and that's what this forums is all about. Opinions.

Brain-Splattered : Is the reason prisons are overflowing because we don't kill off inmates or because it is safer in prison than on the streets? In prison you are feed, sheltered and kept healthy. If you are homeless you are most likely cold, hungry and at risk of being sick which you can't pay for. In very few places do we take as good of care as law abiding citizens who have nothing as we do people who broke the law try to keep what little they had. Not saying that this is the only reason people are in jail but if you are going to lose your apartment by following the law, or keep it (with stolen money) or go to jail by breaking it only a fool would not break the law.

@ tiropat On that note we will agree to disagree. I've been in that situation myself and it is not fun. I avoided breaking the law as far as stealing what I needed but I did break the law by staying some time in abandoned houses. I've also stayed in my car, under a bridge, and many more places I did not like but not once did it cross my mind that I should be breaking the law to improve my life. I was more concerned with surviving and getting a job so I could get all the stuff back I had lost and needed. As for most prisoners ( long termers ) I think most of them stay there because they cannot see any  better opportunity available to them at the time. There's nothing really safer about being in prison. You're always walking around on edge cuz someone may decide they want something from you and decide to take you out of the picture or just bully you into submission. Lots of things are wrong with prison but it is a part of life and always will be.

It should definitely be abolished on the federal level. Not only is it expensive with all the appeals, but A SINGLE mistake on the injection table is one too many. Besides, the death penalty is just one more state sanction of murder; I find it reprehensible.

I think it all really depends on the crime committed. However, I think one of the amendments, I forgot which one it was, doesn't allow this. It states that cruel and/or unusual punishment is not allowed, but I don't know if this falls into this category or not.

Personally, this has been a discussion for a really long time that should the United States keep it's Capital Punishment against Death Row criminals. I think to my point of view is I think they should keep it, the reason on why I say so. Put it in this way, if a murderer kills someone, the only right thing to do is to really "kill" that murderer because the whole revenge thing.

So, yeah, I think in a way they should keep it. I know a lot of people think it violates the criminal's cruel and unusual punishment amendment rights because killing the inmate is wrong to those people, but I think it is the only right thing to do to my point, it's mostly an eye to eye thing if you know what I mean.

That's my 2 cents on this whole issues about the United States keeping their Capital Punishment rights to my opinion.

Yes I believe the United States should keep the death penalty. Personalily I feel as tho it isn't used as much as it should in order to make sure certain events never happen again. Let me explain. If you started killing the people that walk into schools and mortally wound and or kill 10 + people instead of just tossing them in a mental institution maybe people would think twice about shooting up a school, if you started making molestation of a child a capital offense people might think twice about doing it, the other day on the news a 3 year old girl and her mom were attacked by some low life crack head strung out on PCP you know what he did he tore the eyes out of the 3 year old and beat the mother now why not set an example and make a statement and kill that guy, I bet you wouldnt hear about something like that again. You know why the amount of killings and shootings is so high because no one fears the concequences of their actions they know they'll be tossed in jail for whatever plea/deal they make with the prosecution and it sends a clear message to the other low lifes that they can take lives with minimum concequences for there actions. Its almost funny how people are so sympathetic towards the child molester and serial killer allowing them to continue breathing eating and sleeping in a ceil with AC and heat all paid for by tax payers money wake up people, start executing people that commit these crimes and the problem will go away. Thats my view on the subject.

Capital punishment by itself I don't have a problem with. Some people could be deemed so deadly that their death is necessary for the safety of others. Others have done crimes so terrible that the world would be better off without them.

However, I'm against the US keeping it.

The reason is that our system is imperfect. Innocent people have gone to the death penalty, and I'm sure our system of plea bargaining and paying more for better lawyers doesn't help with that.

Of course, mistakes will be made with any system. I just find our percentages too high when it comes to failing.

There's also the fact that with our messed-up justice system death penalties actually cost more than a life in prison.

K, skimmed through your posts, just gonna state my opinion.
Probably not going to come back(that's a lie, I probably will), but here's my thoughts.
Why can't we go back to the old days? The electric chair...the gallows...the Guillotine, hail HAXorus, that kind of thing.
Oh, those are INHUMANE?! Are you KIDDING me? These people deserve worse than what death can bring! The people who have been sentenced to death, with the exception of a few cases, and medieval times, deserved WORSE.
The death penalty should be enforced, but only as a stepping stone until our society is ready to accept torture as its newest and most useful form.

Titan127 : Because murdering isn't enough we need to slowly torture them? I think society as a whole should move away from the whole eye for an eye mentality, like the way to solve violence is by even more violence, it's barbaric and it doesn't work. Humans are flawed beings we all make mistakes and life in prison gives you time to think about those mistakes. Torture doesn't in any way benefit society, I wouldn't even want my worst enemy to be tortured for all eternity until they eventually go mad and cause brain damage that is irreversible. Not to mention the amount of taxpayer money something like that would probably cost.

Not to mention the legal system is imperfect and probably always will be to some degree which means innocent people will be sentenced to torture or death, at least when a person gets life in prison and it turns out they're innocent it's reversible.

Wow wow wow wow...



Hold up.



Murdering them?



You're funny, hilarious actually.



They brought this punishment pun themselves when they committed the atrocities they did.



You think people are going to stop because we put them in prison? No. They're going to continue to solve their problems or satisfy their sick, twisted urges in the exact same way until it becomes habitual.



Murder. Rape. Thievery.



But if we kill them for it, they just might stop. Unfortunatly, only a small fraction would stop.



Nobody wants to go through torture.



Torture is the only deterrent, just as whipping a child is the only way to keep them in line. No one, no matter how desperate, would do anything worthy of such a punishment.



BTW-I really like debating with you. It's fun.
EDIT-
And torture doesn't cost much. How much a does a cheese grater cost?

Case closed.

Titan127 : Sorry for the late reply I didn't notice until now that you responded since you didn't summon me.

So let me get this straight at least it seems to that you're implying just because the majority of people who are sentenced are guilty that makes it okay that innocent people may be sentenced too and then be tortured over a long period of time.

Being in prison gives people time to think, honestly if someone is mentally sick and have some sort of craving they need to satisfy by murdering they shouldn't even be in a prison to begin with, and torture certainly isn't going to stop them from committing the crimes that they are because they don't have the sense of morals and the same way of thinking as a normal person would have.

And ignoring all of this torture does in fact cost a lot firstly you'd have to figure out how exactly you're supposed to torture a person then you have to hire personnel to make sure it's actually done (yeah that's totally a great job to have) and equipment to do it and considering the kind of trouble this would inflict having to bypass several laws about even simple things like human rights (correct me if I'm wrong since I don't live in the u.s but I'm pretty sure there's something about it in the constitution) makes it way more costly then both the death penalty and life in prison.

And one could argue that life in prison itself is a form psychological torture anyways.

Torture wont solve anything, those who already commit the crime because they're mentally sick wont stop because they don't think in the same way as a regular person. And even if people do regret their crimes that wont matter because you'd just keep torturing them for whatever the decided time is probably causing irreparable psychological damage once you release them into society that will just cause far more problems in society as whole and for that person than I can even list. And yet again not to mention how many innocent people who would be harmed because of it.


Sidenote: It is interesting to debate with you considering how you seem to hold pretty radically different opinion from me on the subject.

Zlinqx : alright, Inthink I summoned you this time, my bad.
Meh, I would love to torture them personally and mentally sick people...well, if they did it once, they'll do it again.
And, since you aren't in the U.S.(International Gaming Community Woohoo!) our Prisons, the Federal ones at least...
Well, they're eating better than most of the working class.
But while older torture methods are costly, and the U.S. does have laws against it(which should be removed), mine are simple.
Get a gaurd a cheese grater, start...well, you get the drift. Not gonna go graphic here.
And I don't think a lot of innocent people get charged. No case that I've heard of at least, it's gotta be at the most 1 in 350,000 or something like that.
And I don't think torture would cause all that much psychological damage, a lot of physical scatting and maybe a bit mental, but as for, once again mentally sick people.
They can't be helped in my opinion. Asylums don't work. Nothing works. You can't fix what was broken upon creation, and honestly I've never seen anything work, so they either need to be kept in their family's utmost care or eliminated.
So, that's my counter.

Sure. Keep at it. It has done so far such wonders for your crime rate.