Ask a Question
or
Create a Poll
  1. Home /
  2. Questions /
  3. Legal
  4. / Criminal Law
  5. / Capital Punishment

by guizmo40 on August 17th, 2006

guizmo40

Question

Help answer this question below.

Are you for or against the death penalty?

  • Like
  • Report
Share:
Other

Answers. Showing one answer.

  • by Sodapop on September 18th, 2011

    Sodapop

    Asker's Pick

    Selected by the asker, guizmo40. (What's this?)

    I do not approve of Capital Punishment.

    I don't support murder, regardless of whether or not citizens allow the state to do so at its leisure. Too often innocent lives have been taken and there is no justice for the victim. Texas has had a consistent (if not rising) rate of executions. To me all this shows is that it does not deter crime, only clears up room in prisons for the next person.

    I have a big problem with allowing the state or federal government the power to kill its own people, in any situation. I feel our government exists as a servant and protector, not a hammer for our own barbarity. People seem to like murder, despite their hatred of the individuals accused of the crime. They want that person (guilty or not) to be killed and they couldn't care less by which means the execution is carried out. It is an antiquated practice and I feel it is shameful that any self-described civilized society employs it.

    Comments

    • Best answer.

      Wiseacre

      by Wiseacre on September 18th, 2011

    • Sodapop. two questions, please.

      Wwhat consequence should there be for murder instead of capital punishment?

      Do you believe that alternative consequence to be a deterrent to murder, as you stated that the death penalty is not?

      Randy D

      by Randy D on November 5th, 2011

    • Life sentence followed by a large portion of earnings (whether personal savings or wages gained during imprisonment) going straight to the families.

      Do I believe it will deter the crime? No. Most people who murder do so without the law in mind. Capital punishment does not seek to reform murderers nor to prevent them. All it seeks to do is cut down on repeat offenders, which is a tad bit too late if you ask me.

      Sodapop

      by Sodapop on November 10th, 2011

    • Thank you, Soda. I appreciate your forthright input on the subject.

      I wonder what percentage of death-row or prisoners with life-sentences have the financial means to pay restitution. In most jurisdictions throughout the US, prisoners who are allowed to earn wages within the prison setting are limited to amounts well below the poverty level.

      When a death sentence has been carried out in the past, it has deterred THAT person in particular from re-committing that or any other crime. Therefpre, it is a deterrent factor. For that reason, I am in complete agreement with you that capital punishment does not reform or seek to reform, yet I am in disagreement that it does not deter crime.

      There are many laws and legal consequences that carry absolutely no deterrent factor or possibility/probability for reform. The death penalty is not alone in this. There are many people, criminals among them, who believe that rehabilitation is a myth, yet it satisfies certain sensibilities too assume that it is or can be effective. Recidivism rates argue the point from a statistical perspective.

      You referred to repeat offenders. Your facts are a little off, because even a person who has murdered only one human being (as opposed to more than one) can be found eligible for capital punishment.

      Randy D

      by Randy D on November 11th, 2011

    • A good question, but I think the profits gained by the state could be divided between the families and the state. My thoughts were focused more on crimes committed during incarceration, as far as the last point is concerned.

      For the other points presented I will admit that you make a fair point. From a moral perspective I don't consent to murder for any reason, especially when concerning criminal justice. Whether that punishment does cut back on individuals convicted of murder doesn't seem fair, for the price paid to ensure these individuals abstained from the desire. One of the main reasons why I oppose capital punishment also deals with the rate of incarceration for individuals who are innocent of the crime. There have been instances in the past (and even the present) where individuals were killed for a crime they did not commit. How do we punish a system for these mistakes, aside from rescinding capital punishment and ensuring these mistakes never happen again? To me, as long as the system is in place mistakes will always be made and innocent civilians will be killed by the state. :/

      Sodapop

      by Sodapop on November 11th, 2011

    • Like
    • Report

    5 comments | Post one | Permalink

Want to attach an image to your answer? Click here.

Did this answer your question? If not, then ask a new question or create a poll.

More Questions. Additional questions in this category.

You're reading Are you for or against the death penalty?

Follow us on Facebook!

Related Ads

Related Questions

Professionally Researched

Answerbag

a Demand Media company