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I thought so, I'm glad you agree. Why indeed would anyone place the welfare of murderers before their victims?
Because society is not supposed to answer an injustice with the same kind of injustice. That's why. If one person kills another, as the state which represents the people, don't kill that person. That's vendetta... state sponsored vigilantism. And we, the people, should be better than that.
But say you are a practical person and have no qualms about moral issues or how the state should deal with individuals who did something illegal as long as it produces a desirable effect. So ideally, you'd want, if you're a supporter of the death penalty, that such a punishment would deter further crimes. But it doesn't. The death penalty is not a deterrent. What it is however is a state sponsored killing machine of innocent people. How does it feel knowing that in your name, the government executed dozens of provable innocent people who would have been exonerated by DNA evidence. Because that's what the state does, it kills them in your name coz it represents the people.
Executed But Possibly Innocent | Death Penalty Information Center
US Death Penalty Wrongful Convictions Executions - TIME
I guess the whole "better let 10 criminals escape than to condemn 1 innocent" doesn't really matter. I mean, it's just one of the most important notions in judicial philosophy. A cornerstone of how we in the civilized world should view justice, up there along with "innocent until proven guilty" and "everybody should be allowed to a fair trial".
So it's not a deterrent. It is a tool that innocents died to... it's also torture. You know, torture... that thing that is kinda frowned upon.
Repeated Execution Dates Called Psychological Torture | Death Penalty Information Center
Yeah... not quite what a civilized nation that supports the rule of law and freedom and all that should engage. But what do I know.
in fact, the only people who may get some sort of resolution from the death penalty being carried out is the relatives of the victims. Let me tell you something however. I would rather someone spend the rest of his life in prison than to be killed. because that's him getting off the hooks. I despise easy sentences for major crimes. But I abhor the death penalty. I do think that repeat offenders of murder or rape should get life in prison without chance of parole. Or serial murders or rapists should get life in prison. I also think that solitary confinement is ok for high risk individuals. But the death penalty... it's either too lenient or it makes the people criminals. And it serves no purpose. I mean, there are just 2 instances where the death penalty is appropiate. High treason and desertion in times of war. But not suitable in public life.
So yeah. There is no reason to support the death penalty. It's a primitive doctrine, disbanded in all the civilized world except the USA and frowned upon by people.