• This is a political forum that is non-biased/non-partisan and treats every person's position on topics equally. This debate forum is not aligned to any political party. In today's politics, many ideas are split between and even within all the political parties. Often we find ourselves agreeing on one platform but some topics break our mold. We are here to discuss them in a civil political debate. If this is your first visit to our political forums, be sure to check out the RULES. Registering for debate politics is necessary before posting. Register today to participate - it's free!

Death Penalty, for or against

Do you support the death penalty?


  • Total voters
    134
I would like to agree with this. I am standing by my stance of against DP because IMO it does not serve any purpose that *life in prison* does not.

However because of the ridiculousness of our current judicial appeal process, most (all?) DP inmates have just as many years to escape and/or kill other inmates or prison employees as most 'lifers.'

The problem is that if no further court orederd punishment is possible then "justice" is no longer possible. Any additional crimes (while in prison) have no judicial cnsequences. Do we really want further "administrative" action, like solitary confinement in "the hole", to be meted out by prison "officials" alone?
 
The problem is that if no further court orederd punishment is possible then "justice" is no longer possible. Any additional crimes (while in prison) have no judicial cnsequences. Do we really want further "administrative" action, like solitary confinement in "the hole", to be meted out by prison "officials" alone?

I'm not sure I really understand your question but I think the way the prisions are run could be changed in alot of ways. There are consequences now, as you pointed out, and there could be more. They have rules to follow for 'meting them out.'
 
You are aware that there is violence done in prison, right? People are injured and killed all the time. Those executed never harm another individual, those kept alive can and do. Besides, it isn't the government or the courts that mandate these things, it's society. Society wants these people put to death and the act is done through our representative bodies, the government and the courts.

This is what happens when we allow our emotions to run away with us. The death penalty is taking out the trash. It's not vengeance.

They chose to take a dangerous job protecting society just like cops or firemen. No one forced them to do so.

Are there any stats on how many DP incarcerated inmates have killed inside compared to inmates jailed for lesser offenses? Or are you saying no one should be in jail? Because anyone of those inmates is a potential danger, not just those convicted of DP offenses.


Thanks for the condescension btw. My emotions have nothing to do with this. My opinions re: the DP have nothing to do with "the sanctity of life" for instance.
 
I'm not sure I really understand your question but I think the way the prisions are run could be changed in alot of ways. There are consequences now, as you pointed out, and there could be more. They have rules to follow for 'meting them out.'

Those "rules" have nothing to do with due process.
 
Those "rules" have nothing to do with due process.

In prison? I'm not sure I care. But you may have examples in mind of 'injustices' perpetrated on 'innocent' inmates that were undeserving. I cant really think of much.
 
In prison? I'm not sure I care. But you may have examples in mind of 'injustices' perpetrated on 'innocent' inmates that were undeserving. I cant really think of much.

How about 30 to 50 homicides occurring inside of our state prisons every year. You may think that all sentenced to do time in prison deserve to be at the mercy of monsters with nothing left to lose but I do not. The poor slob that is doing time for a (repeat) DWI should not be commingled with "lifers".
 
I am actually kind of surprised by the poll results... two times the number of people in favor of the death penalty are against it

I thought it would be a little more even for some reason. It's popularity seems to be decline.
 
How about 30 to 50 homicides occurring inside of our state prisons every year. You may think that all sentenced to do time in prison deserve to be at the mercy of monsters with nothing left to lose but I do not. The poor slob that is doing time for a (repeat) DWI should not be commingled with "lifers".

As I said, I see that as an issue with how a prison is run. Not justice on the inside.
 
Damn straight I do and anyone who doesn't is a fool.

Spending time in prison for a few years is not the same as dying. Although you'll never get back those years, it is possible to recover your life and dignity, whereas you cannot do so after having been executed.

At the very least, executions should be made as painless as possible to ensure that the inevitably sentenced innocent do not suffer a needlessly torturous death.
 
Spending time in prison for a few years is not the same as dying. Although you'll never get back those years, it is possible to recover your life and dignity, whereas you cannot do so after having been executed.

I'm much more concerned with the health and wellbeing of society than any individual.

At the very least, executions should be made as painless as possible to ensure that the inevitably sentenced innocent do not suffer a needlessly torturous death.

I will entirely agree with you there. Heck, I'm all for pumping them full of tranquilizers and using a guillotine, at least we can harvest all of the organs, including the corneas, and get something worthwhile out of the pile of human trash.
 
I'm much more concerned with the health and wellbeing of society than any individual.

What benefits to society of the death penalty outweigh the cost of the destruction of the lives of the innocent? If the justice system becomes an instrument of wanton murder, then how is it offsetting the negative effects presented by non-state-sponsored murderers?
 
What benefits to society of the death penalty outweigh the cost of the destruction of the lives of the innocent? If the justice system becomes an instrument of wanton murder, then how is it offsetting the negative effects presented by non-state-sponsored murderers?

Hate to say it, but individuals have virtually no importance to society at all. Sure, there are some exceptions, but if someone gets gunned down in the street, their death has no bearing whatsoever to the actual health of society. What does matter though is the act that was performed, it is a crime, not only against the individual, but against the society and society has every right to punish that individual for violating society's laws. Of course, we ought to do everything that we possibly can to only execute those who are factually guilty of a crime and in those places where we fail, we need to learn lessons so that we don't make that mistake again. This is why emotion is very bad for society as a whole, it gets in the way of rational punishment.
 
Hate to say it, but individuals have virtually no importance to society at all. Sure, there are some exceptions, but if someone gets gunned down in the street, their death has no bearing whatsoever to the actual health of society. What does matter though is the act that was performed, it is a crime, not only against the individual, but against the society and society has every right to punish that individual for violating society's laws. Of course, we ought to do everything that we possibly can to only execute those who are factually guilty of a crime and in those places where we fail, we need to learn lessons so that we don't make that mistake again. This is why emotion is very bad for society as a whole, it gets in the way of rational punishment.

Like most other things in life, society is the sum of its parts (individual people). Society does exist on the behalf of the individuals who compose it as well as the general populace. Killing innocents in the effort to punish criminals is therefore masochism on society's part; it's society cutting off its nose to spite its face. All emotion aside (although morality is necessary in such a discussion), the death penalty means that productive contributors to society are being destroyed even though they have not done anything to society to warrant such a punishment.

Besides, the whole concept of punishment is irrational. What tangible benefits are provided to society by capital punishment, and how do they outweigh the cost of the random destruction of contributing members of society?
 
Greetings, ChrisL. :2wave:

I can't think that the ones appointed to do that job actually enjoy it. Will they be judged by karma as murderers? The swordsman with an ax that had to perform beheadings in the past seem more cruel in retrospect than what we do today, so perhaps we are becoming more humane and "civilized" as time passes. Was Dr. Kevorkian wrong to assist those who begged for his help in leaving their pain behind by choosing death...could he be called a murderer? I believe we are fortunate because we are ruled by laws that are equally fair for all, and there should be punishment for breaking those laws, but only God will judge if we are doing the right thing.

To answer your question - could I do it? I don't think so, but I hope I never have that decision to make. On the other hand, using a hypothetical example, if one you love begs you to end their life, as many parents and spouses did in Japan when we used the atomic bomb and they were so horribly burned, would you feel guilt if you did? With the world becoming more dangerous, the possibility of a chemical or biological terrorist attack is certainly possible, according to experts. Could you do it under those circumstances without feeling like a murderer? Just something to think about.

Greetings polgara! :)

As far as Dr. Kevorkian and mercy killings, those people wanted to die because they were suffering from terminal illnesses, which is kind of different than locking people in jail and then killing them as a form of punishment.
 
Bull excrement. It's not the same. And it doesn't mean a single turd to me whether or not people comprehend that.

Oh? Bull excrement! That's a great argument! Ha-ha! :lol:
 
Greetings polgara! :)

As far as Dr. Kevorkian and mercy killings, those people wanted to die because they were suffering from terminal illnesses, which is kind of different than locking people in jail and then killing them as a form of punishment.

Well, we can always agree to disagree. If we all thought the same about everything, how boring life would be! We'd be nothing more than robots, and sites like DP would not exist, since there would be no need for discussion - and I enjoy interacting with others, as I believe you do. :thumbs:.
 
Well, we can always agree to disagree. If we all thought the same about everything, how boring life would be! We'd be nothing more than robots, and sites like DP would not exist, since there would be no need for discussion - and I enjoy interacting with others, as I believe you do. :thumbs:.

Thanks polgara. I totally agree. There would be nothing to debate about! :)
 
Spending time in prison for a few years is not the same as dying. Although you'll never get back those years, it is possible to recover your life and dignity, whereas you cannot do so after having been executed.

At the very least, executions should be made as painless as possible to ensure that the inevitably sentenced innocent do not suffer a needlessly torturous death.

It is the anti-death penalty crowd that is keeping making it difficult to execute a prisoner painlessly. For instance on the lethal injection method, the anti-death penalty crowd has been going after the companies that sell the drugs that accomplish that. The result is that other drugs that may not work as well are tried.
 
I do not seek imprisonment to "injure, harm, or humiliate" a murderer. I seek it to keep them isolated from society.

That is the point. I don't seek the DP for those reasons either... I seek it to keep them completely out of society. Thank you for agreeing...
 
Where did you read the 'official' reason for the death penalty?

Yes, I agree costs can be reduced, esp. by reducing the appeals periods and legal fees. (However it's nearly impossible to do that while trying to protect those incorrectly convicted)

And I dont consider the prison system 'society'. It is specifically designed to keep dangerous people OUT of society. Anyone working there or incarcerated is knowingly subject to that environment.

As long as those from "society" are subject to the violence of those inside prison... by extension, prison is a part of society.
 
As long as those from "society" are subject to the violence of those inside prison... by extension, prison is a part of society.

I already countered that prison is not part of society. Please dont repeat yourself.
 
I already countered that prison is not part of society. Please dont repeat yourself.

Right, prison is where we put them to take them OUT of society. Prison guards and the like are quite well aware of the risks they are under and they get paid to do it.
 
Back
Top Bottom