Capital punishment/death penalty

[visibleghost]

the difference between and controversy around pedophilia and child molestation arent rly on topic but imo neither should get death as a legal punishment

 

[moonford]

the difference between and controversy around pedophilia and child molestation arent rly on topic but imo neither should get death as a legal punishment

It was though, we were discussing whether or not pedophiles should be sentenced to death if they go to jail, Kallie said "pedophile" instead of "child molester" which are different things, so saying pedophiles (when speaking generally you usually mean "all") so I was a little shocked that they didn't understand that not all pedophiles act on their attractions, and a lot of them hate their disorder so it's unfair to say that they should be sentenced to death especially when they could be wrongly accused. Kallie clarified that she only meant offenders but I think she could have typed her sentence better or clarified earlier. Although I'm not 100% sure, the way Kallie type's confuses me.

Just going to end this here, I've said what I needed.

 

[Red Cat]

There are some really messed up people in the world, but it's also messed up to be so eager to kill them (even though most supports of the death penalty aren't the ones actually killing people). They basically have the same desire as a murderer, except they look for a legally sanctioned way to do it.

 

[Soda Fox]

I'm against capital punishment for two reasons - people can be wrongfully convicted and killing them could be killing an innocent. No matter the crime, we shouldn't lower ourselves to the criminals level. I don't think anyone has the right to take the life of another (except in self defense and even then deadly force should be a last resort)

 

[kayleee]

It's funny that you say the death penalty is a waste of taxpayers money when ironically keeping criminals alive in prison is also a "waste" of taxpayers money

Perspective

 

[Aronthaer]

I'm conflicted how I feel about it. Arize makes a good point about a change of heart. I'm a Christian and Christianity is all about seeking forgiveness and being able to redeem oneself even at the end. Kind of like with Darth Vader in Star Wars. On the other hand, there are people who are just insanely evil and will never seek forgiveness. Serial killers I would put in that category. Although, there would have to be 100% non-disputable proof that the person committed a crime. You can't send someone to death's door who even has a slight chance of being innocent.

I'm a Christian as well and I'd like to point out the verse "those that live by the sword will die by the sword." but I think it should be reserved to mass murders and acts of terror, or multiple murder attempts. If someone just shot up a club or set a bomb off in a populated area, or has served their sentence and went right back to killing, I just can't find it in me to show them any better than a swift and painless death. That probably sounds really heartless but so is murdering innocents.

 

[Espurr]

On their first offense, no.

Subsequent offenses, if released after the first time, yeah. They didn't learn the first time, they won't learn at all. At that point they're a danger to society.

 

[Red Cat]

It's funny that you say the death penalty is a waste of taxpayers money when ironically keeping criminals alive in prison is also a "waste" of taxpayers money

Perspective

Studies show that the cost of legal fees for the very long appeals process that someone on death row goes through is usually more than the cost of keeping that person in prison for life. Money shouldn't be the deciding factor for whether the death penalty is allowed or not, but capital punishment costs more money than life in prison in most cases.

- - - Post Merge - - -

On their first offense, no.

Subsequent offenses, if released after the first time, yeah. They didn't learn the first time, they won't learn at all. At that point they're a danger to society.

Usually capital punishment is reserved for crimes that warrant life in prison, except in authoritarian governments who kill people for political purposes. So anyone who is facing the possibility of the death penalty is not getting a second chance either way.

---

Also, the death penalty usually makes the legal process more difficult for the victims' families. The death penalty phase and subsequent appeals process drags the ordeal out for the families and makes it more difficult for them to heal when they have to spend months or years involved in the legal process and they don't get a firm resolution to the case for a long time. For life in prison cases, things get wrapped up more quickly unless there is a mistrial or new evidence surfaces.

 

[amanda1983]

Studies show that the cost of legal fees for the very long appeals process that someone on death row goes through is usually more than the cost of keeping that person in prison for life. Money shouldn't be the deciding factor for whether the death penalty is allowed or not, but capital punishment costs more money than life in prison in most cases.

- - - Post Merge - - -



Usually capital punishment is reserved for crimes that warrant life in prison, except in authoritarian governments who kill people for political purposes. So anyone who is facing the possibility of the death penalty is not getting a second chance either way.

---

Also, the death penalty usually makes the legal process more difficult for the victims' families. The death penalty phase and subsequent appeals process drags the ordeal out for the families and makes it more difficult for them to heal when they have to spend months or years involved in the legal process and they don't get a firm resolution to the case for a long time. For life in prison cases, things get wrapped up more quickly unless there is a mistrial or new evidence surfaces.

I agree with almost all of this, just wanted to note that :
- someone facing the death penalty can be freed if it is found their conviction was wrong or there are other factors (such as being granted a pardon), and

- the process involved in a death penalty case vs a life imprisonment one is - from what I've read - different in some important ways, and the death penalty scenario creates a great deal of additional anguish for victims and loved ones which often goes on for years and sometimes decades as the case moves through the legal process. But. For various reasons (which mostly suck), the majority of people serving a life sentence will at some stage become eligible for parole or some kind of limited release program. Even in cases where a sentence was given "with no possibility of parole", that can - and has been - successfully worked around legally. In most cases, once the minimum sentence has been served - or even less with "good behaviour", any surviving victims, loved ones, and concerned citizens need to *actively* petition authorities to refuse parole. In my country parole eligibility is typically assessed every 2 years. For those involved it is nothing less than heartbreaking.

My country, like most I think, has a long way to go when it comes to respecting - or even just acknowledging - victims of crime throughout the traumatic legal process.

I oppose the death penalty in all forms, but I am an active advocate for a complete restructure of our criminal justice system.

 

[Mu~]

It's funny that you say the death penalty is a waste of taxpayers money when ironically keeping criminals alive in prison is also a "waste" of taxpayers money

Perspective

They can work and pay their stay and food. No work, no food. I watched a Gordon Ramsay tv show in which he helped people learn to cook so they'd have something to do once they were out.

 

[RainbowPanda]

I don't agree with death sentences. We need to remember that everyone is a person with feelings. It's very easy to think, even subconsciously, that extreme criminals are not entirely human. I believe that instead of killing them, and taking yet another life (if the criminal is a murderer), they should be rehabilitated. Suffering in prison and the stress of knowing you will be killed can just make things even worse- I believe that they should be given a chance to become a functioning member of society. There is hope for everyone. Treatment like they're human and gradual rehabilitation would be better, but if it absolutely doesn't work, then they should remain in prison. They would need to truly understand what they have done. There is hope for everyone, as I said before.

Of course, it's often thought "an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth"- if the criminal was a murderer, then why not kill the criminal too? But really, two wrongs don't make a right. They should at least attempt to rehabilitate the criminal.

 

[Ray-ACP]

I kind of see an eyr for an eye kind of way...and punishing people like that isn't going to change them in the long run. It's like saying, we're not going to bother try helping this individual, i know, lets just remove them, that'll solve all our problems. It's a short term solution and a very bad one at that.