The Death Penalty should be brought back in Australia...

[Barbarian Nobility]

Let me just say that up until this point in my life i have been adamently against the death penalty, but since commencing my new occupation my opinion has changed drastically. Australia should bring back the death penalty.

Since commencing work in the department of correctional services I have seen some things that quite frankly have shocked the living hell outta me, and im not talking about issues of overcrowding, increasing assaults etc, thats a discussion for a different topic.

No, what I am talking about is the manner in which some of the more infamous villians of australian society are currently serving their sentences. I won't mention names so as to protect my identity/employment, so here it goes.

2 men involved in some infamous serial killings in a small south australian town involving acid and gay men. For two men allegedly involved in homophobic murders i have never seen so much prison sex and drug dealing. One of the pair who i will call W recently attempted to murder a fellow in mate. The other who i will call B is quite frankly just a poof and has spread communicable deseases through unprotected sex(rape) and home made tattoo guns.

A woman who i will call R tortured, mutilated than finally starved to death her infant 3 year old. she was sentenced to 17 years. that sentence is being carried out in a minimun security unit(that actually a townhouse not a 'prison unit') where she gets to enjoy all the luxuries we enjoy including a 200 dollar weekly allowance for her own groceries, regular outdoor nature activities and get this OUTSIDE EMPLOYMENT thats a job not in the jail but in the ing community! and to top it off shes a fat who makes the staffs live a misery.

Im not saying the death penalty should be a one stop solution to all murders, but for these most brutal of crimes i think it is acceptable if not desirable.

Finally consider this. It currently cost $60000 australian dollars to keep one prisoner in custody for one year. For maximun security prisoners this is more like 95000 dollars. The prices of a bullet is less than 5dollars australian.

The punishment should fit the crime.

[Turnus]

I am also Australian and agree with you wholeheartedly. Obviously I have not seen as much as you have, but from what I know, greater restriction and punishment should be placed on prisoners across the board, and the death penalty should be re-introduced for criminals who clearly cannot be trusted to be let loose in society. The costs should also be greatly cut. What do you think is the likelihood for such reforms to be put into effect? I have heard that there is majority support for capital punishment amongst the population, but it is vehemently opposed by the government.

[Captain Blackadder]

I disagree with you completly the chance for someone to be wrongfully killed is too high just look at the gun alley murder where an innocent man was strangled by the government for over 40 minutes for a crime he did not commit. Many people are scum and I agree harshy penalties are needed but excuting them is not the answer for if we do that we as a society are no better then them.

[KaerMorhen]

Let me just say that up until this point in my life i have been adamently against the death penalty, but since commencing my new occupation my opinion has changed drastically. Australia should bring back the death penalty.

Since commencing work in the department of correctional services I have seen some things that quite frankly have shocked the living hell outta me, and im not talking about issues of overcrowding, increasing assaults etc, thats a discussion for a different topic.

No, what I am talking about is the manner in which some of the more infamous villians of australian society are currently serving their sentences. I won't mention names so as to protect my identity/employment, so here it goes.

2 men involved in some infamous serial killings in a small south australian town involving acid and gay men. For two men allegedly involved in homophobic murders i have never seen so much prison sex and drug dealing. One of the pair who i will call W recently attempted to murder a fellow in mate. The other who i will call B is quite frankly just a poof and has spread communicable deseases through unprotected sex(rape) and home made tattoo guns.

A woman who i will call R tortured, mutilated than finally starved to death her infant 3 year old. she was sentenced to 17 years. that sentence is being carried out in a minimun security unit(that actually a townhouse not a 'prison unit') where she gets to enjoy all the luxuries we enjoy including a 200 dollar weekly allowance for her own groceries, regular outdoor nature activities and get this OUTSIDE EMPLOYMENT thats a job not in the jail but in the ing community! and to top it off shes a fat who makes the staffs live a misery.

Im not saying the death penalty should be a one stop solution to all murders, but for these most brutal of crimes i think it is acceptable if not desirable.

Finally consider this. It currently cost $60000 australian dollars to keep one prisoner in custody for one year. For maximun security prisoners this is more like 95000 dollars. The prices of a bullet is less than 5dollars australian.

The punishment should fit the crime.

I am also Australian and agree with you wholeheartedly. Obviously I have not seen as much as you have, but from what I know, greater restriction and punishment should be placed on prisoners across the board, and the death penalty should be re-introduced for criminals who clearly cannot be trusted to be let loose in society. The costs should also be greatly cut. What do you think is the likelihood for such reforms to be put into effect? I have heard that there is majority support for capital punishment amongst the population, but it is vehemently opposed by the government.

This applies to all the countries all over the world. I wish we don't have DP in Poland anymore.
@OP: I'm precislly know what you're talking about cause I've witnessed similar cases here in Poland.

[Viking Prince]

I am in favor of the death penalty (USA citizen) but I would be appalled if it was applied due to the life style of the prisoners upon conviction. This is really scary, IMO.

I do not know the details or why a judge would allow the lady to remain under what amounts to a llimited surveilance house arrest. That is certainly a matter for debate on whether it is appropriate. I cannot imagine invovling the death penalty as an alternative though. Again, this whole logic of the death penalty is scary.

Just my thoughts.

Regards.

[Scar Face]

I am in favor of the death penalty (USA citizen) but I would be appalled if it was applied due to the life style of the prisoners upon conviction. This is really scary, IMO.

I do not know the details or why a judge would allow the lady to remain under what amounts to a llimited surveilance house arrest. That is certainly a matter for debate on whether it is appropriate. I cannot imagine invovling the death penalty as an alternative though. Again, this whole logic of the death penalty is scary.

Just my thoughts.

Regards.

Crime is meant to punish, and prevent. If the criminals live in luxury, why is that not a viable reason to argue for change?

Even more so when you consider that thousands of Australians [or Citizens of any country really] are living worse off than many murderers.

[Markas]

The term 'Death penalty' I always thought vaguely amusing as it sounds like you could say it in the same breath as a car fine or football game. Death is one hell of a 'penalty'.

Executing criminals I don't think lowers crime, but as the OP is refering to simple punishment, I don't think lowering ourselves to the level of the criminals themselves is quite the way to go. A moral high-ground has at least to be ostensibly observed.

[Turnus]

Death is one hell of a 'penalty'.

Ergo, 'summum supplicium' (equivalent - 'capital punishment').

Executing criminals I don't think lowers crime, but as the OP is refering to simple punishment, I don't think lowering ourselves to the level of the criminals themselves is quite the way to go. A moral high-ground has at least to be ostensibly observed.

But do we need to keep the moral high-ground by paying for the lives of these criminals (albeit within a confined space), who can never again be trusted to act according to the law, and, even within prison, engage in the kinds of practices from which they are supposed to reform themselves? What do we really gain by preserving the lives of serial killers and rapists?

In any case, I think the greater issue is an overall tightening of the justice and prison system, with capital punishment possibly playing a part in this.

[Markas]

Ergo, 'summum supplicium' (equivalent - 'capital punishment').

Yeah I did Latin at sixth form. It's just the term I find amusing.

But do we need to keep the moral high-ground by paying for the lives of these criminals (albeit within a confined space), who can never again be trusted to act according to the law, and, even within prison, engage in the kinds of practices from which they are supposed to reform themselves? What do we really gain by preserving the lives of serial killers and rapists?

In any case, I think the greater issue is an overall tightening of the justice and prison system, with capital punishment possibly playing a part in this.

Yes by bringing back the death penalty for certain types of crimes as you have chosen in your example, but thats assuming the guilt of all those accused of such, where it is inevitable innocent people will end up on the end of a rope or bullet. what if the British had executed the Guildford Four? 'Murderous bastards! hang em!' was a common sentiment at the time. Except for the one problem that they didn't do it.

[Plan C]

I don't think lowering ourselves to the level of the criminals themselves is quite the way to go. A moral high-ground has at least to be ostensibly observed.

Words "foregone" and "conclusion" spring to mind. We abandoned our "moral high-ground" some time ago. We are simply trying to maintain the illusion that we still hold it but again, we have lost it.

Proud soldiers of my country were sent to war in Iraq on a back of a lie. Political agenda has been the steady backbone of armed struggle, agreed, but let's at least not beat around the (ahem...) Bush and stop propagating lies about "spreading democracy" when we are forfeiting it in our own backyard.

We have no right to call ourselves "civilised" any more because we aren't. Not in the age where excessive consumption and borrowing must be stimulated by government to keep the country afloat. We're little more than munching and tax-paying sheep with illusions of freedom.

I say yes, bring capital punishment back, no point massaging our egos and lying to ourselves. You know the whole "baby P" fiasco? I actually hope those two get their faces kicked in and stabbed with a spoon when they get to jail. I would gladly watch their brutal execution.

Yes, we are animals and we do feel anger and demand revenge. No amount of cultural taming and perpetual hypocrisy is going to change this.

[Markas]

Words "foregone" and "conclusion" spring to mind. We abandoned our "moral high-ground" some time ago. We are simply trying to maintain the illusion that we still hold it but again, we have lost it.

Proud soldiers of my country were sent to war in Iraq on a back of a lie. Political agenda has been the steady backbone of armed struggle, agreed, but let's at least not beat around the (ahem...) Bush and stop propagating lies about "spreading democracy" when we are forfeiting it in our own backyard.

We have no right to call ourselves "civilised" any more because we aren't. Not in the age where excessive consumption and borrowing must be stimulated by government to keep the country afloat. We're little more than munching and tax-paying sheep with illusions of freedom.

I say yes, bring capital punishment back, no point massaging our egos and lying to ourselves. You know the whole "baby P" fiasco? I actually hope those two get their faces kicked in and stabbed with a spoon when they get to jail. I would gladly watch their brutal execution.

Yes, we are animals and we do feel anger and demand revenge. No amount of cultural taming and perpetual hypocrisy is going to change this.

Fine, lets pack it in and go back to the Dark Ages. Actually that's not far enough, lets make it the late Neolithic ffs.

[Plan C]

Fine, lets pack it in and go back to the Dark Ages. Actually that's not far enough, lets make it the late Neolithic ffs.

No. Let's just be honest and open about who we are.
Plus, humanity survived the Dark Ages just fine. Not so sure about the next few decades on the other hand...

[Markas]

No. Let's just be honest and open about who we are.
Plus, humanity survived the Dark Ages just fine. Not so sure about the next few decades on the other hand...

I'm sure that's who you are. You spurs supporters are all the same, one bad run and it's 'destroy everything so we avoid relegation!'

[ivan_the_terrible]

No. Let's just be honest and open about who we are.
Plus, humanity survived the Dark Ages just fine. Not so sure about the next few decades on the other hand...

I agree about being honest about who we are. In my opinion though, humans always strive to be better - its what sets us apart from the animals. To me, admitting that we have the urge to kill these people, but recognising and overcoming this animalistic instinct is part of what makes us human, and part of what gives us the right to punish people who are harmful to society. Justice should be justice, not an indulgence to our impulses for revenge (however right they may seem).


Having said that, I certainly think that putting that australian woman under what is basically house arrest is in no way justice. I just dont think that capital punishment is the answer.

[Nouvelle Vague]

I disagree with you completly the chance for someone to be wrongfully killed is too high just look at the gun alley murder where an innocent man was strangled by the government for over 40 minutes for a crime he did not commit. Many people are scum and I agree harshy penalties are needed but excuting them is not the answer for if we do that we as a society are no better then them.

Executing criminals I don't think lowers crime, but as the OP is refering to simple punishment, I don't think lowering ourselves to the level of the criminals themselves is quite the way to go. A moral high-ground has at least to be ostensibly observed.

Agreed with both.

[Lord de Lyonesse]

Let me just say that up until this point in my life i have been adamently against the death penalty, but since commencing my new occupation my opinion has changed drastically. Australia should bring back the death penalty.

Since commencing work in the department of correctional services I have seen some things that quite frankly have shocked the living hell outta me, and im not talking about issues of overcrowding, increasing assaults etc, thats a discussion for a different topic.

No, what I am talking about is the manner in which some of the more infamous villians of australian society are currently serving their sentences. I won't mention names so as to protect my identity/employment, so here it goes.

2 men involved in some infamous serial killings in a small south australian town involving acid and gay men. For two men allegedly involved in homophobic murders i have never seen so much prison sex and drug dealing. One of the pair who i will call W recently attempted to murder a fellow in mate. The other who i will call B is quite frankly just a poof and has spread communicable deseases through unprotected sex(rape) and home made tattoo guns.

A woman who i will call R tortured, mutilated than finally starved to death her infant 3 year old. she was sentenced to 17 years. that sentence is being carried out in a minimun security unit(that actually a townhouse not a 'prison unit') where she gets to enjoy all the luxuries we enjoy including a 200 dollar weekly allowance for her own groceries, regular outdoor nature activities and get this OUTSIDE EMPLOYMENT thats a job not in the jail but in the ing community! and to top it off shes a fat who makes the staffs live a misery.

Im not saying the death penalty should be a one stop solution to all murders, but for these most brutal of crimes i think it is acceptable if not desirable.

Finally consider this. It currently cost $60000 australian dollars to keep one prisoner in custody for one year. For maximun security prisoners this is more like 95000 dollars. The prices of a bullet is less than 5dollars australian.

The punishment should fit the crime.

looks like you picked your name very well.

[Copperknickers II]

If you kill them, then you are no better than they are. An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind, as they say.

[Erik]

Let me just say that up until this point in my life i have been adamently against the death penalty, but since commencing my new occupation my opinion has changed drastically. Australia should bring back the death penalty.

Since commencing work in the department of correctional services I have seen some things that quite frankly have shocked the living hell outta me, and im not talking about issues of overcrowding, increasing assaults etc, thats a discussion for a different topic.

No, what I am talking about is the manner in which some of the more infamous villians of australian society are currently serving their sentences. I won't mention names so as to protect my identity/employment, so here it goes.

2 men involved in some infamous serial killings in a small south australian town involving acid and gay men. For two men allegedly involved in homophobic murders i have never seen so much prison sex and drug dealing. One of the pair who i will call W recently attempted to murder a fellow in mate. The other who i will call B is quite frankly just a poof and has spread communicable deseases through unprotected sex(rape) and home made tattoo guns.

A woman who i will call R tortured, mutilated than finally starved to death her infant 3 year old. she was sentenced to 17 years. that sentence is being carried out in a minimun security unit(that actually a townhouse not a 'prison unit') where she gets to enjoy all the luxuries we enjoy including a 200 dollar weekly allowance for her own groceries, regular outdoor nature activities and get this OUTSIDE EMPLOYMENT thats a job not in the jail but in the ing community! and to top it off shes a fat who makes the staffs live a misery.

Im not saying the death penalty should be a one stop solution to all murders, but for these most brutal of crimes i think it is acceptable if not desirable.

Finally consider this. It currently cost $60000 australian dollars to keep one prisoner in custody for one year. For maximun security prisoners this is more like 95000 dollars. The prices of a bullet is less than 5dollars australian.

The punishment should fit the crime.

Although I'm also in favor of death penalty in Australia, I'm wondering in what way you think having the death penalty would help in any one of the examples you gave.

Do you think people in minimum security prison would suddenly get the chair instead?
And do you think criminals will stop dealing drugs and having (forced) sex in prison? will dealing drugs in prison also get them executed?

From what I've seen, prisons in countries with the death penalty aren't any better than those in countries without it.

[Oswald von Wolkenstein]

x

[Richard]

I also am/was wholeheartedly against the death penalty, but there are some 'people' out there, if they can be called that...that really make me sit on the fence. Some humans perhaps do indeed perhaps deserve to die, but there's always that element of doubt; we can never be 100% certain of a correct conviction. I think at least cutting back drastically on the living conditions etc for the worst offenders (like those described) could save a lot of that money. They should be rotting in a hole, not watching pay-per-view television.