Death penalty - is it a national custom?

[Aldgarkalaughskel]

I just don't understand how can a democratic, liberal, modern, human-rights-loving country like the USA still apply capital punishment, the same capital punishment which is applied by China, Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and other, not-so-democratic, not-so blah blah countries. Does it have to do something with traditions, social norms? Is death penalty a "national custom" in the USA?

It should have been abolished there a long time ago, really.

I know, this topic has been discussed a zillion times here. I just wanted to make a thread with a poll, where everyone can clarify his national bias. I think one inclines much more to accepting death penalty, if he lives in a country, where it is an accepted punishment. This symptom is completely natural btw. I may be proven right or wrong by this poll.

[rusina]

American, atleast Bush's, goverment doesn't love human-rigths.

[fieldmarshal]

The death penalty has been shown to be pointless in the US, in terms of deterrence and the cost of executions, in some states it is actually double compared to a life imprisonment case. So the only argument for death penalty is the one of justice, which you can debate both ways, for or against. So for the people who are for the death penalty in the US must ask themselves..is it worth it to execute someone even though it costs twice as much and is shown to not deter crime. To me personally, its not worth it, morally and economically.

[Strattios]

It's perfectly just and needs to be practiced more often. It must also be remembered that Human Rights are an idea not a tangible set-in-stone law of existence. They are just as frivolous as speed limits on your local highway in that they are only practiced so long as they are enforced. Yet unlike the speed limit, it is rare to find and set of laws outlining human rights as something to be enforced. They are often protected by other laws with similar ideas based on what is or isn't allowed but they themselves are not actually enforced as either rights or laws as a whole.

[fieldmarshal]

It must also be remembered that Human Rights are an idea not a tangible set-in-stone law of existence.

To a barbarian yes, it is just an idea, but to consider yourself civilized it is a basic rule one must always follow.

[Azog 150]

It would be worth it in the UK as half of the people who commit crimes are chavs who are essentially scared on their own but in a group think there as hard as nails.
If one started dying a week thered be no more chavs knifing people for looking at them.

I don't think we should- instead, when we say life imprisonment, we should actually imprison them for life, not 15-20 years.

Not only do death penalties go against what lots of western countries stand for, it costs a lot of money, isn't too much of a deterrent, and being in prison for life is arguably a worse punishment.

I think for people who are actually in prison for life, that we should down grade a prison (I don't mean security wise, I mean living standards), so as to make them suffer a bit more (But not to a point where it is inhumane, even if they do deserve it)

[Gigahertz]

I think for people who are actually in prison for life, that we should down grade a prison (I don't mean security wise, I mean living standards), so as to make them suffer a bit more (But not to a point where it is inhumane, even if they do deserve it)

yeh i agree with that take away there PS3's i mean a PS3 there in prison its a bit pathetic just buy rocks from Africa and make them smash em into pieces day after day or something but they get pampered as it against their human rights for them not to have what they want i cant remember where but i heard they claim the doll aswell.

[Rootsie]

I don't think we should- instead, when we say life imprisonment, we should actually imprison them for life, not 15-20 years.

Not only do death penalties go against what lots of western countries stand for, it costs a lot of money, isn't too much of a deterrent, and being in prison for life is arguably a worse punishment.

I think for people who are actually in prison for life, that we should down grade a prison (I don't mean security wise, I mean living standards), so as to make them suffer a bit more (But not to a point where it is inhumane, even if they do deserve it)

Long-term prisoners should be killed.

It costs about £77 day to keep a prisoner in a medium security prison. For maximum security it is closer to £100. When there is a case where there is irrefutable proof that the defendant is guilty (of a major crime) then the death penalty should be enacted.

For example, the current case of Tracey Connolly and Steven Barker. They will (I hope) never be let out of prison. Therefore why spend money on re-habilitating them if they will remain in prison until they die? It is easier and more effective to kill them.

I don't see it as wrong or inhumane to kill them. lets say they are in prison for 50 years before they die. 50 years at approx £100 a day. That will cost the taxpayer £1,825,000 each. That is a whopping total of £3,650,000 to keep them in jail for life. That will increase if they go on courses, demand books, TV, PC etc. Also they will probably live to be older than 50/60.

Why should that £3,650,000 go to them? Why should it not go into other things? That £3,650,000 could (not all of these, but individually):

* Build and equip an operating theater and an additional MRI scanner in a hospital,
* Fully equip an entire Infantry battalion,
* Build and equip an IT suite at a school,
* Buy and fund a school bus,
* Train a police quick-reaction team

There will be many, many more things you could do.

To hang someone you need:

* 12ft Three Strand Twisted Manila rope (will vary per person and about 0.50p per ft) - £6.00
* 2 lengths of 12m high timber (at about £7.50 per 2.4m) - £74.80
* One 5m crossbeam (at about £7.50 per 2.4m) - £14.96

That gives us a total of £95.76

[alhoon]

To a barbarian yes, it is just an idea, but to consider yourself civilized it is a basic rule one must always follow.

LoL. +rep.

[Richard]

It's perfectly just and needs to be practiced more often. It must also be remembered that Human Rights are an idea not a tangible set-in-stone law of existence. They are just as frivolous as speed limits on your local highway in that they are only practiced so long as they are enforced. Yet unlike the speed limit, it is rare to find and set of laws outlining human rights as something to be enforced. They are often protected by other laws with similar ideas based on what is or isn't allowed but they themselves are not actually enforced as either rights or laws as a whole.

It's perhaps perfectly just...if the right person gets it. That's something I really don't like, the idea of innocents dying because of a wrong verdict. It saddens me that you would consider them (and yes, it does happen) expendable just so 50 *real* murderers can die. Even at a ratio like that, it isn't worth an innocent life.

[CtrlAltDe1337]

The death penalty has been shown to be pointless in the US, in terms of deterrence and the cost of executions, in some states it is actually double compared to a life imprisonment case. So the only argument for death penalty is the one of justice, which you can debate both ways, for or against. So for the people who are for the death penalty in the US must ask themselves..is it worth it to execute someone even though it costs twice as much and is shown to not deter crime. To me personally, its not worth it, morally and economically.

I hope you aren't serious.

[Justice and Mercy]

The death penalty has been shown to be pointless in the US, in terms of deterrence and the cost of executions, in some states it is actually double compared to a life imprisonment case.

Which doesn't show a problem with execution itself, but rather the execution of the act.

Public hangings the day after the trial, that's a sufficient deterrent, and rope's not too expensive.

[Gigahertz]

It would be worth it in the UK as half of the people who commit crimes are chavs who are essentially scared on their own but in a group think there as hard as nails.
If one started dying a week thered be no more chavs knifing people for looking at them.

[Manco]

As long as there's even the slightest chance an innocent can get executed, I'm against death penalty.

[Philos Sophos]

Well,the production of a single bullet costs less than the expenses of an prisoner...also,there are a lot of numb nuts who just don't learn in my country so I am...for death penalty.Although I think that it should be only for the serious crimes like rape or murder...

[bleach]

Not a national custom; 12 states have outlawed the death penalty. My home state has never executed anyone.

Well,the production of a single bullet costs less than the expenses of an prisoner...also,there are a lot of numb nuts who just don't learn in my country so I am...for death penalty.Although I think that it should be only for the serious crimes like rape or murder...

It costs a hell of a lot more than a single bullet to kill legally. The legal process for capital punishment and all of the appeals tends to run very high , millions of dollars actually.

[CtrlAltDe1337]

It costs a hell of a lot more than a single bullet to kill legally. The legal process for capital punishment and all of the appeals tends to run very high , millions of dollars actually.

That can be changed.

[Big War Bird]

It costs a hell of a lot more than a single bullet to kill legally. The legal process for capital punishment and all of the appeals tends to run very high , millions of dollars actually.

Why should cost matter either way?

[ShockBlast]

Well,the production of a single bullet costs less than the expenses of an prisoner...also,there are a lot of numb nuts who just don't learn in my country so I am...for death penalty.Although I think that it should be only for the serious crimes like rape or murder...

Well who says that they have to stay all day and do nothing?I am against death penalty but i'm for forced labour.
They will have their rest of their lives to regret and we get a worker with the lowest salary possible.

[~Paine~]

It's a silly, barbaric and hypocritical method of punishment. Murder is wrong in all cases, it doesn't make it 'right' if the government performs it.