Capital Punishment- Right or Wrong?

[Valden]

My feeling is that a 'capital crime' is a contradiction in the law, the only difference between a murderer taking life by force and the state, is that the state may doing it legally. For killing someone to be considered murder, evidence of premeditation is also required; executions are premeditated.
My view can be summarized as the feeling that, as a civilized society, for us to execute those who kill not only smacks of a double standard but also undermines our position as a civilized society based fundametally on compassion.

[Himster]

I feel it is morally repugnant, but occasionally neccessary.
Utilitarian morality comes to the fore yet again, lol.

[Helm]

The only reason I wouldn't support it is due to the risk that they may execute someone who is either innocent or doesn't particularly deserve it.

[Himster]

Luckily there are only two (IMO) civilised nations that kill their own citizens: the states and japan, both of those countries are pretty wacky anyway.

[Squiggle]

Luckily there are only two (IMO) civilised nations that kill their own citizens: the states and japan, both of those countries are pretty wacky anyway.

Canada might be joining that group soon, 70% of Canadians support the death penalty. I dont see any reason not to kill someone if they merit it, its simply an inconceivable and seemingly random claim that nothing can warrant death.

[Helm]

Technically prisoners aren't citizens though, they give up their citizen status when they break the laws of their society.

[WelshDragon]

IMHO, there are a few things that a "tolerant" society cannot tolerate, and one is violent crime. I'm not sure morally what to do with capital punishment, but violent criminals (Murderers, rapists, etc) deserve whatever punishment society chooses to give them.

[Shneckie]

In the case of multiple murderers, paedophiles and serial rapists, capital punishment should be applied in my opinion. It comes down to utilitarian principle. The public should not have to live with these people in their society nor should they have to pay tax to keep them living in a prison when they have committed crimes of such magnitude that they overstep any form of justice returned by a death sentence.

[Floris V van Holland]

Technically prisoners aren't citizens though, they give up their citizen status when they break the laws of their society.

you should make note that disfranchisement is a mostly american law.
and i think morally very wrong in its own right.


on capital punishment:
well the fact that it cannot be revoked after being applied should be enough reason against it.
removal from society is the goal as said already.
the state shouldn't be a murderer as well as force an other citizen to become one.

fact is however that prisons are very expensive.
the prisoners do nothing and seam to receive more benifits and perks than a lot of citizens.
where has the chain gang gone?
with modern electronics it wouldn't be to hard to come up with a modern version.
let the hardest punishment be getting pushed to work till they drop.
and then again and again and again................ that would be punishment.



that all said i will live with a double standard all my life i'm afraid.
because if my immediate surroundings (family, friends) will get the receiving end of a pedophile i'm pretty sure i'll kill him myself and turn myself in.
nice to know they'll fear being hunted as they hunt children.
.

[removeduser_4536284751384]

fact is however that prisons are very expensive.
the prisoners do nothing and seam to receive more benifits and perks than a lot of citizens.
where has the chain gang gone?
with modern electronics it wouldn't be to hard to come up with a modern version.
let the hardest punishment be getting pushed to work till they drop.
and then again and again and again................ that would be punishment.

prisoners hsould be hired out to work as slaves for slightly higher than minimum wage.

[Helm]

prisoners hsould be hired out to work as slaves for slightly higher than minimum wage.

But we have Polish people for that. Though i f you think about it being paid defeats the idea of slavery.

[Floris V van Holland]

prisoners hsould be hired out to work as slaves for slightly higher than minimum wage.

well for a lot of people just getting put in a cell isn't really a big punishment.
just being ended by death isn't really a punishment either for a lot of them.
in the sense that it will probably not instill the same horror on them as their victims had to suffer.

maybe being put to work hard is.

has that been studied??

anyway the penal system should be made cheaper to run.
any ideas?

[Helm]

But then they will probably end up killing someone they shouldn't it does happen.

[Valden]

In the case of multiple murderers, paedophiles and serial rapists, capital punishment should be applied in my opinion. It comes down to utilitarian principle. The public should not have to live with these people in their society nor should they have to pay tax to keep them living in a prison when they have committed crimes of such magnitude that they overstep any form of justice returned by a death sentence

Surely the utilitarian principle has already been enacted when the convicted criminal has been removed from society and placed in prison. The only thing to be further gained by executing him is a deterrant to other murderers (which does not work) or to save tax money. So, effectively, we should create another murderer in the executioner merely to save money.

[removeduser_4536284751384]

execution and incarceration aren't punishment. They're preventative measures. If it's likely someone wil commit a terrible crime again they're put in jail for life. If they start killing people or raping them in jail they should be put in solitary. And if they can't behave there then death.

Some people are too dangerous to live.

If you commit some minor offense then a 6 month or whatever jail term lets you calm down, think about your actions and turn oyurself around. It's not punishment.

[Helm]

I'd probably only support it for really extreme cases like highly prolific serial killers or serious crimes involving young children, and only if we actually know they commited the crime for 100% certain.

[removeduser_4536284751384]

I'd probably only support it for really extreme cases like highly prolific serial killers or serious crimes involving young children, and only if we actually know they commited the crime for 100% certain.

well it depends.

it doesn't matter how heinous you think the crime is, it's not their past actions, but their future actions we're afriad of.

[Helm]

Well can't really do a great deal of harm in a maximum security prison for the rest of their life, we're talking about the natural lifers rather than the 20 year jobs, the Hannibal Lecter characters.

[Helm]

It's a Briish idea as well criminals aren't classed as citizens, they can't vote for instance.

[Floris V van Holland]

The Council of Europe has issued an unprecedented warning to the British government to take urgent steps to enable prisoners to vote in the forthcoming general election or face thousands more compensation claims.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010...lection-europe

and hehehe :

BBC political correspondent Norman Smith says Prime Minister David Cameron was "absolutely horrified" by the idea of changing the law but reluctantly accepted there was no alternative. He knew full well it was a policy almost certain to attract bruising headlines and enrage many traditional Tory supporters.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-11674014



well if there are limited right while in prison thats one thing but in the states there are states where you cannot vote for the rest of your life.

the fact is that the people reside in the country while they serve their term.
that alone makes them citizens in my book .

if a countries REPRESSION is SO BAD as to bring even a chance that inmate voting can swing an election,
then the repression should be handled because that indicates there is something very wrong there ..
.
.