How do you guys feel about the death penalty in theory?

[MavsSuperFan]

I am not asking about how you feel about it in practice, which in many cases I have a problem with. If circumstantial evidence was the main basis of the conviction, I think that the death penalty should be taken off the table.

I am asking you how you feel about it in theory. Eg. If we could know for a fact that the person committed the crime and limited application of the death penalty to cases where we know for a fact the person committed the crime, would you be against killing a murderer?

Eg. there is solid DNA evidence, there is video evidence, etc.

Eg. Timothy mcveigh, the batman movie shooter, the boston bomber, etc.

Do you have a problem with the state killing people like these?

My personal opinion is a resounding affirmation of the death penalty. Not only that, but I wish it would be expanded to rape and molestation of children.

I wish ariel castro could be executed. I wish jerry sandusky could be executed.

[outbreak]

You have to be careful with executions for some types of crime as it can be hard to distinguish if someone is actually criminally liable or if they have a mental disorder that's caused them to commit the crimes that can be resolved.

That being said for cases where it's 100% clear cut that they've done something horrible like the cinema shootings and the like I think it's fine.

My main issue is with the way they are carried out, they try to make it more comfortable for the viewers and people carrying out the execution rather than the person being executed. They aren't meant to be tortured but they choose to use methods that cause unnecessary pain and suffering because the people carrying it out are too scared of a little blood. If they truly believe in it they should be able to carry out the sentence and stand by the reality of killing someone. Bring back the guillotine or a bullet to the head and have the conviction to carry out the execution yourself if you've sentenced someone to it.

[16X]

I see no evidence for free will, so that means that no one could have done any different than what they did. I think the death penalty should be optional. The person chooses whether they want to die or spend life in prison.

[MavsSuperFan]

also follow up question:

Do you guys believe an element of a justice system should be punishment?
Or do you believe justice systems should focus on rehabilitation?

[Qwyjibo]

100% against it. I believe that there is no afterlife or anything beyond the life we have right now. Once you die, you are phased out of existence completely and forever. No state should be able to make that kind of a decision about someone existence in the universe. No matter what they did, IMO. Now if the criminal would prefer to be executed than spend life in prison, absolutely. But it has to be their choice.

I'm sure if someone murdered my entire family then I'd want them killed as well. But that would be an irrational reaction and I'd be wrong.

[Reef]

I think death is the easy way out for most of these guys. Being locked up in a cell for the rest of your life is much harder, but then you have to deal with the costs of housing inmates and overcrowding, etc.

[Scoooter]

No under any circumstances.

[gigantes]

100% against it. I believe that there is no afterlife or anything beyond the life we have right now. Once you die, you are phased out of existence completely and forever. No state should be able to make that kind of a decision about someone existence in the universe. No matter what they did, IMO. Now if the criminal would prefer to be executed than spend life in prison, absolutely. But it has to be their choice.

I'm sure if someone murdered my entire family then I'd want them killed as well. But that would be an irrational reaction and I'd be wrong.

well, you spent billions of years as particles and energies, and now you're in human form for a very brief while. after that, you'll return to particulate energy form for another stretch of billions of years.

the lesson to me is pretty clear-- life is a dream set amongst a cosmos in which nothing whatsoever lasts in any particular form, not even subatomic particles.

so, turn the situation around and ask "what's the one thing we have in common with everything else?"

[outbreak]

also follow up question:

Do you guys believe an element of a justice system should be punishment?
Or do you believe justice systems should focus on rehabilitation?

rehabilitation (which doesn't happen in most countries now).

If someone is imprisoned and still a danger to guards and other inmates maybe that's a good case for the death penalty.

If you look at countries with low re offender rates most of their prisons would be considered very cushy, it isn't the punishment side that has an effect it's the rehabilitation. I forget where but one of the euro countries has a special prison on an island where prisoners are counted off once in the morning then once at night but other than that they go to jobs during the day and have their own residences. I remember reading it had an extremely low re offender rate because it integrated them into a society and taught them life skills and a trade.

[MightyWhitey]

I think death is the easy way out for most of these guys. Being locked up in a cell for the rest of your life is much harder, but then you have to deal with the costs of housing inmates and overcrowding, etc.

Agreed. I know what I am about to say will get me these emoticons - but I think, depending on the crime of course, the state should implement forms of torture from mild to extreme. Someone who raped and murdered children should have his ***** cut an inch every day without anesthesia until eventually it's all pepperoni and he should be fed to the lions at the zoo.
Someone like Bernie Madoff who destroyed so many lives and ruined families should go through waterboarding every day.
Someone opens up fire on a crowd should have numerous tortures brought upon him. From cutting off his hands to beastial rape to his eventual death by explosion.
Same for terrorists imo. Only they get decapitated.

Torture, not rehabilitation. Rehabilitation only for those who have committed lesser crimes that did not involve murder, rape, or ruination towards anyone.

[Draz]

I'm against the death penalty.

One, because who are we to play God. We should make use of what we have as a society to punish those who go against us.

Two, because it's the easy way out.

Three, I believe it costs more.

It should be optional however, if a person wants the penalty or life in prison.

[MightyWhitey]

I'm against the death penalty.

One, because who are we to play God. We should make use of what we have as a society to punish those who go against us.

Two, because it's the easy way out.

Three, I believe it costs more.

It should be optional however, if a person wants the penalty or life in prison.

They don't deserve an option. How much in taxes does it cost to keep these people well fed, a roof over their head, and other resources to keep them alive?

[Draz]

They don't deserve an option. How much in taxes does it cost to keep these people well fed, a roof over their head, and other resources to keep them alive?

Believe me that's how I feel. But I think in the long run giving someone the death penalty actually costs more. There has to be a way around the penalty. Send them to mars, sacrifice, some shit.

[oarabbus]

If we could magically ensure that the person receiving the death penalty is guilty, then I am for the death penalty.

Why should a child molester who has violated several children, or a mass murderer, or a serial killer who dismembers his victims, be allowed to live? He shouldn't. Exterminate that POS from this earth.

[Knoe Itawl]

I believe that if you murder someone, you should be killed in the same fashion you murdered the person. I think that would be a true deterrent. None of this wait 10+ years to get executed by the most humane conditions stuff.

However, because of the issues of the distribution of the DP, inequalities of the legal system, etc. I have my problems with it. However, I don't have a problem with the idea of capital punishment itself. If a person is a monster, they deserved to be put down in a monsterous fashion. It's not revenge, it's punishment. Punishment that TRULY fits the crime.