Death Penalty - what thoughts?

[spaced]

I know we have discussed this on here before, and we have had mixed reactions. Most people apposing it said it was because there is a risk of innocent people being put to death.

Newlove killers: -

http://www.orange.co.uk/news/topstories/5579.h tm?linkfrom=hp3&link=box_hero_pos_1_1_link_tit le&article=080212x0830heronewsdeathpenaltycall

Personally, I do.

What are your thoughts on this? Do you agree?

Discuss

[123everton]

I don't think the death penalty would ever have applied to these "boys" as they are so young but I've said it before and I'll say it again. When life imprisonment means life imprisonment then I'll happily vote against the death penalty.

[ludwig]

There isn't some quantum leap to barbarity that society has to make before it decides to start killing people for the greater good - we've already crossed that line - that's what police armed response units and the army are for. So if that makes us descend to the level of barbarians and murderers, we're already there.

Also, I don't understand this argument that says 'it's no deterrent so we shouldn't do it'. Well ok, if nothing is going to deter a murderer, then why bother with any punishment at all? We might as well let them go free.

The death penalty is never going to happen here, but life meaning life would be a step in the right direction.

[spaced]

Jno, I will happily play god in this situation.

Life meaning life IS a great alternative.

[sp1814]

spaced

You wrote

I wouldnt agree to hanging or beheading but definately Electric Chair or Gas Chamber. Lethal injection is too quick and painless.

But why?

I ask because it seems that you advocate a certain level of pain in death, but not 'too much'.

I'm wholly against the death penalty, but I swear, if it were reintroduced, everyone who'd voted for it, should be forced to watch each execution. And it should be the full works - hung drawn and quartered.

I guarantee - you see a human being die and suddenly you'd change your mind about reintroducing the death penalty.

You'd hate yourself for it, but your humanity would kick back in.

[Supernick]

Where's the punishment in death? You have a couple of months of grim acceptance that you're going to die and then a few hours of frantic panic. Then nothingness (or perhaps a nice comfy spot in heaven if you're inclined to believe in a Christian forgiving God).

[4GS]

It never ceases to amaze me that politicians are elected by the populace to represent their wishes at Parliament, however, the vast majority of UK citizens would reintroduce the death penalty and corporal punishment in a second but will we get a referendum?

Don't hold your breath

[sp1814]

4GS

Just because the public might want something, doesn't mean they should get it!

How can you trust the public?

Have you ever seen the polls on Sky News?

The public shouldbn't be allowed to vote on anything.

[4GS]

Even on who runs the country?
That really would be mob rule

[youngmafbog]

In cases like this - string the scum up. I'll happily do it.

It is not deterrant necessarily it is revenge. An eye for an eye. They woudl not have been sneering in court if they thought a noose was waiting.

The only alternative is life meaning life, but then the "right on" liberals moan about their human rights and let them out. If they are strung up there is no letting them out.

[Aquagility]

We have to think - what would they fear most. Death? Pain ?(can't have that, not PC). Hard work/deprivation? Ridicule?
Do we really know. And do we have the will to apply it, whatever it may be? Because otherwise we and our children are going to have to accept that anti-social behaviour will become the norm.

[flip_flop]

I am against the death penalty for many of the reasons already stated.

However, I am fervently in favour of life meaning life in a 4ft x 4ft cell with constant artificial light, no interaction with anybody, the barest of rations just to keep them alive and being made to wallow in the own filth.

This, to me, is worse than death and is a greater deterrent than the death penalty could every possibly hope to be.

Make their life a living hell.

Obviously this would only be for the most heinous of crimes, the Chindamos, Sweelings, Huntleys and Paines of the world.

And while I'm here, the hackneyed 'the death penalty makes us as bad as them' or 'makes us murderers' is just about the single most ridiculous argument against the death penalty there is.

[sp1814]

The death penalty doesn't work.

Point me to any country which has the death penalty on it's statute books, and you'll see that it simply doesn't work.

What it will do is sate the bloodlust of those out for what they see as revenge for heinous crimes.

If my partner was killed in the way that Newlove's killers were.

I felt that way about the killers of Jody Dobrowski (strangely no-one clamoured for the death penalty when he was killed in exactly the same way). However, there's a difference between heart and head. People are thinking with their hearts on this...which is perfectly understandable...but not necessarily right.

[sp1814]

Durrr...I meant to write:

If my partner was killed in the way that Newlove's killers were I'd feel exactly the same. It's only human.

[Supernick]

Youngmafbog - There was a news item last night about Iran, and showed the immediate build up to a public hanging. I can assure you that there was a great deal of sneering, and one of the prisoners was smiling ad laughing all the way to the noose.

4GS - Methinks that if we had referendums on topics like this then we would end up with a judicial system much closer to Sharia law than we do now thanks to the general public.
As quoted from Peep Show "People listen to Coldplay and voted for the nazi's. You can't trust people".

[sp1814]

Actually - that's a really good point.

To all those who believe in capital punishment - do you think that British justice should somehow mirror that of some countries in the Middle East?

What about burglars? Hand cut off?

How far would you go? Not as far as stoning adulterers (I hope!), but exactly how far do you think the British public would go?

[Ice.Maiden]

Yes, I do agree with it. You can argue that it isn't a deterrant, but I think it'd make people think twice if they knew what the end result was going to be. America is a large country with far more people in it than over here, therefore statistically, more murders are going to happen. I have no time for paedophiles, yob murderers and the like. If a referendum was allowed, most people'd give a big thumbs up to it - and this is why we haven't been given a vote. To stop people taking the law into their own hands, I'd welcome a justice system that dished out such punishments. I'm all for corporal punishment as well.

[Drisgirl]

I am anti-Capital Pinishment.

Most of my objections against it have been aired.

The very fact that Shipman, West took their own lives and Huntly persists goes to show that it aint no cakewalk -let them rot and fester and for ever and a day have to watch their backs.

I would get more solace from the knowledge that for every day I was living-they were wanting to die.I would hate their suffering to end so quickly.

[sp1814]

Ice.Maiden

Nope...I'm talking per capita.

I'm not talking about the total number of murders!

The United States is ranked #25 in the world with 0.042802 per 1,000 people.

We're at #46 with 0.0140633 per 1,000 people.

So having the death penalty is a bogus reason as a deterrent. We can see that it doesn't work.

Here's the stats:

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/cri_mur_perc ap-crime-murders-per-capita

[Ice.Maiden]

Thanks sp - and apologies for a spelling mistake I made!!!
It's just my view. If we WERE given a referendum, I'd vote for it. Simple as that. I can quite understand why some people are against the idea, but if it meant the death penalty being carried out every hour, I still think it'd deter people in the long run - and save the taxpayer a lot of money.