The Death Penalty

[Binky Bainbridge]

I don't know what the exact position is in the US with regard to the death penalty for murder, (I guess its abolished in most states?), but in Britain it was abolished in the mid-late 1960's. The last survey in British showed that it was evenly split between those wanting it to return (48%) and those who supported it being abolished (49%). Of course in our case the European Human Rights Act, which looks after the interests of the criminal rather than the victim, ensures that the return of the death penalty could never happen without Britain renouncing the act, which is an ill-thought out piece of legislation that is outdated and needs amending.

The British time-line on the death penalty can be viewed on: Timeline of capital punishment in the UK

I happen to believe that the death penalty, in our case, its by hanging, should be re-introduced for certain specific heinous crimes such as:

- serial killers
- murder of women and children
- murder of Police or Prison officers
- serial rapists
- acts of terrorism

What are the thoughts of my American cousins on the forum?

[jeezeweeze]

Depends on the state Binky...I support it


Death Penalty Policy By State

[wordsmythe]

I'm for it in cases where the conviction was gained my DNA evidence or a confession.

There are too many people being released from prision after serving years for crimes someone else committed.

I'd rather see every criminal walk free before seeing one innocent person executed for something they didn't do.

[Detector]

I support it.

Personally I feel it makes for a good deterrent to some would be killers. In a lot of cases I would think the offender, to commit such a crime, must be at their lowest in life. When you're at your lowest all you can do is move up, and even the thought of spending the rest of your life behind bar doesn't look so bad. You get a roof over your head and free meals.

Their possibility is they can commit the crime and possibly get away with it, or get caught and spend the rest of their life with free housing and food which is better than what they have now. Adding the death penalty adds a 3rd possibility most criminals don't have the stomach to face.

[jeezeweeze]

The Carr brothers come to mind......any thoughts?? I know the family of one of the slaughtered boys. They will never recover from that, and every Christmas season will bring that horror into what should be a happy time.

Will capital punishment bring those kids back...No, but it will insure it doesn't happen to another family by those two anyway.

Its a shame really... they are really young, however is it possible for rehabilitation? Could be ...who knows.

If the Carr brothers death penalty prevents just one low life to change his mind...its worth it. IMHO

[Binky Bainbridge]

At least in the US a life sentence means exactly that - life. In Britain it can mean on average 10-15 years, unless the judge specifically states otherwise as occasionally happens, but its very much the exception to the norm.

I am surprised by the number of states that still support the death penalty in the US I never thought it was high as the list (thanks jeezeweeze) shows.

[Bubba]

But, there are states on the death penalty list that haven't executed anybody in quite some time. Kansas for example is on the list as having the death penalty, but there have been 0 (zero) executions since 1976. There are currently 10 death row inmates in Kansas. I went a little further into weezies link and found this...

Death Penalty Information Center


You can look up stats by state to see more info.

[jeezeweeze]

Originally Posted by Binky Bainbridge

At least in the US a life sentence means exactly that - life. In Britain it can mean on average 10-15 years, unless the judge specifically states otherwise as occasionally happens, but its very much the exception to the norm.


I am surprised by the number of states that still support the death penalty in the US I never thought it was high as the list (thanks jeezeweeze) shows.

Life sentences are the same here Bink.... and as Bubba stated, the death sentence isn't used very often in the states with that penalty.

Originally Posted by Bubba

But, there are states on the death penalty list that haven't executed anybody in quite some time. Kansas for example is on the list as having the death penalty, but there have been 0 (zero) executions since 1976. There are currently 10 death row inmates in Kansas. I went a little further into weezies link and found this...

Death Penalty Information Center


You can look up stats by state to see more info.

I delved into that a bit more Bubba and it is surprising that most states without the death penalty have a lower murder rate........hummmmmmm

[Made in the USA]

It costs taxpayers tons of money to get the guilty person onto death row, and then (if you are lucky) they might get executed in say maybe 20 years! So, we put them in prison, feed them, clothe them, provide them with color TV and a weight room, and everything they need with the exception of freedom to leave. People like the Carr Bros, BTK, and similar bums, should be shot on the spot with a 50 cent cartridge, and save us all time and money!

[Flying Dutchman]

The death penelty being a deterant is a myth. Logical people would be deterred, criminals are not logical or they would not do what they do in the first place.

More people are scared of spiders than of death. Dying does not scare people.....the act of dying does. I tell you that in ten years you will die at 10 in the morning, that might be scary. I tell you that in ten years you will die at 10 in the morning after enduring 3 hours of intense and agonizing pain while staked to the ground and being beaten by strands of razor wire, now that is scary.

I agree with Wordy. I also agree with, if you truly want the death penelty to have any impact, you use a guiloteen (sic) within 10 minutes of the verdict.