Do you believe in capital punishment?

Absolutely not. There are a few different justifications used for the death penalty. One is "social hygiene", ie. the idea that it is good because it gets killers off the streets. So does prison though, so I think in a civilised country that can afford to run prisons (if you're struggling to feed your law abiding population all bets are off) we should lock criminals up instead, giving them a chance to repent and possibly still somehow be of some use to society.

Another justification used is retribution. Someone who murders another human being in cold blood does deserve to die. The thing is that just because someone deserves something doesn't mean you have to give it to them. You can show mercy instead. We don't rape the rapists either. They might deserve it but we don't lower ourselves to their level.

Then there is the argument "well, if it was your mum/sister/husband/whoever who was murdered wouldn't you want the killer to die?" Possibly I would, but that would be an emotional response, not a rational one. You can't run a justice system on emotions.

I think that state sanctioned killing degrades the society that allows it. I believe on some level people who advocate it think this too or executions would still be taking place in broad daylight in the town square instead of behind closed doors at midnight. If you're fine with it, why hide it?

by Jennifer Muirhead

Thank's Jennifer well thought out answer indeed.

My take on it is this:

There are those who...never can be helped, and 'if' for whatever reason they did end up back on the streets, would not hesitate to kill and kill again.

Jeffrey Dahmer murdered at least 17 men and boys. His murders were particularly gruesome, involving acts of , necrophilia, dismemberment, and cannibalism.

There was no hope for this person, and the same with Manson.
If Hitler was found, and jailed after all we have seen he had done during the WWII , would we feel such empathy for him.

My opinion is, for certain people, they are more of a risk alive.

I do not approve of the death sentence what-so-ever for serious offenders, someone who has committed murder...but has changed over the years.
No Way.

But it has it's merits for the fraction of a personwho is truly a danger in the highest degree.

by jonaja

This is a tough question. Jennifer's answer was quite multidimensional. There are persons that are career criminals who have been involved in crime from childhood. Their conversations, entertainment and fashion are DEEPLY centered around criminal acts. Some of these people even endorse and fund others in their bid to commit crime. In addition to this I have heard of some of these people pulling strings from behind bars. Ordering all sort of hits.
I know of persons that have taken into account the possible number of years for specific crimes before they commit them. These guys plan on living big after they have served their time.

In my mind some of them are a REAL THREAT to the society and are therefore better off dead if they are truly found guilty .

On the other hand I have met some responsible elderly men who have admitted have been involved in criminality in their youthful days. However at some point because of some life experience they had decided to put all of that aside. Warning and encouraging younger guys to stay on the straight and narrow.

So its a tough call. Some people will be reformed while others won't until the day they die.

by dwatk

Thank you for your answer :)

Yes, especially for those with irrefutable evidence against them that they have murdered someone.

by Gia

fair enough....

Yes, definitely.

Why are Taxpayers' funds being wasted on the likes of Martin Bryant, Adrian Bayley, Skaf Bros, Murphy Bros, Ivan Milat, Cowan, Baden-clay, & Katherine Knight et al.

They gave up their right to live in society when they committed the various atrocities they did, in FULL knowledge of what they were doing! It has been proven in a court of law.

Hang the lot of them!

It might even prove a deterrent to those 'future' criminals' way of thinking.

by donjo

I do not think it will ever stop people from doing evil things to others.
That is a head ....and heart matter.

But it will stop those people from doing those crimes again and again and again, so saving innocent lives in the long run

While I don't like the idea, it saves us a lot of tax money maintaining the jails.

by annep

It does not save tax money. It is very, very expensive to execute prisoners. Have a look at what they spend on it in Texas. There is a lengthy appeals process (which there needs to be, because they want to make sure they don't execute innocent people) and cases drag on for years costing far more than housing a prisoner on a life sentence.

Are you sure that's a good enough reason for the death sentence?

I am undecided on this one.

by Ivana Katz

No. Not part of the ethos or that our tradition is based upon, but if someone takes a life they should be locked up for life - none of this 20 years and out on probation.
Jennifer has summed it up - beautifully. Thanks Jennifer.

by anne

Quite difficult to decide.. I think whatever one's crime may be I wouldn't wish anyone dead unless they knew what they were doing and they were fully well aware of the consequences and caused irreparable loss to someone's life directly or indirectly.
But this kind of reasoning may not occur if I was directly or indirectly affected or a loved one's life ruined by someone's planned or unplanned activities and I happen to know for sure they could have averted the consequences!!
Just so undecided for this question!

May be if I was asked what's my answer about incarcerating or executing a known criminal, who does not fit the bill as a sane human being and a repeat offender with a high possibility of re-offending and indulging in causing danger to others' lives, I think I'd still vote incarceration opposed to capital punishment. Because I'd want them to rot their life in prison than to escape punishment in an instant.

Anyway, I'm unsure how our tax money is saved or spent - by capital punishment people that the law considers unworthy of rehabilitating efforts!

by Manny

I was typing/editing the below sentence and somehow I shifted the focus and submitted. The line was supposed to be "Anyway, I'm unsure how our tax money is saved or spent - by imprisonment or capital punishment - and considering the variety of imprisonments (regular, high security, solitary confinement, medical/psychiatric wards etc), caring for prisoners' health/well being, feeding them twice/thrice a day and allocating all sorts of resources to them compared to capital punishment undertaken for a person that the society (jury, judicial system and law) considers impossible to rehabilitate!

No.

by Vee

Yes. For anyone abusing children sexually or otherwise and for anyone abusing the aged sexually or otherwise.

by fran.

I do believe in the death penalty if and only if it is proven through DNA that it was the person and no one else could have done the crime. I think anyone who kills for pleasure and enjoys adding torture to the murder should have to go through either the gas chamber or electric chair. I think lethal injection is too easy and nowhere near painful enough. I would pull the switch or drop the poison with out a second thought, if they tortured and murdered someone yes and I wish they would bring it back to Canada. The cost of housing one of these people is far too much. Bring back water and bread and working on a chain gang. The state is far too easy on scum that didnèt give a damn about who they murdered why should they get any easement!

by lmars

Totally agree with you there.

in some cases. still, I am glad I don't have that power, and no one has it over me

by simon

No....

by lc212

es I do beleive in the death penalty .but only foe exetreme cases, like this idiot from melbourne just recentley, I'm sorry but there is no excuse for what he did! another would be Martin Bryant responsible for those shootings in Tassie, our tax payers money goes on keeping this scum alive in our prisons.

by Diana Nairn