what is your thought on the death penalty and why do u think that?
88856
I personally think it can be appropriate in some cases, but I doubt the ability of a judge or jury to judge correctly in EVERY case.  DNA evidence has already shown many cases where someone was wrongly put to death, and I think that is reason enough for a moratorium on all executions.
788159
Capital punishment is premeditated killing.\nAs a Christian I am morally opposed to killing regardless of the situation.\nI also believe it is morally wrong to force me to pay for the state to kill people.\nOK, it's only 3 sentences.....so kill me.
126107
In the state of Texas, we execute more people than any other state of the union but even in Texas, the death penalty is hotly debated.  Not all states in the US have the death penalty but those that do have the same issues with it as here in Texas.\n\nLet’s start with a few of them… Firstly, the original reason for the death penalty was it was suppose to be a deterrent for crime.  It’s still touted as such in the states that do have the death penalty.  But, if you look at the statistics in the states that do have it you will see that it is not a deterrent at all.  Crime rates have not drastically dropped since its implementation.  If it were the state of Texas would be the state in the union that has the lowest violent crime rate, it doesn’t.  The only deterrent effect it has is that the person that is put to death will never again break the law.  That doesn’t drop the crime rate or make us any safer.  The realism is most criminals think they will never get caught, that they are too smart.  When criminals are doing whatever they are doing that is going to send them to death row they are not even considering the death penalty while they are performing the crime.  So that throws out the argument of being a deterrent and lowering crime rates.   \n\nSecondly, it was also suppose to lower costs of prisons.  If you execute the criminals they aren’t going to cost as much to feed, house or be taken care of.  Like the crime rate argument, this one is false as well.  In all actuality it takes more money to execute someone then to house them for life.  That has to do with the legal system and the appeals process.  Most of those on death row have court appointed lawyers because they can’t afford to hire one.  So the tax payers of the state end up footing the bill for not only the prosecution and housing the prisoner they end up paying for his legal defense as well.  In Texas, it costs almost three times more to execute someone then it does to house them in the highest security level for life (stats come from www.deathpenaltyinfo.org).  So how is that fulfilling the promise of lower costs?\n\nThirdly, it is considered retribution.  Unlike life imprisonment, where someone can lead a fairly normal life and have some luxuries, the death penalty does not allow that.  For some that are pro-death penalty that is acceptable because it is a true punishment for a crime, not a chance to rehabilitate the criminal.  With varying degrees people do agree with this, citing the ‘eye for an eye’ quote as back up for it.  But others feel that the states don’t have to right to impose retribution on an individual, that as ‘man’ we don’t have that right to take another life.  A lot of the belief systems that argue both for and against this have to do with religious principles.  But should states have that ability and be able to enforce death when they bluntly always say the state is not there to give retribution?  Isn’t death the utmost in retribution rather than punishment?\n\nFourthly, there is recidivism.  That is that some criminals repeat, repeat and repeat crimes no matter how many time they are sent to jail.  This is true.  There is a certain class of criminals that do repeat their crimes over and over, each time getting worse.  There seems to be nothing that can be done with these people that will work to rehabilitate and reform them.  Repeat offenders do seem to dominate the criminal justice system and are a big chunk of those that are incarcerated.  From the people that oppose the death penalty they say that drugs are a large part of this population, that is true, and sometimes it takes many rehabs to work but in the end it will, eventually.  They also say that the three strikes laws (generally this means after 3 felonies the offender is usually put in prison for life or a very extended stay and are unlikely to get out, although each state has it’s own version of this).  Also, for some criminals, life in prison with no p
916102
I'm against because innocent people get judged guilty and are killed. And anyway some crimes are so horrific that death is too soft a punishment.
1151083
i think to make murder punishable by murder is a joke, what is the difference between the criminal and the law if both are commiting murder. also if i were facing life in prison i would much prefer the death penalty and im sure many people on death row see it that way, fortunatly in my country we abolished the death penalty long ago and now killers have to live with their nightmares for the rest of their lives rather than getting an easy way out. we are supposed to be promoting modern liberal western values to the rest of the world but it is not very good when the wests leading nation itself cannot follow these ideals
98268
considering how many cases have been overturned (especially with advances in DNA testing), i think it is obvious that the death penalty is "flawed", not neccessarily 'bad' or 'good'. \n\nimagine if someone you knew was faslely sentenced to death for a crime they did not commit... or even you. is it worth the risk of making those mistakes and ending innocent peoples lives to "punish" the wrongdoers?\n\nadditionally, consideration should be given to the concept that death is the ultimate punishment. is death really the worst outcome for a convicted murder? proponents of capital punishment claim that "scum" are rewarded with an easy life of "freebies". if those freebies include shivs and anal rape, then they may be right. point being - prison is not a cake walk. some would consider a lifetime of confinement greater punishment than instant death. \n\nmoreover, as one person noted, the death penalty may not actually scare off future criminals. some cultures do not believe in "punishing" people who commit crimes, but instead focus on recovering, as a community, after such an act. \n\nthe plain fact of the matter is, people make mistakes. even big ones. why not try to understand the cause for these crimes (i.e. why did this person feel the need to steal) instead of endlessly reprimanding them when we already know it will happen regardless? often when a person commits a crime, it is out of a sense of neccessity, not enjoyment. few people take such big risks for the sake of fun. most act out of desperation - fearing they have no real alternative. \n\ni feel the death penalty is not working well in any aspect and should be reexamined. so, to put it simply "bad".
413975
I have always wondered that..\n\nI think that people who are going to be put to death for murder, should be done so only by the victim(s) families or loved ones, then I would be able to see some sort of justice out of that
892459
you're quite brave to say this with anger still inside after he took your daughter from you!\n\nI also don't believe in the death penalty, we are not ones to judge whether we take another life too...\n\nas for the so called "luxuries" that prisoners get, it's called humanity!\n\nBUT one things for sure, they can't just wake up and get into their car and go for a drive to the shops, go to their friends place, see a family member, go to a movie, picnic... or even decide on a vacation.\nThey cannot join friends in another social gathering...\n...they cannot get up and help themselves to the refridgerator.\nCan't phone anyone they like when they like...\n\nThey ARE in prison, but how awful to know you are held captive in a cell only to be killed off eventually!
831669
i've done this before too. alright. the death penalty is bad for many reasons.\n\none. the death penalty is cruel and unusual. the death penalty lowers us down to murderer status. we are murdering a person that could very well be kept alive, and that very person could be kept in life imprisonment. sure, they couuld break out, but the chances are so slim, we have to say that it's worth it. we as america keep ourselves to be a very humane country, and when we kill people, we really aren't keeping that title. when people die on the chair, they sometimes have to be electrocuted multiple times before they die. i'm sure the criminals deserve it, but by doing this, we're doing the same. especiall cause the viable alternative, the life sentence, is a lot better and a lot more humane, yet still causes punishment.\n\nsecond, you could say that the death penalty serves as a deterrent, or it serves to make sure that other criminals WONT kill. HOWEVER, studies show that the death penalty actually RAISES the rate of violent crime in states. that's true-- the death penalty DOES increase the rate of murder-- it's a proven fact. \n\nthird, people say that the death penalty is good for the victim's family. however, why make the family suffer time and time again through endless trials? we are only fueling anger by killing people, because they have to be reminded of the murder trial again and again, throughout 20 years of trials.\n\nfourth, the death penalty from a religious standpoint. if you're religious. jesus said not to kill. the "eye for an eye" thing in the old testament was overrules by jesus's teachings. and he said to turn the other cheek, not to kill again. sure, we should say "hey murderer, kill another!" but we should certainly not kill them back.\n\nthanks, and i hope i was helpful.
884151
If the severity of punishment were a real and viable tool, then the death penalty should have worked years ago.  The fact of that matter is, it deters no one.  People still commit murder all of the time. All you can do (after the fact) is lock them up without possibility of parole.
167985
I think is a little extreme.But then again a life time penalty makes someone suffer much more.By killing them they only realese them
674676
Yes I agree with the death penalty. Life in prison is not a punishment for long term prisoners. Three meals a day, cable TV, no bills. They think it's a good life.
380408
Of course your question might be phrased a little off, because the death penalty IS legal in some states.\n\nMy personal opinion is it should be legal in all states.  I kind of differ that I do not belief it should be shown or made a big deal out of, glorifying it in the news, etc, though that is normal human nature I guess.\n\nThe reason I believe in the death penalty is there are some people that are so dangerous they will continue to do what they do whether they are in prison or not.  And those that have prison terms have been dealt the fairest justice exacted upon them, and the risk of dying at the hands of another would be reduced by the death penalty I believe.  I also believe the families deserve closure.
735661
I'm for death penalty because it's a good preventive force, knowing that punishment is death penalty DOES stop people from committing a crime; convicted people live on the taxes of citizens, I hate the idea of thinking that some raper or murderer lives on my taxes; all the money spent on criminals could be spent on education, health care
832462
I totally agree. Sometimes i think maybe it would be good to make them sit their whole life and rot . If i had my choice, i would make the person stay alive so every day they can think about the choice they made! The death penalty seems to be a cop out. But others days my opinion changes...
816413
I don't support the death penalty. But I've never lived through what the Iraqi people have lived through.\n\nThis is an Iraqi decision to make, and I have no doubt they'll want him dead. Can I really blame these people, who've endured unmentionable cruelty at the hands of Saddam, and now endure such hardship at the hands of both foreign invaders and civil militants, for wanting some type of retribution, some kind of hope? If Saddam's death gives them some hope, then let it be so.
877023
Should there be a death penalty in a civilized society and if so, why hang criminals?\n\nThat's a question that's been asked many, many times. If we don't kill dangerous criminals they languish in prisons on our tax dollars. If they're put to death and they're innocent we've killed an innocent person. If we hang them; electrocute them or give them a fatal injection. Maybe we should stone them? \n\nI'm afraid this issue will go on until long after we've left this jolly old earth. Should we be too civilized or should we become more uncivilized? Perhaps dangerous offenders will refrain from killing if they know they will be put to death or do they just not care and will do it anyway?\n\nI'm afraid, given this diverse world we live in; our societies will dictate what is an isn't civilized and what forms of punishment these people will get.\n\nThere are worse places to live than the United States or Canada!