Do you support the Death Penalty

[Ashleyxoxo]

They won’t live to regret or suffer the consequences of their actions. Let them live.

[Krakan]

I would say yes. The point of prison is rehabilitation. If you are beyond that then death is the most efficient and fair solution. Society shouldn't pay to keep you around.

[PC2]

I would say yes. The point of prison is rehabilitation. If you are beyond that then death is the most efficient and fair solution. Society shouldn't pay to keep you around.

Nobody is beyond rehabilitation though. Nobody is so evil that they can't be redeemed.

[Huntingbear_grimbatol]

I don't believe that anyone can be rehabilitated into a good, functional, member of society but even the worst of scum on this planet shouldn't be murdered as revenge or punishment ...it's far worse punishment for them to live out their lives in captivity. I'm torn on if it's humane to keep people imprisoned for life though, if that should even be a concern to certain individuals.
That being said I believe everyone should be considered for rehabilitation, but that's down to psychologists and other experts to say if it's safe or not.

What I don't get is people who think it saves money to kill people, it doesn't ...it costs something equal to 120 years in prison to execute one person in the USA (on average). So if it's the financial burden on society you have as motivation then execution is not the answer you're actually arguing for.

[PACOX]

I don't believe that anyone can be rehabilitated into a good, functional, member of society but even the worst of scum on this planet shouldn't be murdered as revenge or punishment ...it's far worse punishment for them to live out their lives in captivity. I'm torn on if it's humane to keep people imprisoned for life though, if that should even be a concern to certain individuals.
That being said I believe everyone should be considered for rehabilitation, but that's down to psychologists and other experts to say if it's safe or not.

What I don't get is people who think it saves money to kill people, it doesn't ...it costs something equal to 120 years in prison to execute one person in the USA (on average). So if it's the financial burden on society you have as motivation then execution is not the answer you're actually arguing for.

Why don't you think people can be rehabilitated? It's hard and sometimes circumstances to line up be I know ex-felons who became outstanding citizens and some people who would be doing life if you could jail people for being anti-social assholes.

[Krakan]

Nobody is beyond rehabilitation though. Nobody is so evil that they can't be redeemed.

I don't hold that same philosophy.

[LilSaihah]

I don't understand these answers - anybody who says "I don't support the death penalty, except in these such cases" does in fact, support the death penalty. It really is that simple.

I didn't say that I support the death penalty in these circumstances; I can just see why someone could reason their way to the death penalty.

[Huntingbear_grimbatol]

Why don't you think people can be rehabilitated? It's hard and sometimes circumstances to line up be I know ex-felons who became outstanding citizens and some people who would be doing life if you could jail people for being anti-social assholes.

Because there are people with severe illusions of what the world is and should be, I'm not saying that you shouldn't try to rehabilitate them. I'm just saying that in some cases people aren't going to be rehabilitated to a point where they're safe to be let back into society, for their own and other peoples safety.

[kasuke06]

in extreme circumstances where it is clear that this person cannot be rehabilitated, then yes. execute them quickly and humanely and let the rest of us continue with our day.

[caractacus]

No simply because we don't understand enough about free will, do people choose to commit crimes or are they driven by circumstances beyond their control? If you believe in determinism then a person who commits a murder has no choice in the matter, it was determined from birth.

Do you still put them in prison? Yes, to protect society. Is there an argument to kill them? yes but I would say not in a civilized society with the means and facilities for incarceration.

[Amarys]

No, in fact I don't like the prison system at all. It needs major reforms and even then, death penalty should not exist.

If you have a person who is guilty without a shadow of a doubt and a true monster, why waste them? Use them for medical experiments, dangerous work, like say send them to Mars. etc. Hell even 20 years in an experimental power armor fighting enemies would do. If they survive, set them free.

[Santti]

No, in fact I don't like the prison system at all. It needs major reforms and even then, death penalty should not exist.

If you have a person who is guilty without a shadow of a doubt and a true monster, why waste them? Use them for medical experiments, dangerous work, like say send them to Mars. etc. Hell even 20 years in an experimental power armor fighting enemies would do. If they survive, set them free.

Well, at least Goebbels would approve, if no one else.

[PC2]

No, in fact I don't like the prison system at all. It needs major reforms and even then, death penalty should not exist.

If you have a person who is guilty without a shadow of a doubt and a true monster, why waste them? Use them for medical experiments, dangerous work, like say send them to Mars. etc. Hell even 20 years in an experimental power armor fighting enemies would do. If they survive, set them free.

Violating a person's consent and exposing them to harm is immoral though. A criminal is still a human being.

Our goal should be to help every person and when we arrest a mass murderer we're actually helping them because it's just a matter of time before they mess up and get killed by the one of the people they're trying to murder.

[Pendragon]

No because there are too many innocent people caught up in the current system. The entire world spends way too much money keeping the worst offenders alive and locked up. Pedophiles(even the ones who haven't physically harmed a child), child killers, serial rapists, etc all deserve death....but only if the system could be better and the evidence concrete.

[Doctor Amadeus]

Liberal and Yes, but not in it's current state we have way way way too many innocent people caught up in the system from all kinds of forms of discrimination in the department of justice and society as a whole if it were fool proof then yes, otherwise NO!

[Ragnarohk]

No.

I consider myself liberal. I used to be for the death penalty a few years back, but more and more I've been reading books in Philosophy, Ethics, History, Sociology, Anthropology, Psychology and my views have changed.

A core book was "What is a Person" by Christian Smith. Also been reading more about personhood and human dignity.

What I do find interesting is that i'm "pro" abortion (pro choice) and this contradicts a lot of the views I mentioned. I'm trying to solve this cognitive dissonance and will probably transition to a more "pro life" stance.

Topics like these, related to death, fascinate me. Death penalty, abortion, suicide, euthanasia/palliative care. I'm actually considering on pursuing a Masters in Bioethics after I finish my PhD and training as a Psychiatrist. I'll probably focus on suicide, but the other topics are just as interesting.

[Amarys]

Violating a person's consent and exposing them to harm is immoral though. A criminal is still a human being.

Our goal should be to help every person and when we arrest a mass murderer we're actually helping them because it's just a matter of time before they mess up and get killed by the one of the people they're trying to murder.

Nah not like that. Life in prison or they are given an option to redeem themselves. It would be voluntary.

[RampageBW1]

No. Mainly because I view the Death Penalty as "legalized murder". I find it reprehensible that we can legally find an excuse to put someone to death because they did a bad.

Then there's the whole "justice system isn't perfect so an innocent man could be sentenced to death" thing.

Also it seems to be very costly to put someone to death. Through extra security, appeals, and method it seems to cost more money than if they just were sentenced to life in prison with no possibility of parole.

[PC2]

Nah not like that. Life in prison or they are given an option to redeem themselves. It would be voluntary.

Oh then that's a great idea but I think prisoners and people on death row already can volunteer to be a part of human experiments. If experiments don't happen then it's usually because society and the government haven't decided that it's ethical and legal yet.

[GreenJesus]

I dont because they can just keep appealing for 30 years and cost taxpayers millions of dollars in legal costs.