Death Penalty
So this may be a somewhat older topic, but I think it’s still quite interesting (especially since we are only 1 of 2 industrialized nations that continue to utilize the death penalty). Watch the VIDEO and read the short article.
One of the interesting things about this latest CA ruling is that the judge threw out the death penalty due to its infrequent use. So although CA has 700+ people on death row they haven’t executed anyone in years.
Thoughts?
I think the death penalty shouldn’t be used at all, and after reading the article I definitely stand by my opinion. California has 748 people on death row, yet they haven’t carried out an execution since 2006. Millions are spent every year filing for appeals and caring for these death row inmates because they aren’t in general population, and spend 23 hours a day in their cell. People sometimes live years and years on death row, and some even die waiting to be executed. I get why some people think death row is the right answer, but I think if we sentenced these inmates to life in prison without the chance of parole, we are getting the same outcome; keeping these people behind bars until they die. By doing this we are saving money and not executing innocent people.
I agree with Kelsey. I don’t think the death penalty should exist. After reading the article about how broken the California’s death penalty is, clearly it’s not playing out how people expect it to. The fact that that there are 748 inmates on death row, but an execution hasn’t been payed out since 2006 shows just how abrehensive even the state and federal courts are about the death penalty. In that case, why not just get rid of the death penalty? I think it’s a little absurd that 1978, 900 people have been sentenced to death row. Of that 900, only 13 have been executed, and 94 have died of other causes. Like Kelsey said, why pay all that money to have inmates on death row if the process isn’t going to get carried out? I think life in prison without the possibility of parole is a more justifiable punishment than keeping inamtes on death row for their entire prison life. I think its time to get rid of this broken system.
I do not agree with the prior two ladies. If they are in prison for life, then we are paying for them for life AND they will never return to our world. When a crime is so horrendous it requires life in prison, then it truly is the end of a life. The only benefit of keeping individuals alive on death row or life in prison, is for our collective conciounse. Especially in countries nowadays with DNA testing the prospect of a wrongful conviction or death is dwindling. I do not ant to pay a lifetime of “care” for one of these non-rehabilitative individuals.
I do however agree that the appeals process is broke, and it should be shortened if anything, there should not be a decade of appeals before execution. There is a difference between correcting a behavior and excluding certain individuals who partake in terrible actions from the population. I would keep the death penalty solely to premeditated homicides, someone who will take life in a non military or defensive manner deserves nothing more but an eye for an eye. People complain of the price of these drugs used for executions, but I will always advocate alternative means to this “humane” lethal injection… which I also do not believe is all that humane or instant. On the flip side mind you that 99.9%(unsupported made up generalized percentage!) of people in this situation are worthy of worst ways of execution than injection or firing squad.
Oh and this reminds me of the Norwegian bomber and shooter who got 25 years in prison because Norway doesn’t have the balls to deal with him. Best part is he gets his own cell and a state sponsored masters or higher education.He killed 77 people and wounded many more, but progress in Norway has just added insult to injury.
I’m on the fence about the death penalty itself, but if we are to have such a penalty it needs to be carried out promptly. It should not be possible to receive a sentence of death and then spend 20+ years in appeal. The death penalty should be reserved only for the most heinous, the worst of the worst murders, where there is unanimous support for the punishment. If the death penalty is to serve as an effective deterrence, it needs to be carried out immediately.
The video stated the United States executed 38 people to Japan’s 8. That was somewhat interesting so I looked up some other numbers… The murder rate in the U.S is roughly 15 times that of Japan’s (wikipedia 4.7 vs .3), but we only execute less than 5 times the amount of prisoners they do. Of course there are a ton of differences between the two countries and I know far less about the Japanese criminal justice system than I do our own, but I wonder why the disparity?
I believe in the death penalty and stand firm with the decision that it should be kept and it is extremely controversial subject but if found guilty of murder they should definitely be sentenced to the death penalty. there are a lot of things that should be done differently for instance there should not be as long of a waiting period in which more money is spent. We also need to find a more efficient way to do the job which costs tax payers less money
I’ve always been confused on that to think about the death penalty. I believe that spending 23 hours alone and without freedom in a cell is enough punishment especially for life and without parole. BUT when I think of those offenders who rape, torture, and murder people then I can’t help to think they should get the death penalty. I agree that the system is broken. There will always being people who disagree on what is constitutional or not but the fact that no executions have been carried out since 2006 is nonsensical. I feel like a state should either have the death penalty or not…no pauses or stops.
I think the death penalty and the idea of death row are a interesting and complex subject of discussion. I believe that as a country, if we are to uphold this type of punishment we need to have everyone on board. If not, then (us) as a nation need to figure out a different solution to our problems. The CNN video stated that 32 of the 50 states label capital punishment as illegal. With a situation like this having some states allow capital punishment and others (the majority)claim it illegal stirs up controversy. The idea of the death penalty isn’t necessarily a bad idea, I feel it is just organized and ran poorly. It is expensive to keep prisoners in prison. If the crimes of a certain individual are so horrendous, I don’t think U.S. citizens should be paying for that individual to rot in a cell. If swift action is enacted and these certain criminals are put to death quickly I feel it would save individuals money, help clear out the issues of overcrowded prisons, and allow justice to be served.
I think the death penalty should not be used. After reading the article I know stand firmly on that decision.There are so many people on death row and still waiting to killed but have not. It is a waste of time and money. I believe no crime should be worth someone’s life. Everyone can change in my opinion and have a chance at rehabilitation. So much money is spent on appeals that is not going to happen, is a waste. People sometimes live years and years on death row. Like what is the point of waiting. If you are going to execute then get it over with like the colonial period. I agree, just get rid of it unless you are going to kill the person right then and there. Lets no waste the people money and time. People rotting in jail is just as bad.
I am 100% against the death penalty, always have been. I just don’t see the point in utilizing this type of punishment. There is no rehabilitation in this process, nor is there any deterrence in it either. In all truths I believe this punishment to be quite hypocritical if I may say so myself. Majority of the people on death row have landed themselves there because they committed murder for whatever reason. The state is trying to send a message to the murderer that killing someone is wrong, by killing them. That is the most hypocritical message ever! If it were up to me I would eliminate the death penalty in every state and substitute it with life imprisonment without parole. That would save tax payer’s dollars, and court officials a lot of time. I believe this to be a more effective punishment than killing them because than the person gets to spend the rest of their lives behind bars to think about what they did to get themselves there. Needless to mention that many death row inmates die of other causes before they are able to be executed. The video even pointed out that 40% of inmates have been on death row for more than 19 years. If they are going to spend that long in prison waiting to die then why can’t we eliminate this form of corporal punishment and still provide them with punishment? I just don’t see the point in it.
I do not believe that their should be a death penalty. This goes against the eight Amendment, which is; “There shall be no cruel or unusual punishment.” After watching the video, many are put on death row, and many spend nearly twenty three hours in Solitary Confinement. I belive spending the last of their years in prison, thinking of there loved ones, and life is a high breaking point of the eight Amendment.