<p>I won't state my opinion yet, but are you guys for or against it? Why?</p>
<p>It depends on the situation.</p>
<p>^Huh…? So, you are in favor, then?</p>
<p>I don’t believe in the death penalty. </p>
<p>It’s not that I’m against the brutality of it. I just think criminals are getting off easy by dying.</p>
<p>Going to prison for life is worse.</p>
<p>you can’t punish a murder with another murder. that’s just dumb.</p>
<p>Well, you have to look at it from an economic perspective too. The death penalty is up to the state. I’m not sure if this is still being debated, but I know that in California, the death penalty was found to be unconstitutional by many individuals. They were considering extending death row, which obviously costs money, something that comes from tax payers. The injections themselves cost money too though.</p>
<p>Looking at the situation from a moral perspective, should someone who has valid evidence against them for killing a multitude amount of people be enabled to live in prison for the rest of their life off of the support of tax dollars? The injections themselves aren’t as painful as something like the electric chair. </p>
<p>I’m indecisive on whether or not I support it.</p>
<p>yeah boths sides definately have vaild arguments.</p>
<p>a person who killed someone would definately WANT to die rather than be stuck in a boring jail cell the rest of their life. why not punish them with something they do not want…</p>
<p>For it, depending on the situation. Why should we waste money supporting the entire life of a murderer, rapist, etc. under high security, I’m sure the life-sentence costs would far outweigh the injection costs.</p>
<p>EDIT: And depending on the situation, I mean like HARD EVIDENCE that the person is a serial killer or whatever.</p>
<p>If they streamlined the process so that people didn’t sit around for years before they were killed (the death penalty has been shown to be a deterrent only when executed–no pun intended–within a certain time period. A year, maybe?) and the injection process was made cheaper (or we used hanging, which is actually pretty quick/painless when done correctly), then yes, I’m for the death penalty. </p>
<p>I’m not for the eye for an eye philosophy all the time, but in this case, it makes sense–why would you allow a murderer back into society? They’ve intentionally violated the legal system as well as societal (I would say moral, but someone could easily point out a random cannibalistic society) norms. So that leaves two options: jail for life, or death. And let’s be honest, the US jail system, as unpleasant as it may be, is nothing like the prisons of less democratic nations. Yes, their basic freedoms are taken way, but they still have the opportunity to participate in the society that is death row–exercise, helping in the kitchen, etcetc. And taxpayers are paying for these people to be kept up.</p>
<p>Really, my only qualm with the whole death penalty is that the medical professionals administering the injection are violating their Hippocratic oath, which I think is sacrosanct. (And yes, I do watch House, lol).</p>
<p>Sorry if all of that’s somewhat incoherent…</p>
<p>Oh, and my mom posed an interesting question the other day (she’s my church’s youth group leader). She thinks the death penalty is unacceptable if even one innocent person is killed. Thoughts?</p>
<p>And there is my opening…I am so so so so against it BECAUSE that innocent people are STILL being killed. It’s worth taking away the entire system of death penalty to save that ONE innocent person. Let them rot away in jail–I’ll give you money for that if it means saving that person.</p>
<p>very good new yorker article on a potential–but looks like–innocent man: [Cameron</a> Todd Willingham, Texas, and the death penalty : The New Yorker](<a href=“http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2009/09/07/090907fa_fact_grann]Cameron”>Trial by Fire | The New Yorker)</p>
<p>and, the video (which is MUCH shorter than article): [YouTube</a> - Todd Willingham - Innocent and Executed (Nightline Sept 17, 2009 Part 1 of 2)](<a href=“http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFA2IGVOcw8]YouTube”>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFA2IGVOcw8) … part 2 under related</p>
<p>Even when it looks like all evidence is valid and points to a conclusion, it has been wrong. Therefore, we should abolish the death penalty…doubt it will happen, but I hope…</p>
<p>If we’re talking about cost, then we should make marijuana legal. Lots of people are in jail for it. This will leave a lot of room for real criminals.</p>
<p>^I actually agree with that. Marijuana should be legalized. It’s stupid that alcohol is legal, yet marijuana is illegal. In fact, the government could capitalize on it quite well.</p>
<p>Against it.</p>
<p>Nobody has the authority to take away the gift of life.</p>
<p>
Ironically, the death penalty is often costlier. First of all, each prisoner on death row has to go through several appeals. At the same time, typically employing several attorneys, all while using your tax dollars. In addition, the price to pay judges, prosecutors, and public defenders, which also drains your tax dollars. In contrast to, paying for a prison guard which are paid significantly less and are often watching over several prisoners, which decreases the amount spent to take care of an individual prisoner. Essentially, the trial costs for someone on death row, greatly exceeds the price spent to take care of person spending life in prison.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Quoted for truth and logic.</p>
<p>^^whoa good call. first faulkner now this. :O</p>
<ol>
<li>Theoretically, the first innocent person to be executed warrants the execution of the judge/jury/whoever else was responsible
1a. “Crimes of every kind should be less frequent, in proportion to the evil they produce to society.”
1b. Thus, the death penalty is illogical because it increases the probability of crime.</li>
</ol>
<p>In addition, crimes punished with capital punishment were found to be more expensive (by a lot) than those that would result in life imprisonment, making the cost disparity much smaller.</p>
<p>as a result, the death penalty should be outlawed as cruel and illogical.</p>
<p>^^^Orly? I see… the more you know haha. That makes me extremely angry.</p>
<p>This is my opinion.</p>
<p>1) Yes, the injections are expensive. What if there was a way to make them less expensive?
2) If I was related to someone who was killed by a serial killer, I wouldn’t want to pay for their attacker’s food bills and support their life.
3) Yes, the person’s life has meaning, just like everyone elses’. Does that mean that we should enable a serial killer, who’s liable for the deaths of many, to stay alive at society’s expense?
4) Wouldn’t the death penalty initiate fear into other possible attackers? If they knew that they would die for their actions, they might alternate their thinking.</p>
<p>There’s a difference between staying alive and living.</p>
<p>Oh, and keep this in mind.</p>
<p>Good is a point of view. 10 points to anyone who knows where that’s from.</p>