Debate: Capital punishment

[marley2580]

As it currently stands capital punishment is banned under the Human Rights Act and all Western countries (with the exception of the USA) have outlawed it. Are they right or should it be brought back? If so, for which crimes? What about miscarriages of justice? How could it be made fair for those that don't have the money for the best lawyers?

This is an emotive subject so please keep it civil


Before you discuss, please read through the rules carefully and if you feel that there are any you cannot agree with please do not join in the debate. This debate is to be discussed maturely and anyone breaking the rules will be asked to leave the debate until told by me they can come back.

RULES- PLEASE READ!

- Although voicing your opinion is encouraged, please do not personally attack another participant whilst doing so.

- Please do not preach or force your opinion on others.

- What is said in this thread stays in this thread. Do not carry it over to other areas of the forum, or facebook. Anyone caught doing this will forfeit from the rest of the debate.

- Each debate will have a neutral moderator (the original poster) who is impartial and not taking part in the debate. They have the final say if any disagreements crop up. Please do not argue with them and if they ask you to leave the thread or take some time out please respect that and don't take it personally.

Happy debating and remember, you can voice your opinion without getting nasty so PLAY NICE

x

 

[buttonnose82]

As easy as it would be to sit here and say 'yes bring it back' I just can't, the rational part of me thinks, no, surely they are punished for longer emotionally, physiologically etc if they are kept in prison. However I would want to see the entire prison system changed in regards to this ..... do they really deserve the flat screen TV, play stations and such like?) I would rather these type of people be kept in basic conditions, that meets their daily basic needs and nothing more (prison isn't really punishment as such anymore due to throwing everything at them to keep them quiet for screaming 'human rights')

I don't think killing 1 person because they killed another is really the way forward, an eye for an eye doesn't really sit right with me

for the 2nd part of the topic (miscarriage of justice) I'll have a think and come back to that one

 

[Blah11]

I don't believe in an eye or an eye type logic. It just doesn't make any sense to me. That would make us just as bad as the criminal and miscarriages of justice are even more reason as to why I don't agree with it. There must be loads of criminals who were executed before DNA evidence was as good as it is now THINK JON COFFEE!

 

[Hayley90]

I dont agree with killing someone because they did... it makes the justice system as bad as the crimes it works to stop.

It's very easy to look at a case-by-case basis and say "he should die for that" but in reality, it wouldn't achieve or accomplish anything. If anything, it just spreads the hurt around.

I agree with Buttonnose that the whole prison service needs to be overhauled though, it seems this country plays into the hands of our criminals by giving them too many rights & entitlements.

Life should mean life, not 10 years with parole. And prison should mean basic needs, nothing fancy.

 

[buttonnose82]

i agree with hayley also that life should mean life, it annoys the hell out of me when they get a 'life sentence' and are out after 15 years!) I also think they shouldn't be allowed reduced sentences for 'good behavior' they should have been 'good' in the first place, no they should serve the entire sentence to which they are given

 

[Rhi_Rhi1]

not sure exactly where i stand on this ... on one hand.. at least they can't do it again.. on the other maybe they would suffer longer emotionally to rot in jail? ... but they are not .. we are paying for them to sit in prison, eat good food and play on the internet....
I know of someone who was murdered (my brothers best friend) ... his killers are now free ... is this fair ? i would say no!!

 

[Hayley90]

The good behaviour thing bugs me too. You can normally guarantee their good behaviour is simply through not leaving a cell for 12 hours a day... not hard. I can stay in all day and not break the law! - anyone can! They should prove themselves by DOING things, and making an effort with other people. No point hiding away and being rewarded for it. I dont mind rewards internally (extra cigarettes or whatever) but reducing sentences is stupid - they got that sentence for a reason. x

 

[Rhi_Rhi1]

sorry i meant to say... i would sooner they just left murderers to rot in jail for ever.. "life should mean life" but basic life .. no books .. no tv no internet

 

[aob1013]

As much as i would like it to be brought back, in reality it just wouldn't work. We've moved on from those times, just because someone killed a person - wouldn't it be a bit hypocritical if someone then killed the murderer too?

On the revenge side of things, i can see how it would make the victims/victims families feel good, but i really don't think CP is appropriate anymore.

Tbh, i'd rather criminals have to sit in a tiny room with a bed and toilet for 50 years doing absolutely nothing, then letting them essentially 'get away with it easy' by killing them.

 

[kglo]

I work with MAPPA Offenders; murderers, rapists, child sex offenders etc etc.

I feel that the prison system needs to be stricter; many feel secure within the system and state they have a much better quality of life in prison than on the outside; so prison is not really punishment at all.

Most have to do offending programmes, however if someone denies the crime they do not have to do the programmes.

Sentencing needs to be more consistant; I have seen appalling crimes where a sentance of 1 year is passed, when the offender has been on the run for 5 years leaving the victim unable to move on.

I think a sentance should be passed in parts; so long in prison and so long in community where programmes have to be completed.

Life does mean life in the UK; what is does not mean is life in prison, it means life on licence with recall to prison for bad behaviour; however there are many in the UK who are deemed to dangerous for release; so will not be released unless the risk reduces; which rarely happens.

Prison should be punishment; make people work to pay for their stay in prison; to much tax payers money is spent on offenders to have TV's, playstations etc etc.

I think Human Rights should be removed from prisoners (in part), why should the tax payer pay for the solicitor expenses; most prisoners I work with have a solicitor fighting unnessersary things at our expense; legal aid need reviewing.

 

[rubixcyoob.]

Capital Punishment should not be reintroduced into our legal system at all. If you kill someone or condone the killing of someone because of an act they committed, in the end you are no better than them imo. You cannot say it is okay to kill one person but wrong to kill another. It's a total contradication, murder is murder regardless of who it is and why it is done.
Plus, it would just bring out street vigilantes. Think about people who get off scott free but others just feel as though they deserve to be punished. Seeing capital punishment brought back may make these vigilantes feel as though they are allowed to do this also.

Plus, those who do commit the henious of crimes and gang lords etc. they won't be punished, it will be those who cannot afford lawyers that will be killed, totally corrupt. The rich will live and the poor will die. There is also too many cases of innocent men being put away for a long long time that would have probably gotten them capital punishment, just look at death row in America.

As for the prison system, don't get me started! Flat screen tv's, ps3s, state of the art equipment etc. Plus a chef from a 5 start hotel went into a prison and tasted the food and reported that it was just as good as the food served in his hotel! Were is the justice in this!? They are leading a life of luxury for being criminals. No no no. Prisons should be harsher and stricter. No tvs, no ps3s, not wearing their own comfy clothes and shoes etc. It's not a holiday the tax payer should pay for imo. Plus, sentences need to be stuck too. Not reduced for good behaviour. Not 25 years meaning 'life'. It's just not right

 

[JASMAK]

Sometimes I am all for capital punishment, although, religiously, it goes against everything I believe in. "An eye for an eye only makes the world blind". Maybe so....but, those who murder or rape children....so long as we KNOW for sure (DNA etc) then yes, please forgive me God, but, I think they should not only die, but have it done EXACTLY how they did it to someone else. I hope I don't sound like a terrible person...I am not. But, with sick f*cks out there, it makes me so sick.

 

[jenniferannex]

This is a tough one which ive never been able to decide on, I think if you kill them then there getting the easy way out, they should suffer in prison, but prisons these days it's like a bloody holiday camp!! ( I only know because my dad was sent to prison, nothing bad though! )
But Then I think they should live through the fear of knowing they are going to die, but like I said it's an easy way out for them, they don't have to live with what they have done if their dead.
People like child abusers eg. Take baby p for example. People like that don't deserve to live, and yet they still got a short sentence in my oppoinion, which means they can come out of prison to have another child and do it again, I really am indecisive on this issue, I can see both points to each side as to why to and why not bring if back,
But to be honest with the prison system these days j would be leaning more towards bringing it back for murderers, child abusers etc, man slaughter on the other hand i would just say imprisonment.

 

[morri]

I am against any sort of capital punishment.

 

[Panda_Ally]

No i dont think capital punishment is ever right, what if they get it wrong???

Although i do think life in prison should be less easy and prisons should be self sufficent requiring no money from the tax payer, so the inmates do all the cleaning cooking laundry grow food work for money and make things to sell, work the land etc etc, although prison officers should still get a good wage. I dont know much more really just that prisoners get off too lightly!!!

 

[tasha41]

I am totally against capital punishment. I would rather we kept 100 criminals alive in prison than kill one innocent man or woman.

But that being said I find it to be totally unfair that criminals can go to jail and come out with college diplomas and such, maybe it should be available to juveniles but not grown adults who commit crimes!

I also do not believe criminals should receive pensions or any form of $$, maybe if they have a wife or family the money could be sent to them instead, but otherwise what on earth do they need it for in prison.

 

[Logan's Mum]

Great debate topic
I dont think capital punishment should be re-introduced, I dont think "an eye for an eye" is an appropriate way to judge actions or punish people. If we take the life of a murderer we are no better than they are, becoming murderers ourselves I think instead prisoners who might end up on death row should be put in to hard labour, to make them at least useful rather than a drain on the country's resources with feeding them etc.

 

[jennie_78]

My brother was murdered. I wouldnt want to see the return of the death penalty, but life should mean their whole natual life.

 

[mummy3]

I would bring it back within reason.
Obviously there would have to be stringent laws in place to make sure there is no miscarriages of justice.

A lot of serial murderers can not be rehabilitated and will not feel any remorse no matter how much we want them to suffer and repent I feel the millions of dollars/pounds would be much better spend back in the community.

For cases where an offender has the possibility of rehabilitation however and is properly psychologically assessed then the death penalty is not appropriate.

 

[Aidan's Mummy]

No I don't think it should be brought back but I do see why the families of the victims would want them to hurt.

My sisters brother is in jail for murder. Now I grew up with this boy and he is evil. The man he killed could only be identified by his dental records. He got life but could be out in 4 years (he was given life with min 11 years). He has things like a tv etc in his room.

The whole family have disowned him and I think he should have a bed and toilet that is it. He killed a man beat him to death. He doesn't diserve luxeries and he DEFIANLTY doesn't diserve parol. So no I don't think it should be brought back. I would love to hurt some of the sickos out there. But I wouldn't actually go through with it IYNWIM.

Also in some cases some people are innocent so we could be killing innocent people.

I guess my point is life should mean life. And they have the bare essentials nothing else
xx