Should we bring back the death penalty?

[louandivy]

No. I don't think the aim of punishment should be to appease the emotions of the victims, but to keep society safer as a whole, like a life-long sentence. No one has the right to decide when another person should die - the whole eye for an eye mentality just screams hypocrisy to me.

The very idea of a society which simply murders people to 'get rid of' the bad seeds starts to edge a little bit uncomfortably towards eugenics for my liking. I cannot believe that there are still some states in the US, which considers itself a civilised country, that still carry out such a barbaric practice. It doesn't mean that I sympathise with murderers or think they should be freed, I just don't think that capital punishment is EVER justified.

I dunno, sometimes I think that to commit a really terrible crime, there has to be some kind of mental instability with the criminal. Someone of completely sound mind just wouldn't have the urge to murder, surely?

 

[Ozzieshunni]

Life sentences in the UK aren't life though. They are 25 years. With an exception of a few cases.

 

[louandivy]

You can get more than one life sentence though.

 

[Dragonfly]

As I said earlier on the justice system isnt right, I dont agree with murder for a murderer but if my family was murdered I probably would feel extremely vengeful and be very pissed they got like a few years for it.

 

[smelly07]

There is a whole life order which means they will spend the rest of their lives in prison which is given to serial killers etc - who clearly are not wired right and then there is a life sentence which means 25 years in prison (or less depending on the crime) but they are lifers, which means they are bound to certain conditions they have to abide by for life when out of prison.

 

[Ozzieshunni]

As I said earlier on the justice system isnt right, I dont agree with murder for a murderer but if my family was murdered I probably would feel extremely vengeful and be very pissed they got like a few years for it.

This is what I'm going at. I think too little attention is paid to victim rights. Not saying they should decide the fate of the offender (before anyone decides to pick that apart).

 

[louandivy]

But just because you feel vengeful doesn't justify it or mean that it should be considered in a sentence. I personally don't think that it is a very healthy way of coping with grief either and I don't see how capital punishment would truly comfort anyone in an already horrible situation. Not in the long run.

 

[louandivy]

Maybe more support should be offered to a victim but vengeance is not the answer!

 

[louandivy]

Arguing about the death penalty on bnb in the middle of the day is a definite sign that I am supposed to be writing a university assignment right now. Eurgh.

 

[Ozzieshunni]

Maybe more support should be offered to a victim but vengeance is not the answer!

There are loads of support organizations for victims in the UK. In fact, the one I volunteer for is piloting a new program to keep victims even more informed about the progress of their case. Still though, victims are constantly ignored and left in the dark.

 

[louandivy]

I don't understand how the fact that victims are left in the dark is an argument towards the death penalty?

 

[Ozzieshunni]

I don't understand how the fact that victims are left in the dark is an argument towards the death penalty?

I was answering your question about support for victims.

 

[smelly07]

what about the prisoners families - known as 'the forgotten victims' it all has a knock on effect to even more innocent people x

 

[Ozzieshunni]

what about the prisoners families - known as 'the forgotten victims' it all has a knock on effect to even more innocent people x

There are support organizations for them too

 

[smelly07]

i also meant in the terms of killing prisoners, the prisoners family are also innocent people involved in the situation and yet are being punished even more so iykwim whatever the circumstance a death is a death and i would imagine just because the prisoner may (or not) have done something wrong it wouldnt make it any less painful x

 

[Ozzieshunni]

It goes both ways again. The victims' families have often lost someone in a very brutal way. It would be cruel if the offender had to die the same way as the victim.

 

[Natsku]

Its cruel for them to die in any way. But most people don't think of, or care about, the prisoners' families

 

[JASMAK]

Its cruel for them to die in any way. But most people don't think of, or care about, the prisoners' families

I would have to say that I don't care about the offender's family. Not saying they aren't suffering, or hurting...if anything...it's another crime stacked up against the offender...they ONLY think of themseves. Such a shame. But, no...the offenders families should have no say. I suppose they can beg for mercy, but at the end of the day...I would rather not hear them. I am speaking from my past personal experience as a victim here, not my profession. Saying all this, I am mostly opposed to death penalty, but for ALL crimes and jail time I am referring to here.

 

[Natsku]

I would think most people think the same way as you. But I find that very sad.

 

[smelly07]

I dont believe EVERY prisoner only thinks of themselves at all, (repeat offenders possibly) every persons story is different and people do change and can change and think differently - A prisoner doing 19 years on death row and then being put to death is just so wrong in so many ways and i have a great deal of empathy for the prisoners families x