Would you vote YES in a referendum on the death penalty?

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Darth Vader

The death penalty should only be used in a highly educated society with stable leaders and a very competent criminal and justice system. If it is instated by uneducated buffoon's with dictators for leaders then a lot of things can go wrong with the judicial proses and the dictator leaders will use it to silence opposition. Less educated and violent societies fear death less when committing violent crimes. Generally speaking, I think educated people fear the consequences of committing violent crime more.
Therefore I'm hesitant to just reinstate it.
Lets rather put them in chains, give them shovels and let them dig trenches all day long to lay waterpipes and other infrastructure. Give them minimal food and whip them if they are lazy. They must do this for the rest of their lives. Most of these bastards fear hard work every day more than they fear death. If this kills them, so be it.

Susan S

No. The question is whether the death penalty prevents or even reduces crime, what the alternatives are and what are the risks of executing innocent people. Sound bites are no substitute for facts with credible sources. Take a look at the death penalty system and alternatives in the United States:

129 people on death rows have been released with proof that they were wrongfully convicted. DNA, available in less than 10% of all homicides, can’t guarantee we won’t execute innocent people.

The death penalty doesn't prevent others from committing murder. No reliable study shows the death penalty deters others. Homicide rates are higher in states and regions that have it than in those that don’t.

Life without parole, on the books in 48 states, also prevents reoffending. It means what it says, and spending 23 of 24 hours a day locked in a tiny cell is not a picnic. Life without parole costs less than the death penalty.

The death penalty is much more expensive than life in prison, mostly because of the upfront costs of legal process which is supposed to prevent executions of innocent people. (upfront=before and during the initial trial)

The death penalty isn't reserved for the worst crimes, but for defendants with the worst lawyers. It doesn't apply to people with money. When is the last time a wealthy person was on death row, let alone executed?

The death penalty doesn't necessarily help families of murder victims. Murder victim family members have testified that the drawn-out death penalty process is painful for them and that life without parole is an appropriate alternative.

Problems with speeding up the process. Over 50 of the innocent people released from death row had already served over a decade. Speed up the process and we will execute innocent people.

Sources:

Death Penalty Information Center, www.deathpenaltyinfo.org, for stats on executions, reports on costs, deterrence studies, links to FBI crime stats and links to testimony (at state legislatures) of victims' family members.

FBI http://www.fbi.gov/ucr/cius2006/data/table_04.html

The Innocence Project, www.innocenceproject.org

http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/COcosttestimony.pdf page 3 and 4 on why the death penalty is so expensive

http://www.njadp.org/forms/signon-survivor.html for statements of victims’ families

blondie

No, judicial murder is no better than murder on the street and has been proven over and over again, too many innocent people have been sentenced to death to even consider bringing back the death penalty, whatever the crime.

redhead

Yes - I think our country has reached a point where these sick people need to be taught there will be serious consequences if they commit a serious crime. Unfortunately our legal system is falling apart and this may be the only way to get the crime level down. I read yet another heart breaking story of a father that was shot and killed in front of his two year old.

mavster

I'm with John -- if even one innocent person was accidentally put to death, that would be one life too many. Who's to decide that they're justified in murdering another human being?

Also, if you're going to recommend the death penalty to drug dealers, then what's to stop you from doing the same for a doctor that prescribed a drug that led to somebody's death, or a pharmacist that accidentally put the wrong drugs into a vial, etc.? Plenty of "approved" drugs kill people, too.

Alf Garnett

At one stage there was no further need for the death penalty in the UK but after 20 years of failed multiculturalism and the flood of immigrants into the Uk who bring their barbaric practices with them it may be time to reintroduce it. In the Greater London area Scotland Yard has had to set up a special unit named Operation Trident to deal with violent Black criminals which tells you a lot.I dont see they have any need to set up special units for English/Scots/Welsh/Irish criminals.

♥ Shōjo-ai

I think that if you rape or molest ANYONE at ANY TIME you should be put to death...

If you murder out of greed or revenge then you should be put to death...

If you do ANYTHING that puts you away with a sentence of "Life without the possibility of parole" then you should be put to death...

Death for sexual crimes because if you molest or rape, you have not just committed a single crime that can be put behind the victim... You have ruined that person's life... They will NEVER be able to get over the violation... From that first second until the day they die, you have tainted their whole life.

You have, basically, killed them inside... So you should face the same punishment as actually killing the person.

Murder for greed or revenge is different than 'emotional' murder in that if you, say, catch your wife in bed with another man, your lucidity and mental stability can fly out of the window... You should go away and face your punishment but you, almost, had a reason for doing what you did...

Killing for "Things" be it money or a car or a pair of shoes is inexcusable... There is no justification for that...

And lastly, if you are NEVER EVER EVER going to get out of prison, they should just off you because of the MASSIVE drain on the resources of our society... All the money going to house, feed, clothe, and care for filth that will never see the light of day ever again COULD be used to care for those that have not committed a horrendous act... Why should a prisoner get health care, crappy though it may be, when there are CHILDREN in the country that have never seen a dentist or gone to hospital because their parents can't afford it?

Those BILLIONS of dollars SHOULD be used to help those in the real world that need it...

I had an elderly friend that was disabled and on SSDisability and he got cancer but couldn't really afford the best care... He smoked weed to help with the horrible pain of treatment and actually told me that he didn't care if he got busted or not for buying weed because if he were busted, the state would have to pick up the FULL BILL and he might just get ALL the treatment he needed to survive... The cancer took him a few months later...

I have needed a hip replacement since the age of 10… I’m 27 now and can’t get treatment because I’m unemployed due to the pain… Since I have been disabled since childhood, I have never been able to hold a job for long periods of time so I don’t have enough “Credits” to get on SSDisability and getting on SSDisability for those disabled before the age of 26 is like trying to flap your arms and fly to the moon…

I’m, to be blunt, fu*ked… I can’t hold a job so I can’t get health insurance to be fixed so that I can work… AND should I get health insurance, my condition is a “Preexisting Condition” because I have had TOO MUCH treatment in my youth, when I was covered by my father’s insurance, so it is too well documented to lie about it and get the treatment I need…

Yeah… I’m damned no matter which way I turn…

Yet we spend BILLIONS of dollars to house, feed, clothe, protect, and provide medical treatment and college courses to people that have killed, stolen, and raped… WTF is up with that?

We need to kill them and use the funds for something that MATTERS… Something that will allow GOOD PEOPLE to live and be healthy…

Enough said…

I*am*me

yes, I would!

CelesteMoone

Nothing else seems to be working. Prisoners are living off the tax money of hard working citizens.

romeoitaly

Darth, took the words right out of my mouth.

I have been saying this for the last decade - hard labour for hard criminals (softer labour for lesser crimes).
South Africa desperately needs to develop and maintain the existing infrastructure.
Put them in chains and make them work, instead of them being a burden to taxpayers they will actually offer the system some relief.

Skyli

Most defiantly... a life for a life is my motto!!

John

Nope. Too many miscarriages of justice in this country as it is. How on earth would you know they had the right person?

Lark

No.
If I was asked to pull the switch, I wouldn't be able to do it. For that simple reason alone, I say, no.
I agree there are hideous crimes, but I wouldn't be able to commit murder myself. I understand the pain people go through when they lose loved ones due to crime, but I think the death penalty is murder. Just my opinion.

cakes

YES !!

Even crimes of passion, otherwise one will find all murderers claiming to have had a liaison with their victim!

Especially in South Africa where the life of another human seems to mean nothing to a killer.

cheri

Yes i would - it is long overdue

Chris

I would vote a def YES, plus put paedophile on that list, death to them all sickos.

MICHAEL S

Yes - Dead men don't re-offend

Wonderstar

Lol Honey a 100% YES
Child murder and rape
Mutti Killings
Defo in hard drugs
And also rape by incest
And all this so called murder on passion why kill a person if that her/he does not love you,rather let them go,why spend the rest of you're life behind bars????
For me yeah it's a YES.xxxx

Susan T

No I wouldn't. Two wrongs don't make a right.

Cherrypicker

The death penalty brings a civilised society down to the level of the criminal.

Heavy D 2

1000 times YES !

referee

An Eye for an Eye! Yes.

Slipper man

MJ - what the hell has happened in your life?

I don't believe you are even contemplating it --- Hell man I feel like a proud father!!!

My answer as you probably know by now is YES to all of the above.... - all we need to do is look at Singapore as an example....

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Thumbs Down? - I KILL YOU:

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