Capital Punishment

More Than Mortal · February 18, 2015, 05:54:17 PM

Please expand on why you support or oppose it in the comments.

Personally, I couldn't support capital punishment on some sort of retributive moral foundation. I could only support it if it operated as an effective deterrent, and I really can't form a conclusion on the matter. We have retired federal judges coming out against it, and studies which show 88pc of criminologists reject the idea that the death penalty lowers homicide rates.

It seems almost to be the "technical" consensus among anybody with a semi-decent understanding of the issue that capital punishment doesn't, in fact, deter crime. Yet this doesn't really demonstrate the whole picture. A 2007 study showed a significant negative correlation between executions and homicide rates the following year, over the course of 1979 to 2007. They went on to conduct an analysis to see if the correlation was coincidental, and concluded that the chances of it indeed being coincidental was an astronomical 18,000-to-1, and that each execution seems to be associated with 71 fewer murders in the same year on average.

There have been more conservative estimations of the deterrent effect--ranging from three to 18--according to an economist's testimony to a Senate committe, which an study by another economist and law professor corroborates.

There have, in response to these findings (back in early 2006), been accusationsof methodological issues, and people like Jimmy Carter have noted how Red states who perform 80pc of the executions normally have higher homicide rates (no idea if this is, indeed, true).

So, as of right now, I'm genuinely undecided.

Turkey · February 18, 2015, 05:59:03 PM

I'd support it for offenders that repeatedly demonstrate an inability to rehabilitate or cooperate in prison, meaning they pose a threat to both society and fellow inmates. As the death penalty stands now, it's expensive and time consuming, and there's still an uncomfortable margin of error in convictions. I'd probably be more of an advocate for it in an ideal justice system with the ability to prove guilt with certainty and a streamlined appeal process. Though since those things are basically impossible for the foreseeable future, I think it's best for us to move away from using it.

maverick · February 18, 2015, 06:15:28 PM

Only with convicts that show a greater risk being incarcerated than put to death would it be necessary.

Flee · February 18, 2015, 06:22:25 PM

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More Than Mortal · February 18, 2015, 06:26:19 PM

Quote from: Flee on February 18, 2015, 06:22:25 PM

Also, Meta, one of the main issues with the death penalty (in all likelihood) not deterring any crime is the extremely small chance of actually being sentenced to death and being executed. This was a topic in my Criminal Sanctioning Law class last semester that partially dealt with a study showing that since there's only 35 executions in the US every year (for example), the odds that you'd ever get sentenced to death for anything other than the most heinous of crimes (serial rapists / torturers / killers, for example) are so remote that there is almost no way it would actually deter anyone.

So, what you're saying is. . . We need to kill some more motherfuckers?

Statefarm · February 18, 2015, 06:36:46 PM

I don't see how death makes people have second thoughts. If anything, rotting in prison for life is worse.

Flee · February 18, 2015, 06:41:55 PM

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Luciana · February 18, 2015, 07:21:21 PM

I don't support it because it's been proven innocent people have been put to death. It's a flawed system in that regard. Plus, rotting for life in prison sounds like a war worse hell to me.

Luciana · February 18, 2015, 07:22:23 PM

Quote from: Flee on February 18, 2015, 06:41:55 PM

(as it is perhaps the only first world country still applying the death penalty)

How surprising that America is behind the rest of the Western world.

Nascent Email · February 18, 2015, 10:50:56 PM

I support the death penalty. When someone commits a crime so heinous that there can be no forgiveness then they should be put to death.

Mega Sceptile · February 18, 2015, 11:16:15 PM

I believe the death penalty should be only reserved for the lowest of the low, mass murderers and those who commit acts of mass terrorism against the innocent population, but I also feel should be reserved for those who have shut themselves off of any chance at a life outside of jail.

Destati · February 19, 2015, 02:10:36 AM

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Verbatim · February 19, 2015, 02:18:04 AM

This is actually a topic that I never talk about, just because my beliefs are just too draconian for some people.

In a word, yes. Some people just deserve to be killed, in my eyes.
And not just the "lowest of the low".

Disagree if you like. No desire to argue.

Verbatim · February 19, 2015, 02:20:38 AM

And before anyone goes there--no, I am not talking about killing people who disagree with me or my ideals.
For fuck's sake.

I would request that you make it so we can change our vote, however. For, admittedly, my opinion on the matter is rooted in pathos.

challengerX · February 19, 2015, 03:57:27 AM

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challengerX · February 19, 2015, 04:01:26 AM

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Flee · February 19, 2015, 04:12:40 AM

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Rinev · February 19, 2015, 05:05:41 AM

In my Philosophy class we learned that some inmates would actually prefer the death penalty. The reason being is because the jury and everyone would revise the cases more to make sure that you weren't killing an innocent man. Where as with prison they can just let you out if proven innocent.

Strogger · February 19, 2015, 07:57:05 AM

The most important thing to point out here is that Jimmy Carter is a complete idiot. Anything he says should instantly be disregarded.

Mordo · February 19, 2015, 08:01:26 AM

Nah I don't support it.

Not because I'm into the whole "stare into the dark and the dark stares back heurghfeurhg" morality shit, but as people have previously mentioned the resources required to actually convict and sentence someone to execution is astronomical.

Incan · February 19, 2015, 08:12:26 AM

I don't agree with it, mainly because innocent people can end up dead when they don't deserve it. That and I believe that it's possible to reform people.

Poll

Do you support it?

Capital Punishment