I do not believe in the death penalty. I do not believe that it does anything to crime rates. A murderer does not think "oh, maybe I shouldn't do this, I'll get the death penalty." No way.

Some quotes on the death penalty:

"I am not convinced that capital punishment, in and of itself, is a deterrent to crime because most people do not think about the death penalty before they commit a violent or capital crime."
--Willie L. Williams, Police Chief, Los Angeles, CA

From:

http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/dpic.r03.html

"Police chiefs do not believe that the death penalty significantly reduces the number of homicides."

"The death penalty was rated as the least cost-effective method for controlling crime."

Yeah, yeah, I know you'll call it a liberal site, no facts, it's all lies. I have posted my opinion and a good site that I believe to be informative. These are my views.

First I would like to ask why this is a topic in the helping kids section, but that isn't really important since there is nothing that can be done about it now.

Some people think that it isn't a deterrent but if we execute murderers and there is in fact no deterrent effect, we have killed a bunch of murderers. If we fail to execute murderers, and doing so would in fact have deterred other murders, we have allowed the killing of a bunch of innocent victims. I would much rather risk the first choise. This, to me, is not a tough call. It is hard to scientifically evaluate the deterrent effect and so the risk that I have stated above is the one that plays a role in the scenario. I believe it does have a deterrent effect and that that is one of the reasons for continuing the existence of capital punnishment.

As a great poet once said "The death penalty is a warning, just like a lighthouse throwing its beams out to sea. We hear about shipwrecks, but we do not hear about the ships the lighthouse guides safely on their way. We do not have proof of the number of ships it saves, but we do not tear the lighthouse down." This is very true and is the proof of why capital punnishment should not be abolished. I challenge anyone to prove me wrong on this point.

"Freedom is not Free"-Korean War Memorial, Washington DC.

I agree with you Italian!!

Our society is all about examples. Most of the time, we want to set a good example for someone to follow. However, in the case of murder, we want to set an example so extreme that no one will want to commit such a selfish act again.

In our society, the death penalty is necessary in order to protect people from these dangerous killers, as well as to send a message to any possible murderers. If we simply sentence someone to life imprisonment, they are merely reaping the benefits of the taxpayers prison systems.

To me, are prison systems are too nice for the average murderer. Prisons need to be taken back to the days of Alcatraz before we even consider life imprisonment. Otherwise, criminals are living a taxfree luxury life at the expense of the hard-working tax paying Americans.

The death penalty is not only a way to rid our society of evil people, but it is also a way to send a message. Yes, the death penalty has become increasingly expensive, but I find it a small price to pay to end the life of one murderer, rather than risk the lives of innocent people.

I have struggled with this issue for a long time; my parents are extremely liberal, and are both against the death penalty. I also go to a catholic school, where we're generally taught that capital punishment is wrong. I've thought about "rebelling" and being in favor of it, but I can't help feeling like a hypocrite when I do. I believe that all forms of life need to be respected and protected- no matter how old that person is, nor what they've done in life. That's why I have to criticize the way people believe that abortion is wrong, but not capital punishment (or vice versa). Anywho thanks for listening!

For an assigment i had to pick a side and debate. this was hard cause i dont know what to think. it cost as much to save someone in jail as it does to fry them. i guess i would have to agree with a punishment that isnt' seen much today. An arm for an arm kind of thing. If you steal you get your arm cut off the 2nd time. but when it comes to muder alls fair in love and war! I believe that the man who did the oklahoma city bombing should have been but in a chair in the middle of a stadium and ANY realitves could beat him with like a stick or a stone kind of thing, he inflicted pain so show him what's it's all about! In the end yes i think the death penality is right if under the right circimantaces. later

dope-

I agree, you really cannot be in a 100% sure judicial system. But then again, i dont see many other judicial systems that are actually as effective as ours (okay fine...singapore).

I would like to think that an effective reform system could be established in the prison system for those serving with lesser offenses such as robbery or something of that degree, but i dont see anything like that happening soon.

Personally i am at a point in my life where i am straddling the fence on what i believe should be done with the death penalty. I guess with where i am now, i cannot stand the fact that serial killers are allowed to live after they have taken so many lives. What use to society does a person have when he is nothing but a sick, disturbed and unreformable shell of a man? Absolutely zero. Yes, i agree, there are many that are wrongly convicted, but with the technology curve, that is becoming less common with DNA and such. But, if you get the Dalmers and Gacies...heck, even the bin Ladins, those sick and twisted individuals that, without a doubt, are guilty of their crimes, i feel they should not live. It is in these extreme cases that i feel action should be taken. With the other, less "violent" murders i guess you can call it, the murderers should just be locked up and the key thrown away.

Heck at least we are humane and caring with our death penalties, using lethal injection: in some middle east countries the death penalty is having a 3 story brick wall fall on you.

There's my rant, like it? hate it? deal with it.

Acer

It is a very extreme measure, but it should only be taken if and when there is a person who has no conscience concerning their many heinous crimes (such as a massacre or something else very violent). If I were more like my Republican friend, I would say that we need to teach them what the people they killed felt like at the moment of death. But who are we to judge when and how they die? I am for the death penalty when a person cannot be helped by therapy to stop murdering, or refuses to go to therapy and/or apologize for his or her crimes. Only those who have taken human life should even be considered, in my opinion. If they apologize and realize their wrongs, and attempt to correct their behavior, then they are free of any malice I personally might have towards them. The death penalty is a good idea, but NEVER should it be overused. George W. has used it quite a bit in his home state of Texas. And yet he claims to be against abortion, which to him equals murder. Is the life of a child which might be a serial killer in the making more precious than a criminal who may try to turn his or her life around?

Just a few questions for y'all to ponder...

Peace,

Birdy

well put dopilicious, i completely agree with you so far

Your're welcome!! she is getting a lot better!!

Thanks Lilsarah. I was just curious. I hope your daughter will be fine.

’I couldn't careless about the innocent people who lost or or going to lose their lives. It's not my problem..sorry!!’
From a previous post- I quoted you exactly. You wrote that and you say you were talking about people only on death row, however is sounds pretty broad to me.
In another post you said:
’I didn't mean it in a rude way, I simply meant that I don't care about them or their situations b/c there's nothing I can do, and it doesn't concern me!!’

I am saying it does concern you and it is society’s problem (your problem too). You and I pay for the costs of executions, which end up being outrageously expensive. Not something I want to have my taxes going to, especially with such an inaccurate judicial system.

Your comment about Dean not caring about life so you don’t care about his life is nearer to the core of a larger problem than you may think. It’s a child’s argument of “he did it first, so I can”. As an American citizen you have a right to choose what you think. Choose wisely, especially as a mother. I say this because I care about you, despite the fact that I don’t know you or your daughter. I’m sure you are often happy, however as you have even said you are defensive. I can relate. I am ”on you’re a$$” because you remind me of me. Remember, I said that I used to believe in the death penalty, but I don’t anymore? I feel it is my duty to connect with people who may not know all the facts. You say:
’I also wanted to comment that I do not think that they should put anyone on death row unless they are 100% sure and have evidence to back it up that the accused person is 100% guilty as charged!! Yes, I do think that sometimes they are too quick to use it sometimes, but I don't see a problem with it if they are 100% positive!!’

That’s my whole point. If you look at the statistics, innocent people (mostly African American men) are on death row. That’s why, we should vote against the death penalty! We have not been able to attain a Judicial system that IS 100% accurate…not sure that we ever will.

Stormyy--->She is 10 months old-tomorrow to be exact. But she stopped breathing an hour after she was born so she suffered some brain damage-which I'm happy to report is all healed now. Developmentally she is between a 4 and 6 month stage. That's what I meant, sorry for the confusion---> if you go look under I think body maintenence you'll read about the problems she has-my post is under misconceptions of teen pregnancies!

LilSarah, I just wanted to point out that in an early post you said that your daughter is 10 months old but in a more recent post you said she is 'at about a four month old stage' So I was wondering how old is she?

I also wanted to comment that I do not think that they should put anyone on death row unless they are 100% sure and have evidence to back it up that the accused person is 100% guilty as charged!! Yes, I do think that sometimes they are too quick to use it sometimes, but I don't see a problem with it if they are 100% positive!!

Dopicilous why are on my a$$ about this-you don't me or my 'feelings'!! Oh about the feedback issue, feedback is fine, but when you start trying to analyze my 'feelings' and turning something I said around into something I never meant it's a whole different story!! I do feel sorry for the people who lost their lives on Sept 11th and other people in other types of situations!! I meant PEOPLE WHO ARE AWAITING DEATH ROW OR HAVE BEEN INNOCENTLY KILLED ON DEATH ROW!! Just thought I'd clarify that so you will stop saying that I don't care about human life altogether-you trying to make me out to be some people-hater or something and I'd appreciate if you'd stop! I NEVER said I didn't care about people I didn't know, I think you should reread my post and you'll see that I didn't say that!! You also said that I said I can't do anything-I said I cannot do anything to change or help the other people's situation when it came to the death row sentence!! Stop trying to change what I said around! Or leaving parts out-your're trying to read more into my post than there is. I'm not angry at all it's not getting in the way of my compassion for people b/c if you really knew me you'd also know that I'm a people person!! About my daughter, not that it is any of your business but she is at about a 4 month old stage so she isn't understanding stuff like this quite yet, and won't be for a while. I do not openly express anger about this simply b/c I'm not angry about it!! So, quit trying to analyze me and my feelings-i.e. some of my passion being anger-not that you need to know this either, but I have actually visited Dean w/ my mother, and I have forgave him for his crime, but that doesn't mean that I don't believe in the death penalty

People that do something wrong (like killing another person) can be reformed and become productive members of society. They should not be killed.

wickedchick the country that you live in has nothing to do with this issue. There are people who live in the U.S that don't believe in the death penalty and people who live outside the U.S that do. You say that people who don't want the death penalty should take a look at what country they live in, well FYI I live in Canada (we don't have the death penalty here). So your arguement doesn't apply to everyone.

What exactly does choice have to do with the death penalty? It is a cause and effect law. I law, which is put into action by the American Justice system. Again, can everyone, honestly, say that every single person on death row is 100% guilty? Exactly, so until we can make the justice system 100% accurate, unbiased, and fair, then we should not have such rash punishments.

If we realize that where we live is in a country that allows such hypocrisy as having guns readily available for kids, as their education is becoming less of a priority than the next football game, then we can start to do something about compassion and regard to human life.

i don't disagree nor agree with the death penalty but i do agree with having it as an option because that's what this country is all about having choices i'm kind of caught in the middle but if i were put in a situation in where i have to accept that result i probably will 'an eye for an eye' makes some sense i don't believe in getting rid of the death penalty because its not what this country is about and to those who want to get rid of it should realize where they live.

You are, clearly, very passionate about what you believe. Some of this passion seems like anger. The reason I brought up September 11 is b/c you said you don’t care about people you don’t know. It was an example. Whether it is someone on death row, someone in a compelling domestic tragedy (Sept.11) or a small child that runs out in front of the bus you are riding – you say you don’t care because you don’t know them?

Your anger has gotten in the way of compassion.

You think you can’t do anything? You can change. I’m not saying change your mind about the death penalty, I mean change the way you project the anger you seem to have. Children develop the fundamental sounds to speak before they are a year old. Not that they have understanding of actual words, but they do know what they feel. Your daughter will be understanding sooner than you know.

’ Why is everyone trying to change my mind??? I have my views and so does everyone elase, we we're not born to think alike!!’
-Uh, you posted your beliefs on a chat board. If you don’t want feedback, then don’t participate.