The death penalty or capital punishment is the punishment by death for a crime. Currently 58 countries worldwide allow the death penalty (including the U.S.) while 97 countries have outlawed it. Since the 1970s executions in the U.S. have declined every year. In 2021 five states and the federal government carried out 11 executions. The decline is part of a decadeslong trend as the costs associated with seeking the death penalty, the lengthy appeals process often associated with capital punishment, concerns about executing the innocent and a long-term decline in crime rates have caused many prosecutors and legislators in the U.S. to pull back from capital punishment.
@ISIDEWITH12yrs12Y
No
@9CWZLF61yr1Y
"'the death penalty is inadmissible' and the Church is firmly committed to calling for its abolition worldwide." - The Holy Father Pope Francis
The Dalai Lama has been quoted as saying that under extreme circumstances, capital punishment may be the only deterrent for heinous crimes. Now, I'm not saying one viewpoint is superior to the other, rather, it's a clear example of how complex and nuanced this issue is. I'm curious, how would you respond to those who believe the death penalty serves as a necessary deterrent?
@9CJ6CB611mos11MO
It's not a deterrent, lowering crime rates with it would require it to be used far too liberally. It's not a solution, it's revenge. Closure from death isn't something that people really want, they think it's what they want but it never fulfills that void. The innocence rate is too high, the methods are inhumane, and let's be honest, what is it really for? Justice? That's served by them never seeing the light of day again, easily, prison is a better option.
@NameIGuessLolSocialist 3wks3W
All people deserve to exercise their right to live, no matter their crime. I also do not support the life sentence.
@GrumpyOilRepublican2wks2W
What would you personally give up to be able to financially afford $75k/year per prisoner currently on death row?
@9FS9K3YRepublican12mos12MO
Some individuals will simply waste taxpayer money while spending time in prison for crimes that are unbearable to even consider.
@ISIDEWITH12yrs12Y
Yes
@9FFGW5412mos12MO
1. The Death Penalty is more expensive than life in prison
2. You run the risk of killing an innocent person with the death penalty
@ISIDEWITH12yrs12Y
Yes, but only for horrific crimes with undeniable evidence
@9FQG9QV12mos12MO
There's no such thing as "undeniable evidence," there is always a possibility of something being proved wrong. Forensics is never 100% and witnesses can always lie or misinterpret things. Also what can be considered as a "horrific crime" is completely subjective and can lead to people constantly fluctuating the standards for what qualifies as "Death Penalty Worthy."
@9GS33SQ10mos10MO
No one deserves to die. If we kill people what is the difference between killers and the government.
@9FQ26VW12mos12MO
No one has the authority to say whether someone should be allowed to live or die, except for medical circumstances where death is preferential to severe pain or lack of recovery.
@9HQXZQL9mos9MO
If someone kills 20 people, the easiest and arguably best thing to do would be to kill them. If a developing child with a severe mental disorder and a poor living condition killed 2 people, fixing their problems should be a higher concern than what their punishment should be.
@ISIDEWITH11yrs11Y
@ISIDEWITH11yrs11Y
No, spending life in prison is a harsher sentence
@9HRJ3Z29mos9MO
Sometimes it’s better to completely get rid of a really bad thing. If there is a venomous spider in your house, you wouldn’t keep it as a pet, you would kill it. Not only would this grant physical safety, but also would put your mind at ease.
@9HQXZQL9mos9MO
Sometimes it’s better to completely get rid of a really bad thing. If there is a venomous spider in your house, you wouldn’t keep it as a pet, you would kill it. Not only would this grant physical safety, but also would put your mind at ease.
@9GVRKPN10mos10MO
Death Penalty allows victims of the convicted person to feel relief of their death and that the actions of the actions of the Convicted person can determine how morally and lawfully wrong it is and if it isn't redeemable then the death penalty is the last resort.
@ISIDEWITH11yrs11Y
Yes, but the victim’s family should decide the punishment
@9FNP24F12mos12MO
The death penalty is immoral and the victim's family should not be given that power since they have no right to do so.
@cryingleftist4yrs4Y
The offender should have a choice between life in prison and the death penalty.
@8CGS9HSLibertarian4yrs4Y
No. The government does not have the authority to kill a citizen for any reason.
@8KJ4PD9Human Rights2wks2W
Death Penalty Information Center
The Death Penalty Information Center (DPI) is a national non-profit organization whose mission is to serve the media, policymakers, and the general public with data and analysis on issues concerning capital punishment and the people it affects. DPI does not take a position on the death penalty itself but is critical of problems in its application.The Center also produces groundbreaking reports on various issues related to the death penalty such as arbitrariness, costs, innocence, and race.
@5BPWZYZ4yrs4Y
Those who are for the death penalty are hypocritical. You are killing someone because they killed someone.... you are punishing them for a crime that you are committing by killing them. And if you kill that person they don't have to live with the wrongs they have done. Spending life in prison is way more harsh then killing them.
@NameIGuessLolSocialist 3wks3W
Yes... BUT, a life sentence, in my eyes, is very closely related to a death sentence, as the prisoner is forever banished from the outside world made for the majority of society. It should not be given to any prisoner, for everyone has the potential to redeem themselves.
Phenomenal idea! Let's stop imprisoning murderous scumbags, rapists, and Fentanyl dealers and let them run hog wild in our communities. I'd like these reactionary conservatives, who have the temerity to suggest that those who butcher innocent people should be kept away from hapless people, to tell me what could possibly go wrong with your brilliant plan. I bet you none of them could name one thing – it's that ingenious.
Let's see what the stats say about that plan. Let's compare recidivism rates between countries that are similar economically and culturally but have stark differences in their policy on crime:
Singapore
• Zero-tolerance on crime
• Death penalty for drug trafficking
• Public caning for vandalism
• Public shaming and fines for littering
• 5yrs prison for rioting
• Recidivism Rate: 20%
Japan
• Has a "second chance" policy on crime
• Suspended sentences and rehabilitation for drug offenders
• Suspended sentences for vandalism
• Confidential records for juvenile criminals
• Recidivism Rate: 60%
@JonBSimConstitution2yrs2Y
That assumes the victim shares the same status as the perpetrator.
Murder is the unlawful/immoral execution of a person.
The death penalty is the lawful/moral execution of a person who has performed a heinous act.
@9CJ6CB67mos7MO
Death of sentient beings is an inherently immoral act, regardless of how it’s done and for what reason. In a court of law, the prisoner is already unable to cause more harm, at that point, killing is unnecessary, because the purpose of punishment is to make sure they don’t commit that act again, meaning that life in prison will do the job.
@BobaFett215Democrat8mos8MO
Except we aren't killing innocent people, they are.
@NameIGuessLolSocialist 3wks3W
A murderer does not necessarily have to kill an innocent person in order to be a murderer. Likewise, an executioner, even if he kills only guilty people, still murders; only legally.
You don't understand the distinction between murder and other forms of killing. Murder is the unprovoked killing of an innocent person. You can, however, kill people out of self-defence, or, as an executioner, to exact justice on someone who has killed innocent people, and will kill more if released.
@NameIGuessLolSocialist 2wks2W
“and will kill more if released.”
Even if I shared your morals, this is a fallacious argument.
Linked below is a spreadsheet of the intentional homicide rates of various countries. The data cited here will be taken from the year 2022.
Norway has made both capital punishment and life without parole illegal. However, the intentional homicide rate was about 0.55 per 100,000 people in the country in 2022.
By comparison, in the same year, the United States, one of the only advanced democracies to carry out capital punishment, shows an intentional homicide rate of 6.38 per 100,000 people in the country.
The reason for such low homicide rates in Norway is due to their extensive rehabilitative care and welfare programs for criminals, which the US lacks in both quality and quantity.
dp-intentional-homicide-victims | dataUNODChttps://dataunodc.un.org/dp-intentional-homicide-victims
@4WVPX4L4yrs4Y
No. Some people deserve to die. In fact, let's expand it to include child molesters, corrupt politicians, and the jerk who steals my parking space.
@9CJ6CB611mos11MO
Many that live deserve death. And some that die deserve life. Can you give it to them? Then do not be too eager to deal out death in judgement.
J.R.R Tolkien
@9GN5KWP11mos11MO
Yes, but only for the most horrific crimes with absolutely undeniable evidence and if they’re deemed too dangerous to themselves and others or likely to escape a life sentence in prison
@4Z3Q5XR4yrs4Y
Yes and all death row prisoners should give up all rights and we should use body parts of all death row convicts as needed to save the lives of law abiding citizens
@9FCKM4B12mos12MO
Yes this is protected by the fifth amendment as the right to life, liberty, and property without due process
@5F2HBVH4yrs4Y
For fascists and pedophiles, but it should be done on a community-based protocol, not through the federal government.
@JonBSimConstitution2yrs2Y
Sounds an awful lot like a lynch mob.
No, but anyone should be able to request their own euthanasia.
@5B47QPP4yrs4Y
It is morally justifiable to execute a guilty person. It is not morally justifiable to kill innocent babies in the womb.
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